Canadian Beauty

Essie’s Spring 2015 Collection

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Henna

These shades are just what you need to revamp your nail polish wardrobe this spring.

Essie’s Spring 2015 collection offers a nice range of fun brights that are totally wearable.

Colours are:

Flowerista – fuschia plum purple

Petal Pushers – stone grey

Garden Variety – teal blue

Blossom Dandy – mint creme

Picked Perfect – Almond

Perennial Chic – tawny

Here’s a picture of me wearing Petal Pushers. It was my favourite shade of the lot.

Perennial Chic is below: it’s a pretty peach.

I also loved Blossom Dandy but it got majorly chipped before I even got a chance to take a picture.

The collection comes out this March.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Essie, nail polish | Leave a comment

Your Spring Pop of Colour Via Clarins Garden Escape

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Henna

We’re thinking of Spring despite the weather outside. It must be because it’s not quite as dark as it used to be when we leave the house in the morning, and the sun hasn’t set by the time we eat dinner… truly, nicer weather has to be around the corner and if you can’t make it, fake it.

At least that’s what I keep telling myself as I use Clarins’ new Garden Escape 6-Colour Eye Palette. It’s a super easy way to add colour to your look without being heavy-handed because despite having shades of green and pink (which ordinarily I just wouldn’t touch) these are all so silky and super blendable and you can use them with some comfort because they can be sheered out. The addition of an icy white and a molten chocolate taupe-brown shimmer means that it’s also Clarins-approved to mix the bright shades with the neutrals to make something that’s customized just for you.

This 6-colour palette also includes a huge mirror and a double-ended brush so you can use it on the go.

$44 for the palette at Clarins.caor at your local Clarins counter.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Clarins, Eyeshadow | Leave a comment

Maybelline Color Molten Shadow

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Henna

Did you get the message yet? Light pretty shades are in, and the best way to get with it is with a sheer wash of colour, and I LOVE Maybelline’s new Color Molten Shadow for that. Seriously, this is the coolest new shadow out this year.

Available in a range of shades from taupe to grey to black to pink, my favourite shade duo is the Nude Rush duo. One side is a golden beige, and the other is a pale pink. Both can be sheered out to the point that you can use them as highlighters.

Ok, but the real bright point of these shadows is that they’re kind of squishy to the touch and yet are a cream to powder formula. In fact, the shadow in the compact is kind of squishy to the touch, which is fun, and a little swipe of the finger gets you enough pigment to cover your whole eye or use where-ever you like.

The downside? The shadow creases almost immediately after application, but with the addition of an eye primer, everything stays where it should and the shadow lasts the whole day – just like a regular shadow. The best way to apply these is with your finger tips which makes everything so easy!

Pick them up at drugstores now for $6.99.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Maybelline | Leave a comment

New Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Henna

It’s cold outside, hot inside, but you can’t see it on my skin thanks to Nivea’s new In-Shower Body Lotion.

This is absolutely the way to be moisturizing after your shower.

Let me quickly tell you how the Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion works: you smooth it on to your skin and then rinse it off. There’s a residue left behind, but that’s what you want. That’s Nivea’s moisturizers sealing in moisture but not being washed away. The In-Shower Body Lotion glides on to wet skin and works with the water to emulsify and create a barrier. There’s no waiting involved: simply apply it and rinse off.

It’s so easy to use, and doesn’t leave me freezing while I wait for my moisturizer to sink in. There’s also no post-shower stickiness so once you dry off, you can get dressed right away!

I’m happy to say that the hydration also lasts and lasts and you’ll be able to see that your skin just feels more comfortable after using this on a regular basis.

There are three varieties available: Smooth Replenishing, Hydrating, and Nourishing. Maybe I’m drawn to the iconic Nivea blue, but the Nourishing was my favourite.

Available at drugstores now for $7.99.

Note that this does not replace any shower gel or shampoo since there’s no cleansing component to this product. It’s simply meant to replace the moisturizer you might use after your shower. Think of it like a conditioner for your body – you still need to clean it, but then you use something to put back what you might have lost.

Posted in For the Body | Tagged Nivea | 2 Comments

MAC Viva Glam x Miley Cyrus

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Henna

MAC’s Viva Glam lipsticks have been mostly neutral shades but now there’s something super bright, and that’s Viva Glam Miley.

Viva Glam Miley Cyrus lipstick ($16) is a hot pink in their Amplified formula. That means that it’s super pigmented and still rich and creamy to wear. The lasting power is amazing – I wear it and can have breakfast or lunch, and of course it wears off, but lots of rich pigment is still left on my lips.

The colour kind of reminds me of Girl About Town, but it’s more of a true hot pink, whereas Girl About Town can be a little magenta and/or purply. It’s definitely not as true pink as MAC Candy Yum Yum (which is a blue pink). Viva Glam Miley Cyrus is also warm-toned,

The Viva Glam Miley Cyrus Lipglass ($15) is a hot pink sparkling shade that’s not overly tinted but very sparkly. If you have pale lips, this will seem very pigmented, and if you’re lips are already pigmented, this will add tons of shine.

