The Spa Treatment Your Feet Need this Holiday Season

Posted on December 6, 2014 by Henna

Sante Spa ReceptionOk, I confess that I have not been Black Friday shopping… and I’m likely not going to be spending too much time at the mall holiday shopping either.  I am more of an online shopper, and I confess that I buy nearly everything (including clothing for me and the rest of my family) online.  It’s easier and I can really narrow down what I need without any impulse buying.

But I’m in the minority – my sister, colleagues, and friends all went Black Friday shopping and have a ton of holiday shopping to do so they’ll be running around a ton this winter season.

If you’re one of those people, or maybe like me, you hit the gym all the time and are sore from that, then you need to head out toSanté Spa at Hôtel Le Germain Calgary and get a Grounding Foot Massage.  The massage uses traditional palm movements and accupressure techniques to relieve stress and calm the muscles.

The massage starts with a foot soak and a scrub.  The scrub is then washed off, and a lotion mixed with an oil to give extra moisturizing benefits to the feet.

I was relaxed from the get-go.  I had to turn off my phone, soak my feet, and sit there smelling the refreshing oils in the treatment.  Then the scrub was massaged in, washed off, and I got to lie down while my feet and legs were massaged.  I would have fallen asleep during the treatment were it not for the accupressure, which wasn’t painful, but stimulating enough to keep me awake.

The treatment is 60 minutes and costs $130.  The best part is that Sante Spa takes Wayspa gift cards so you can treat yourself or a loved on this holiday season!

Call 403.930.5959 to book an appointment, and head to Wayspa.com to get gift certificates.

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New CoverGirl Full Lash Bloom Mascara Review

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Henna

IMG_7279CoverGirl has a new mascara, and with Katy Perry as the cover woman, how could you not be enticed into trying it.  The mascara has a super spiky brush that’s long enough to coat almost every lash in one swipe.  As you layer it on, the mascara wand separates lashes, making your lashes look very full, your eyes almost doe-like.

The only problem?

It smeared on my lids before lunch.  🙁

Use it if you’re immune to that sort of thing.

 

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Neutrogena’s Perfect Under-Makeup Serum

Posted on November 30, 2014 by Henna

neutrogena serumIt’s a serum that looks more like a light lotion, and is maybe the most under-rated product I’ve ever used.  Forget all those primers you’ve bought that promise to be skin-smoothing and perfecting.  This is the only thing you’ll ever need.

Neutrogena’s Rapid Tone Repair Serum is super light, lightly luminizing, and has Retinol in it to make your skin look amazing… especially in the long run. The more you use this serum, the better your skin is going to look. As you can see from my Instagram picture, I’ve gone through a bottle and I can’t get enough of this serum.

The retinol really helps to smooth skin out and lighten dark spots. It works quickly – I noticed a difference within a couple of weeks, and keeps working the longer you use this serum. Because it’s very light, it works best for those who have more oily skin, but if you have dry skin, you can apply this under your regular moisturizer, especially if you’re using one with SPF.

What I really love about it is the finish – it absorbs into your skin quickly and has a dry matte finish that sets after giving some moisture and relief to your skin. It works well before applying foundation and concealer, and really helps everything go on smoothly. The best part is that the finish lasts the whole day, keeping too much oil at bay.

Pick it up at the drugstore and go nuts with it, because it’s affordable and works better than most other overly-hyped primers I’ve tried!

$30.

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My New Favourite Winter Moisturizer

Posted on November 30, 2014 by Henna

Yes, I’ve been a little MIA on the review bit, but here I am again with my new favourite moisturizer that smells so yummy that I can’t get enough of it.  And it’s light enough that you can put loads on but moisturizing enough that it lasts the whole entire day.  And the whipped consistency… O…M…G…
IMG_7254
Ok, so it’s Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter which is available in this adorable Craig and Karl graphic print out for the holidays.

craig and karl graphic

 

This luxury moisturizer has ingredients like glycerine and shea butter and goes on sooo smooth, literally melts into the skin, and doesn’t leave it greasy or oily.

This is available at Kiehl’s boutiques, or at Holt Renfrew, or online at Kiehls.ca.  $46.

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5 Favourite High End Beauty Products

Posted on November 30, 2014 by Henna

Hey Everyone,

I made this video for those of you who want to know where they should spend money on high-end products!  I hope you like it.  I’d also love to know what your favourite high-end products are so leave me your suggestions in the comments.

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Mary Kay Christmas Lip Balm

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Henna

Mary Kay Little Gifts Lip balmOk, so it’s been a long time since I’ve truly tried and loved something Mary Kay, but this lip balm is everything. I actually can’t remember a winter where my lips felt so soft and smooth, and this winter is it, and it’s all thanks to this lip balm.

