For the Hand Cream Lady in Your Life – Gift from Soap and Glory

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Henna

Soap and gloryThere’s always that person in your life who loves hand cream and constantly seems to be applying it – I would probably be that person in my own life.

So I love Soap and Glory’s Winter Wonderhand set.  It’s three purse-sized tubes of their Hand Food Hand Cream.  The cream is light put powerful and provides instant moisturizing without a lot of greasiness – it’s the perfect cream for keeping at your desk at work.

Plus, it’s only $15 which will likely be under the Secret Santa limit at work.

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart this November. 

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Drugstore Find: Garnier’s Triple Nutrition Miraculous Oil-In-Spray

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Henna

Garnier Oil in SpraySo, I recently wrote about having very dry hair – to the point that I’m now applying oil to my hair while I’m in the shower and then rinsing it off for an extra dose of nutrition for my hair, but now I’m adding another step and yes, it’s another amazing product from the drugstore.

Garnier’s Triple Nutrition Miraculous Oil-In-Spray claims to be the first oil in a spray bottle, but let’s be honest, there’s just a small amount of oil in this and loads of other (quite common) hair care ingredients such as silicones and other hair smoothers.

That being said, this is a really lovely product and a very moisturizing one to boot and it’s perfect for those of us with dry hair.

The first thing that I love about this product is that the mist of oil is very fine – so you’re not putting tons of oil on your hair and potentially weighing it down.  Just a light halo spritzed above your head will give you just enough hydration and shine without any heaviness.

This spray is also great for heat-styling – not something I would recommend if this was all oil, but because it’s not, it works so well as a heat protectant for your hair.  I do my fine mist and then go in with my hair straightener, and I’m finding that it glides over my hair so easily and makes it easier for me to get that bend in my hair that I really want.

The final result is dry to the touch (so this is like a dry oil) and I add a little bit extra to my ends to really have them look healthy.

You can use this in damp hair or on dry hair – I prefer using it on dry hair because then I can really see what areas of my hair are super dry and use accordingly.  Damp hair just doesn’t give me that information so I’m liable to put on too much.

The best part has to be the price: $5.79 at drugstores and mass retailers, and it works just as well as some high-end heat protecting sprays that I’ve used.

What a great find!

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Time To Use Your Best Hand Cream

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Henna

I think we can all agree that this fall has been better than most.  It hasn’t really snowed or rained too much, and we’ve all enjoyed lots of sunshine and seen the leaves change colour slowly.

But now the leaves are actually gone from the trees, and there’s a distinct nip in the air. That means that it’s time to bring out the intense moisturizer and I’m constantly rubbing it into my hands to keep them hydrated. Cicaplast mains

If you too need to pull out the big guns, then turn to La Roche-Posay’s Cicaplast mains which is a great barrier cream.  Revered in France, this no-nonsense cream is now available in Canada!

It will prevent moisture from escaping your hands and will keep them feeling comfortable.  The cream is made of 4% Niacinamide and 30% Glycerine. The Niacinamide is what makes this hand cream better than most of what’s out there, because it’s been proven to improve skin’s elasticity, enhance barrier function, and even makes skin look younger because it helps erase discolourations and helps improve tone and texture.  If you think you’ve heard of the ingredient before, you’re right!  It’s usually in anti-aging creams!  What’s good for your face, is good for your hands too and with continued use, this cream will help your hands look better than they ever have before.

The cream is scent-free so you can use it and keep using it without feeling like you’re actually applying perfume, and just adds to the clinical feel of this cream.  It’s made to really work on super dry skin and last a long long time, and with that it delivers.

The cream kind of reminds me of Vaseline – it’s a clear gel that feels slippery but unlike Vaseline, it’s not greasy at all.

Available in pharmacies and drug storesfor $11.99.

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Currently Using: Joico Color Balance Shampoo and Conditioner

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Henna

Joico Color BalanceI wish I had known about Color Balance a long time ago.  My naturally warm hair, which I now color regularly, has a tendency to get orange or even reddish really quick.  Literally a few shampoos after dying my hair, I could see the orange tones kind of come out.

Actually, when I mentioned them to my hair dresser, she said that it wasn’t a big deal.  Truth be told, warm hair is pretty flattering on almost everyone and I have a neutral complexion so I can pull off warm shades quite easily… but I just wasn’t satisfied with my ends which really did look brassy.

That’s all over thanks to Joico’s Color Balance shampoo and conditioner.  I use the blue one which has specially been made for brunettes with ombre hair – and it works like a charm since the very tips of my hair were still ombre’d.  You use massage the shampoo into your hair and let it sit for a few minutes so that the blue has a chance to do its thing.  Then you follow up with the blue conditioner.  They say that you only need to use this once in a while, (every 2-3 shampoos) but I find that it works best when I use it once a week (so, every other shampoo for me).

This duo also comes in a purple version for blonde and silver/grey hair.

Pick it up in salons and online – about $15 each or even less when sold as a duo!

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Halloween in the Shower Thanks to Lush

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Henna

lush halloweenHappy Halloween Eve, everyone, and I have to say that this holiday has taken on a whole new meaning for me since I’ve had kids.  I actually care more about it than I ever have before!

Great finds this year come thanks to Lush.  Seriously, who knew that bath products could be so fun and smell so good?