100% of the proceeds to go the MAC Aids Fund.

All in all, love the hot pink and love that proceeds go to charity so if this is your kind of colour, grab it! Great formula and great colour!

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged MAC | Leave a comment

MAC Cosmetics Pencilled In Collection

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Henna

A little collection waits for you at the MAC Counter, and it’s called Pencilled In. MAC has gone ahead and created lip liners to match some of their most iconic lipsticks. Candy Yum Yum, Heroine, Ruby Woo, and lots of others now have their very own matching lip liner colour – it’s a sign, more than anything else, that lip liners are back and they’re here to stay for atleast a while. Even the image that goes with the collection seems strangely iconic, almost a throw-back to the 90’s: bright lipstick lined with a dark purple liner. To tell the truth, it might not be my look, but it’s not one that would be out of style at all.

Actually, it’s not that we ever stopped using lip liners. They’re great if you want matte colour, and they’re really great if you want your lipstick to last a really long time. But, now they’re a make-up bag essential, like the contour colour and brush.

The pencils in this collection are the traditional kind, and I would say that’s the only down side to them. You have to physically sharpen them, and I much prefer a pencil that’s self-sharpening because it’s much easier to use on the go. Anything that needs to be sharpened stays in my makeup bag at home and sometimes that means that it doesn’t get used as much. Nonetheless, these pencils are nicely pigmented but not too soft, so you can use them on their side to get a uniform wash of colour, or you can use them on their point to get more pigmented finer lines.

Lip pencil colours are:

Edge to Edge dirty blue pink / Rosy Rim muted rosy-tinted pink

Fruit Cocktail clean light-peachy coral / Chic Trick amped-up fuchsia

Candy Yum-Yum neon pink / Talking Points bright blue fuchsia

Ruby Woo very matte vivid blue-red / Follow Your Heart vivid bright-bluish red

Nightingale mid-tone cream plum / Heroine bright purple / Cyber World intense blackish purple

Suggested Retail Price $16.00 US / $19.00

I have the Talking Points lip pencil and it’s definitely a bright rosy pink that can give a sheer wash of colour or really be used as a lip liner. It goes with Please Me, which is another lipstick I own and have worn a lot.

The collection also includes a Lipglass version of Candy Yum Yum, Ruby Woo, and Heroine – I have to check those out, still. I own Ruby Woo (and yes, it’s the perfect red) but I want to see the Lipglass version.

Lipstick colours (that match the lip pencils above) are:

Pink Plaid dirty blue-pink (matte) / Ravishing clean light-peachy coral (cremesheen)

Impassioned amped-up fuchsia (amplified) / Girl About Town bright blue fuchsia (amplified)

M·A·C Red vivid-bright bluish red (satin) / Rebel mid-tone cream plum (satin)

Candy Yum-Yum neon pink (matte) / Cyber intense blackish purple (satin)

Ruby Woo very matte vivid blue-red (matte) / Please Me muted rosy-tinted pink (matte)

Snob light neutral pink (satin) / Heroine bright purple (matte)

Suggested Retail Price $16.00 US / $19.00 CAD

I don’t own Pink Plaid, but it seems like a perfect neutral pink so I might have to pick up one of those.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged MAC, Pencils | Leave a comment

New! Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Henna

Nars has the hottest new foundation to come out this year. Last year was the year thin, silky-feeling, weightless foundations that looked and felt great but weren’t for everyone because they didn’t provide a lot of coverage. I know that although I loved using these foundations, I did so only when I felt my skin was amazing… or not at all.

Now, Nars has changed all that – they’ve come out with a foundation that looks amazing and feels completely weightless.

I got a brand new bottle of the foundation and the first few pumps were a little oily and super sheer. Obviously, I was confused. The foundation was supposed to be full-coverage with just one pump. After a lot of shaking, and pumping out a couple of more pumps of foundation, I got to where the foundation was supposed to be.

It’s a super thin formula that’s intensely pigmented. It literally glides on to your skin and sets to a powdery finish. The feel is a little like the Lancome Miracle Air de Teint or the Armani Maestro, but because there’s so much pigment in this foundation, it’s a little thicker to the feel and not quite so watery. Although this is a mostly silicone-based foundation, I found that it worked very well with my oily skin. It didn’t clog my pores like silicone usually does, and I didn’t have to use a primer or set it with a powder. Because it’s a powdery finish, it doesn’t work very well with dry skin – it will likely accentuate dry spots, and you’ll be advised to moisturize before applying the foundation.