What’s also great are the special holiday flavours: Vanilla, Vanilla Mint (my favourite), and Vanilla Berry.  They’re clear, glossy, smooth, and they last a long time on the lips.

$20 at MaryKay.ca.

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Fresh Sugar Cravings Kissing Trio Gift Set

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Henna

Sugar CravingsTruth be told, I’m so tempted to keep this little gift all for myself, but it’s going to someone who could use something luxurious and special.

You get these three little Sugar Lip Treatments in the original clear version, the Berry tint, and the Plum tint.  It’s a great way to show someone that you care… without going overboard either.

$33 at Sephora.  All in a cute little box that you might not have to wrap so that you can see the expression on their face.

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The Body Shop’s Beauty Advent Calendar is Back!

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Henna

The Body Shop Advent CalendarAnd it’s only $50.

I had so much fun opening this calendar last year, and ended up with lots of mini body butters and hand creams.  It was great to be stocked up with moisturizers during the winter months, and there was lots to share with friends too!

This is definitely one of the best gifts on the market right now – actually, it’s perfect as a shared gift because someone different can open each day!

The value of the gift is $129 and each purchase sends a child to class.

Pick yours up while it’s still available online or in Body Shop stores.

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The Best Holiday Present for Almost Anybody

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Henna

Philips Sonicare Diamondclean Pink…including me!

Ok, once Halloween is over, we start thinking about great presents, and this year, I totally have found a present that almost anyone would like.  This present works for men, women, teens, grandparents, etc.

It’s the Philips Sonicare Diamondclean Rechargable Sonic Toothbrush.  I’ve had a sonic toothbrush before, but this one is sleek and slick.  The handle has a matte finish and five modes: sensitive, gum care, polish, white, and clean.  The toothbrush is proven to remove 7x more plaque than manual brushing, and having gone back and forth between a Sonicare toothbrush and a regular one, I have to say that I can totally notice the difference.  When I regularly use a Sonicare toothbrush, I notice that my teeth are cleaner, whiter, and less prone to having build-up on them.

This holiday season, the brush comes in a pink edition, and it’s normally available in black and white too.

The brush comes with a sleek looking charger, a glass cup to hold the toothbrush, a usb travel charger, and a sleek travel case, so that even on vacation you can take your Sonicare brush with you (something that I hadn’t been able to do in the past).

$229 at London Drugs and Amazon.ca.

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The Most Expensive and Best Foundation

Posted on November 9, 2014 by Henna

Sisley Phyto Teint Expert Foundation
…that I’ve ever used.

I went to @HoltRenfrewCalgary and got the new Sisley Paris Phyto-Teint Expert Foundation.

I’ve used a lot of foundations recently, but this one is really taking the came – and at $160 a bottle, it’s the most expensive foundation I’ve ever had!

I’m totally a foundation junkie.  I love how it goes on to your skin and blends away imperfections giving you the illusion of flawless skin.  I mean, amazing skincare is a must, and helps your foundation just look and feel better, but it’s the one product that I always have and I’m always looking for.

The Sisley Phyto-Teint Expert foundation is a long-wearing oil-free formula that also helps skin look and feel better over time.

Because this is a long-wearing foundation, it does “set” and so it’s better to apply it with a clean foundation brush.  You could apply it with your fingers, I did for the first few days, but I found that some of the foundation would dry on my fingers instead of on my face, so a foundation brush is great at spreading product without picking it up.  I stipple on the foundation with the brush, and then go back and blend.  This gives the foundation a chance to set just a bit before you blend it out.  Start by stippling in the areas where you need most coverage and work out to the areas where you need less coverage.  Then blend beginning where you started.

I use this foundation without a primer – I find that long-wearing foundation works best on skin that’s clean and just moisturized.  I do wear moisturizer, wait for it to sink in, and then apply the foundation.  With my oily skin, I do find that it doesn’t last that long on my skin.  It looks perfect for about six hours, and then I definitely need a powder touch up.  It does separate in places that are especially oily and needs to be smoothed out at times.

Unlike most long-wearing foundations, this doesn’t dry out to a mask.  Instead, it’s moist, almost moisturizing, and leaves skin feeling very comfortable.  It has a satiny almost powdery velvet finish that’s not completely matte.  It’s slightly light-reflective and I think that’s why it makes the skin look so good.  Because there’s SPF 30 in the foundation, it does have flashback, so don’t save it for special occasions.  It’s fantastic for everyday.

Still, it looks so flawless when it’s nicely applied and does last on my skin for the rest of the day, and so I love this foundation and keep turning to it.  There aren’t a ton of colours available – eight in total – and there’s a good blend of warm and cool colours.

If you’re in the market for a new and long-wearing foundation, check out this one.

 

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