The kids always ask me if I go clubbing.
“In this dinky little town?” I ask. “Not a chance!”
But for all the days you miss the smell of after the club, there’s Nightclubbing. Ashtrays, smoke, warm vanilla from perfumed bodies, powder. Perfect for a Monday.
I still have all my hair…Some nice things from Aveda.
A few weeks ago, I was invited to my local Aveda boutique for a hair consult and product information session. Guess what? They do hair consults all the time, and you can call and book an appointment, or go in whenever you’re in the neighbourhood. At the consult, they used a tool to look at hair health and density, as well as the condition of my scalp. Good news: I’m not balding. And there is no bad news, I have curly hair (I already knew that), my scalp and hair are parched because it is dry here and I’m terrible at drinking water. It’s ok, I’m working on that as we speak and I’m working on my 2nd cup of coffee. But, I walked away feeling good about my hair and with samples from the Nutri-plenish collection which are going to help take care of that dehydration for me.
Have you tried anything from Aveda that you love? Tell me about it in the comments.
I am underwhelmed. I don’t know what I was expecting but I would have liked an actual oil instead of another lip tint. The colour I used is called Wonder.
Something about this time of year just makes me feel like going feral. Maybe it’s the pile of work in front of me, the anxiety that it will never get done even though it always does get done one way or another. Maybe it’s because the weather is warm and I want to be outside. All my self-destructive voices are competing for attention and I’m struggling to focus.
But I’m wearing Bel Respiro by Chanel, and so I smell like a responsible adult. This is a green perfume, but different than No. 19, if that’s your Chanel green of choice. Bel Respiro is sweeter, and more floral. Unlike many other green perfumes in my collection, this one is light on the galbanum and has a touch of leather, but the galbanum and leather are soft on the skin, not suede but worn in. It would be cliched to say this smells like a meadow, but it’s definitely like being outside in the sun.
Office appropriate: suitable for click-clacking at your desk, fake-laughing at jokes around the water cooler, and pretending to care about everyone’s weekend. My disguise is complete.
Like they ground up a honey comb, honey and wax, into a fine dust, put it into a compact, and then blow it into the air.
That’s what I think anyway.
Tyger Tyger by Francesca Bianchi.
If you found the honey in Bee cloying, then you might like this instead, although what I find is that honey just doesn’t seem to work for me. This one also lacks the animalic notes that are in some of the Bianchi scents, so it’s a little easier to wear. It would be a great pick for someone looking for a grown-up kind of gourmand.
What’s your favourite from the brand?
It was hot today and it’ll be hot tomorrow, so many a great time to mention that the iconic Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Heat now comes in a clear version, called Glass Slipper Heat. Same lip tingles, no colour. Your lips might be a bit more pink because of the spiciness of the gloss but there’s no colour-changing, just clear gloss that actually feels moisturizer. Gloss Bomb is one of my favourite lip gloss formulas. They’re so moisturizing even though they have pigment in them. I’d wear them to bed too so that my lips stay hydrated. I like them more than the actual lip balms.
There are many benefits to wearing contact lenses. Some include enhanced clarity, peripheral vision, and even convenient vision correction when playing sports, so you’re not worrying about your eye gear.
If you love experimenting with your appearance and want complete control over your look, there’s another perk: contact lenses eliminate glasses frames from the equation. That means it’s easier to apply the make-up you want! You can also change the color of your eyes with contacts, giving further options when it comes to your outfit and make-up.
However, wearing make-up with contact lenses does come with a few supplementary responsibilities to protect your eyes. Here’s how to wear contacts with make-up the right way.
When frequently using make-up with contact lenses, it might be best to wear dailies. That way, you’re always using a new pair of contacts free of powder, oil, and residue that can obstruct your vision and even cause infections. If you see yourself pairing make-up with lenses often, consider buying contact lenses online so you can purchase them in bulk while leveraging vision insurance or discounts. Clearly.ca is a great place to start browsing due to the multiple brands of dailies they offer, like Total1 and MyDay. Use daily contact lenses to ensure the pair you wear is pristine and fresh for your make-up needs.
Your eyes are sensitive. Touching them with unclean hands or blemished contacts can result in inflammations or diseases like pink eye. These conditions can cause discomfort and make it far more difficult to put on make-up, so follow the best hygiene practices for putting on your contact lenses. Always wash your hands thoroughly before you wear them, and avoid touching your eyes throughout the day. Never wear contact lenses when you have severe eye illnesses like blepharitis or are suffering from allergies.
