The Hot British Skincare Line You Need to Know About

Merumaya. Heard of it?

Merumaya

Chances are that if you watch Pixiwoo or follow other British social media personalities, you may have heard of this skincare line that believes in preventing and reducing the signs of aging.  While that may sound like any other skincare brand, what drew me to this skincare line was that they had products containing ingredients that I knew worked.

Take their Skin Brightening Exfoliating Peel – while it’s not as effective as a peel you’d get at your dermatologist’s office, it does have a high enough concentration of glycolic acid for me to feel a tingling in my skin and make it look and feel brighter.

What I’m really loving is their Overnight Recharge Night Cream which is their most recently launched product.  It has a range of softening and hydrating ingredients that work overnight to brighten skin.  What I love is that although this cream has almond oil in it, it’s not at all greasy and works so well on my oily skin.  It absorbs  after a quick massage into the skin and then sets to a satin matte finish.  Makeup just glides on top and seems to set so well – this is better than any primer I’ve used.

… and I can’t say enough about the amazing scent.  A blend of smoky woodsy perfume, this fulfills the need for any scent during the day and invites you to use it often and liberally.  I even rub it on the back of my hands and then can’t stop taking a sniff.

Merumaya is based out of the UK but ships worldwide, and the products are more reasonably priced than those at your local department store. International shipping is 15 pounds, which still makes the creams well worth it. Check out the entire product range on their website.

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Your Introduction to ‘Twas the Night 2014

Twas the NightIf you live in Calgary or the surrounding area, you need to know about ‘Twas the Night, Calgary’s kickoff to holiday shopping.  ‘Twas the Night is at the Core Shopping Centre, and is a night where retailers offer special shopping discounts and offers.  There’s free parking and coat check, and eTalk’s Tanya Kim will be hosting the red carpet.

Additionally, you can choose to donate to raise money for the YMCA – in the past, over $60,000 have been raised for charity at ‘Twas the Night.

Visit coreshopping.ca/events to RSVP and to donate.  The event runs from 6:30-10pm.

Oh, and I forgot the best part – Juno Award Nominee Matt Dusk is going to be performing!

There will also be a tree lighting and a light show.

It’s a fun night especially if you love to shop!  Check out this video to see what it’s going to be like!

 

…aaand, yes, I’ll be there too!

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New Skoah Target Sessions

Skoah Target Facials…and this is why I’ve been MIA for a few days… I’ve been off getting facials and taking care of things!

So with that, I present to you Skoah Target Sessions.

Are you one of those super busy people who wants a facial but dreads the thought of booking an hour or more off just to take care of your skin?!  It shouldn’t be that hard, should it?

As much as I love a good facial, the truth is that I’m often one of those people… I always figure that I will eventually get around to putting a mask on at home… right?

Ok, so for all those people who would just like to take care of a basic issue quickly and effectively, Skoah has target sessions.

The facials are 30 minutes long and have been designed to address some top skin concerns.  For the past three weeks, Skoah has been unveiling one target session each week, with the last one to be unveiled on Monday October 27th.

So far, the sessions unveiled are:

Detox ($45), Rewind ($45), and Peel ($55).

Next week, Skoah unveils the Glow target session.

The Target Sessions are here to stay – although they’re being rolled out one by one, they are going to be permanent features in the Skoah line-up, so if you don’t often have time for a facial, treat yourself to a treatment!

Here’s a little rundown of what each mini-facial includes:

The Detox is basically 20 minutes of extractions – if you have large pores and/or very congested skin, then this is one you want to check out.  I actually scheduled myself to get the Detox treatment, but on the day-of, I just couldn’t bring myself to go through with it… But it’s definitely something my skin needs from time to time, so hopefully I’ll get a chance to check it out another time.

The Rewind facial is for aging skin and includes a glycolic acid mask applied to the skin, removed, and then a peptide solution massaged into your skin.  Relaxing yet effect, it’s amazing if you want to refresh your skin.  I had one done and 3 days later, my skin is peeling slightly but definitely looks more refreshed.

The Peel treatment will exfoliate and help lessen hyperpigmentation.

The Glow facial will leave you with fresh and glowing skin!

Check out the Skoah website for more information – and if you’ve been meaning to try Skoah out, then here’s a great reason to pop in.

Skoah locations are in Washington, British Columbia, Alberta, and Massachusetts.

 

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5 Favourite Drugstore Products

Hey Everyone!  Things have been quiet over here for the last little while, but I made a video!  Check out the five drugstore products I’m loving right now!

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The Best $5 You’ll Ever Spend on Shampoo

Finesse Dry ShampooThere’s nothing I love more than a good blow-dry and when I get it, I try to put off washing my hair as much as possible… which means that a dry shampoo is key.

My latest find is Finesse’s Dry Shampoo with Keratin Protein.  The price can’t be beat: $5!