Nars suggests that you dispense one pump directly into on to your finger tips, rub them together, and then apply on your face. It’s the best way, for sure because a sponge just seems to absorb the foundation and using a foundation brush means that you’ll need to use 2-3 pumps of it where one would have done. Still, I don’t like applying foundation with my fingers because I feel like so much product gets left on my hands, so I do prefer to use a sponge with this and just use a little more product.

The finish is matte but luminous (not shimmery) and the foundation really lasts the whole day because it’s so pigmented. That said, I would say that it’s high coverage and not full coverage (like a concealer). You can cover your whole face with a full coverage foundation, but that won’t give you the natural look that this foundation is meant to give you. When I applied the foundation with my fingers, I got high coverage that I could build where I wanted to, but still sheer out the foundation where I didn’t need it so much.

Get matched at Nars counters now – the shade selection is great, although I found that Stromboli (my usual Nars colour) was a little yellow on me (I should have maybe gone up to Barcelona?) but once I blend it out to my neck, it’s a good match.

$57 at Nars counters – hefty price, but it comes in what seems like a huge glass bottle and will last a long long time.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Foundation, Nars | 1 Comment

The New Drugstore Cleanser You Need to Try

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Henna

Ok, so Garnier just added a Sensitive line of cleansers to its existing Clean+ cleansing lineup, and while I don’t usually use cleansers for sensitive skin, I was drawn to the Clean+ Gentle Clarifying Cleansing Gel. I love a foaming cleanser, and one that’s meant to be gentle sounded good.

Turns out that this completely affordable drugstore cleanser rivals some of the most expensive ones I’ve tried, and yes, it totally reminds me of the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser that I always rave about.

What I love about the Fresh Soy cleanser is that it’s slippery in feel and washes off clean. The Garnier Cleansing Gel is just as slippery in feel, it also washes clean, but it foams a little when you add water to it, so it dissolves makeup much better than the Fresh cleanser. It comes in a huge 235 mL bottle so you can use it to your heart’s content without really breaking the bank. This cleanser is free of alcohol, fragrance, dye, and oil.

The line also includes cleansing milk and wipes, but if you’re trying to take makeup off, then this is all you’ll need.

Pick it up at drugstores now for about $12.

Posted in Cleansers | Tagged Garnier | Leave a comment

The New Product That Will Give You Thicker Hair

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Henna

If you have thinning hair, then you need to invest in the Nioxin line to help retain what you have and prevent new growth from falling out. I like using the Nioxin shampoo but the leave-in products are really what do the work, and there’s a line of styling products in the system as well.

Now, there’s Diamax Advanced which is the latest leave-in from the brand. It has 25% more of the key ingredients that make the Nioxin system work.

This spray seems thicker than the other Nioxin Leave-In treatments that I’ve tried, but once sprayed into your hair, it’s just as light and easy to work with as the other ones were. You simply spray this on to your roots, and then massage it into your scalp. Not only do the ingredients work to help you keep your hair, but the spray will also make your hair look thicker and fuller than it may have previously.

The root spray is not like a hair spray or a traditional thickening spray (or texturizer). It is light like a leave-in conditioner, protecting the hair and making it stronger. Because it’s so light, you can use it on wet or dry hair, although my favourite way is to use it when my hair is wet and clean so that I know I’m not going to have any product build-up.

Pick it up at salons and beauty supply stores for $59.99.

Posted in Hair | Tagged Nioxin | Leave a comment

Lush for Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 7, 2015 by Henna

I’m happy to say that a Valentine’s Day gift doesn’t have to be anything crazy expensive. Turns out that while we all want our partners to splurge on us, actually we spend much less than what we expect to receive. So why not keep expectations in check, and go for a present that’s pretty, special, and best of all, easy to find.

Head to a Lush shop, and you’ll find something that’s all of the above. Yes, you’re looking at some expensive soap and bubble bars and bath bombs that your significant other has been doing without, but this is how you’re going to splurge this Valentine’s Day.

My favourite product from their collection this year is the Love Locket Bath Bomb. Just like a regular locket, this one opens up to reveal a smaller bath bomb inside, so while you could throw this whole thing into the bath and use it all at once, it’s better to break it open and just use the middle and then each side.

The locket also has little hearts inside – but unlike paper hearts or plastic ones, these are made from agar agar (seaweed) so they’re going to disintegrate and dissolve back into the ocean. It’s $11.95 so this isn’t going to be the only thing you’re going to gift, but it’s a great starting point.

If you’re significant other is more practical and sticks to showers instead of baths, splurge on the Cupid’s Love soap ($6.95 each). Like all the wonderful things at Lush, this one could have been made in your own kitchen, because it has ingredients like fresh passionfruit juice and soy yogurt, along with a fresh woodsy scent. Rapeseed, Glycerine, and Coconut Oil means that it’s moisturizing to use and not stripping the way that regular soap is.

Pick up this, and other lovely gifts at your local Lush store or online.

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