Additionally, put your contacts on before your make-up: putting them on after means products like concealer, eyeshadow, and eyeliner can get between the lens and your eye. You can also still wear contacts with make-up if your eyes are a little dry—just use some rewetting eye drops. These will improve your comfort and remove debris from under your contact lenses, so you can wear them with make-up for longer.
Mascara is a make-up product worn particularly close to your contact lenses, so it has a greater chance of clouding them than anything else you apply to the eye area. It’s thus crucial to practice extra caution when applying it. Try sweeping the mascara wand from the middle of your lashes to the tips rather than starting at the base of your lids, where it will be closer to your contacts. It’s also best to avoid lashes-building mascaras, which can flake and get in your eyes. If you want that prominent eyelash look without the hassle, consider purchasing high-quality false lashes from brands like Velour instead. You can easily apply and position them in a way that doesn’t affect your contacts.
This step is particularly recommended if you wear make-up with contacts—and for good reason. Oil-based creams and primers can flow far too easily across the contours of your face and slip directly into your contacts, obstructing your vision. When shopping for cosmetics you’re going to use with contact lenses, lean towards water-based products instead. That way, you can upgrade your appearance without fretting about cloudy contacts.
Wearing contacts with make-up can be challenging, but the end result is a gorgeous look unobstructed by glasses frames. Follow the above tips to take great care of your eyes while achieving your desired look.
A few of my favourite things… and I hate to be that person who is complaining about the weather but it is freezing here and has been the last few days, but I noticed that the new Fenty collection matched my favourite swimsuit, so here we are. Swipe through for more details, including the shades of the Poutsicle lip stains.
The hair brush is from Aveda and the pretty print on the back was created in collaboration with 3.1 Philip Lim. A really pretty hair towel goes with that, and Aveda just makes really nourishing products. This brush is a travel size, and I do have a larger size of it too from years ago and it’s a beautiful but gentle brush.
Fenty Poutsicles are pretty dark lip stains – a deep purple and pink and I’ve shown them on a reel but here they are on my bathroom counter. They do go on deep and last through a cup of coffee.
Bright nails for the spring via Biosculpture nail polishes. Available at salons only, but I’ve seen everyone wearing these shades.
I’m also testing out the new Sisley scents. No real thoughts yet, but I’m going to have to give them some skin time later this week.
These days I’m using the Bioderma micellar water to take off my makeup, which is just lip stain and tubing mascara most days. It’s gentle and the mascara just slides off. Use it after a hot day outside because it works on sunscreen too. Of course, washing your sunscreen off at the end of the day is best, but this is not bad, so it would work if you have a moment where you can’t get to the sink to properly wash your face. Bioderma is a French pharmacy standby and it has been available in Canada for years now. You don’t have to lug it over from Europe and you should be able to find it in your local pharmacy – and if you’re visiting from out of the country, this is a brand that’s worth stocking up on.
Happy summer.
If you’re looking for a summer freshie, look no further than @eaudejane created by my friend Jane Daly . It’s a ‘70’s inspired green floral that smells pretty, happy and fresh. I can spray it with abandon in the heat and know that it’s never going to feel heavy or cloying. Jane has a discerning taste and a sensitive nose, so I also know that this isn’t going to overdose me on aroma chemicals.
As much as it’s easy to hate the state of perfumery these days (dupes, flankers, etc.), how cool is it that we live in a time when can chat with the creator of your favourite scent? Or you can tell them you love it and share the love with so many people.
Eau de Jane is a mood-lifter, positivity in a bottle, a buoy for the times.
Took me 13 years to use up 9ml.
Lush Breath of God. Smoky vetiver and incense, but also a blast of fresh air, melon, and a tiny bit of cloves when it warms up on your skin. Warm but not suffocating. Incense for the whole year, any weather.
I personally think that Lush doesn’t get enough credit for their perfumes, but they were niche before niche meant nothing, beast mode before it was even a thing, and they’re interesting without the generic base notes.
If you like T-Rex by Zoologist, but maybe the burnt rubber opening was a turn-off, or maybe the price was a barrier, or maybe it was just too much, then Breath of God might be what you’re looking for. Lush doesn’t offer the same quality of presentation but is infinitely more accessible and maybe more wearable too. Still, people find this to be a lot, a big perfume, but it’s easy enough to try since at every huge mall around here. Have you smelled this? Do you have a favourite Lush perfume?
Here’s me on Youtube, talking about Breath of God and a bit about Lush Perfumes.