I’m loving the Lord of Misrule shower gel, and even if you’re not into Halloween, you should pick up a bottle of this because it smells so good.  Patchouli, pepper, and vanilla are in the scent and make my whole bathroom smell absolutely amazing.  It’s got lots of colour in it – intense green, which makes it easy to inspire my little one jump into the shower, but if you colour your hair, I’ve found that it doubles as a great shampoo because the green dye cuts down on brassiness in our hair!  Yes!  No more orange hair and it will smell amazing.

Also, Nightwing Shower Jelly, which is referred to in my house as the black soap.  It smells like lemon candy, so there’s that, but it also makes lots of lovely bubbles and the jelly texture is fun (albeit a bit slippery) in the shower.

Pick both of them up at Lush stores or online.

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In-Shower Hydration for Your Hair

Posted on October 17, 2015 by Henna

OGX Miracle OilSo I’m suffering from a majorly dry hair moment right now and trust me when I say that I’ve tried everything and it’s just not getting better.

The one one product that is giving me a bit of temporary relief is OGX Hydrate and Repair Argan Oil or Morocco Miracle In-Shower oil.  Yes, it’s like VO5 for your hair, to use in the shower, and then potentially rinse out, but unlike VO5, you don’t have to heat it up and it’s not as thick.

This oil is quite light so you can even use it when you’re out of the shower, or apply it on to skin when it’s damp.   I love that it’s a multi-tasker.  It’s left my hair shiny and less tangled at the ends which is great since lately the texture of it has changed and it tends to get tangled all by itself.

I’ve gone through a whole bottle already and am on to another one.

Pick it up at drugstores for about $11.

 

 

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New Favourite: Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Petal

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Henna

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in PetalI had yet to try Fresh’s Sugar Lip Treatment in Petal, but now that I have it, it’s a new favourite.  This colour in the Lip Treatment family has a nice dose of creamy muted pink lip colour that looks so natural on lips.  It provides tons of emollient moisture to the lips and makes them feel super soft over time.

It’s the perfect lip treatment to use over the winter.   These are usually super soft, so they’re great to use over the winter when there’s no chance of them melting.

$26 at Sephora.

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Everyday Flawless Skin with MAC Studio Waterweight SPF 30 Foundation

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Henna

Ok, so the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation is my fancy foundation and it photographs so well, but for everyday, easy-to-use foundation I use MAC Studio Waterweight foundation because it has a light serum-like consistency that spreads easily with my fingers.  It is also SPF 30 so it’s great to have on during the day.

MAC Studio Waterweight foundationThe foundation is also hydrating and so it’s great to use for every type of skin – but people with oily skin (like me!) will find that it wears off as the day goes on – even with the use of a primer and powder.

But, when you’re mostly at home with short jaunts out and about, you don’t really need a foundation that lasts 12 hours, and in that case, a simple 8-10 hour foundation will do.

The coverage is light-medium and can be layered a bit to get up to the medium coverage.  I use a concealer under my eyes for extra coverage, and highlighting but the foundation is great for evening out my skin all over.

It’s a very thin foundation so it’s best to apply it with your fingertips or with a foundation brush.  A sponge would just soak it all up.

There are tons of fluid foundations out now – one from nearly every brand.  My advice is to go with the brand where you can find a good match for your skin tone.  I found the Nars one to be too yellow for my skin but it was super pigmented.   The Make Up For Ever foundation has the most colour options and if you find that it’s hard to find a perfect match for your skin, then check that one out.  Dior’s was also medium/light coverage but the colour options aren’t there. L’Oreal and Lancome’s versions are super light (actually, very watery) and leave skin silky smooth and also have great colour options. If you’re in your twenties and don’t need much coverage, those ones are the ways to go.

The MAC Studio Waterweight SPF 30 Foundation 

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Joico Tint Shot Root Concealer

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Henna

Joico Tint Shot…where has this product been my whole life?  Seriously, if you colour your hair at home and dont’ have a ton of greys, this is a game changer and when you have little children and not enough time, it’s a total life saver.

Basically, the tint Shot Root Concealer is like a targeted tinted dry shampoo that you can spray directly on your roots to cover up new growth.  It has special polymers that adhere to hair so it works a little better than a dry shampoo but it isn’t like a hair spray because there’s no tacky feeling aftewards.  It washes out easily and if applied at the right places, it won’t rub off on your pillows.  Case in point: I apply just at my part where the grey is obvious and easily covered up.  It can buy me at least a couple of weeks more before I have to go colour my hair again!

Also, if you have thinning hair, you can also apply to areas where hair is a little bit thinner and it gives the appearance of thicker hair.  It really does work like a dream.

The Tint Shot comes in black, brown, blond, and light brown.  I’ve been using brown and light brown and I’ve found that although I can get away with using either, actually the brown is the most natural to my real hair colour so it works better.

Pick it up online or at a salon near you.

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eos Visibly Soft Lip Balm in Blackberry Nectar

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Henna

Happy Thanksgiving again!  I’m stuffed full of turkey right now and can’t even think about food, but after a long day it’s nice to pop open something new. eos blackberry nectarJust a public service announcement for all of you who love eos lip balm as much as I do: their Visibly Soft lip balm now comes in a Blackberry Nectar flavour.

I would say that this is a great flavour to try if you like fruity flavours.  It doesn’t smell exactly like blackberries (a taste I know well since we used to have a blackberry tree in our yard!) but has kind of a generic berry kind of scent that’s nice. These don’t have much of a taste but they do smell nice.

I love the original eos lip balm, but the Visibly Soft one is even better because it’s much more creamy and hydrating.

Like all the eos lip balms, this is

The natural bit is why I started using them in the first place, and why I continued using them.

In stores for $3.99.

 

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