Add that to the fact that this shampoo is completely invisible and absorbs into your hair completely.

Here is the best way to use dry shampoo.

Shake the bottle completely to mix up all the ingredients.  Then spray into your hair at night time so that the powders absorb the oil while you’re sleeping.  Focus on the roots only because that’s where most of the oils will be.  If you have straight hair, then brush the shampoo through it, and if you have curly hair, then use your fingers to distribute the shampoo through it.

You can find the Finesse Dry Shampoo at Walmart!

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New Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows

Make Up For Ever has created a new formula that packs up to 88% pigment in the eyeshadow.  Available in a range of finishes – matte, satin, iridescent, diamond, and metal – these shadows can be used wet or dry in a variety of ways.  You can of course use them as eyeshadows, but also as blushes, on the lips, or as highlighters or brow fillers.

I got the following shades in a trio palette ($50):

Amber (metallic)

Violet (Satin)

Espresso (matte)

MAKE UP FOR EVER Artistry Shadow Palette

 

These shades were selected by me by makeup artist Kabuki who was in Calgary for an exclusive Make Up For Ever event.

The Amber is an awesome neutral with a bit of a punch.  It layers nicely over neutral lipcolours too.

The Violet is perfect for the crease, while the Espresso is for a more dramatic crease colour, or as a soft liner, or even works as an eyebrow filler.

The palette is big, but has no mirror.  The shadows are huge and will last a long time.  There are over 40 colours that also work as blush shades, and looking back, I would have loved to package a neutral shadow, a blush, and a contour colour into a palette but that’s for next time!

The shadows can also be bought individually ($24) or as a duo ($39) or a trio ($50).

Posted in Fall 2014 | Tagged | 1 Comment

Gosh Cosmetics Fall Collection

So in my September favourites video, I mentioned two Gosh products that I can’t live without: the eyebrow gel ($15), and a Velvet Touch Lipliner in Antique Rose ($12) that reminds me of Kylie Jenner’s lipcolour.  It’s a serious contender for MAC Whirl, but without the brown, which suits me just fine.

Pick both up at Gosh stores now – stock up on the lipliner because it’s only there as long as it lasts.

Gosh fall winners

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Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush

clinique sonic cleansing brushI have it!  Clinique’s new Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush, but first a bit of clarification: unlike the Clarisonic, there aren’t any sonic vibrations when you use this brush.  It’s a misnomer, because although the brush does vibrate, it’s not at a sonic frequency.

That said, it’s still made a huge difference to my skin so of course, I can’t say anything bad about this brush.

The brush head is tapered so it lets you get at the angles in your face.  It’s anti-microbial, so it won’t add bacteria on your skin, and it has a 30 second timer on it.  Clinique suggests that you start by using it for just 30 seconds a day and they’re right.  If you use it too much right off the bat, then you may end up irritating your skin which could result in more blemishes or dryness.

It’s also recommended that you remove your makeup before using this brush.  I find that when I use the brush on foundation-covered skin, the pigments stick to the brush and I have to use it more than once to actually clean my face.  It’s much better to wash with a mild cleanser first, and then use this brush.

Used regularly, you will find that you have extra clean skin and skin that just seems clearer and more well-behaved. It’s also waterproof so you can use it in the shower, and recharge it using the charging base when needed.

Available at Clinique counters for $95.

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September Favourites Video is Up!

Hi guys!

Watch my the video to see my favourite products from September!

Enjoy!

As always, I love hearing from each and every one of you!

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My Meeting with Scott Barnes

Scott Barnes@ScottBarnes68 is back in the retail game, makeup fanatics, and you can find his products @HudsonsBay.

Last week, I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet with Barnes – he was in town to present at The Bay as part of their Beauty Obsessed event last Saturday.

Barnes is known for creating the infamous J.Lo glow, and Kim Kardashian’s intense contouring look. He is the go-to celebrity makeup artist and works with famous faces as his full-time job. Barnes had a makeup line (that used to be carried at Holt Renfrew ages and ages ago), and his Body Bling is still available at The Bay. Body Bling was one of the first body highlighting products on the market. It make skin look glowing and flawless and lasts the whole entire day.

Body BlingThe news is that Barnes will be coming back with a new makeup line – and it’s going to be amazing. It’ll have products to contour, to highlight, and amazing foundations that are incredibly skin-like. I know I can’t wait!

And for the record, I still have the Chic Palette from 2007, and that’s what I used to use to contour.

I had to ask Barnes: what was his makeup pet peeve? His answer: contour that looks obvious. It’s not supposed to be an obvious line, he said. You’re supposed to blend blend blend, so that only you know you did it, and no-one else does.

Barnes’ line will be one to watch for – he’s tried everything out there, and already learned from his first retail experience, so it will be interesting to see what he thinks we need.

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