Canadian Beauty

Thursday Threes: Suncreen Options Better Than What You Used This Weekend

Posted on July 10, 2014 by Henna

Did you run out of sunscreen last weekend? Or did you forget to even grab it because it’s tedious to apply? Well here are some new formulas that are better than what you have lying around – grab them before your weekend activities. They’re all from L’Oreal Paris; their new line of Sublime Sun products are amazing. New formulas that are unlike what’s out there. We tried them all and here are our favourites:

1. L’Oreal Sublime Sun Invisible Protect Dry Oil. This is perfect if you’re going to get photographed, because it makes your skin look moisturized and dewy. Perfect for the face and body, and it even works to defrizz hair in a pinch. SPF 30 and truly invisible besides the sheen. Especially fantastic for dry, irritated skin – the oil works to camouflage any dryness.

2. L’Oreal Sublime Sun Silky Sheer Ultra-Light Mousse. A fantastic option if you like to see exactly where your applying so that you don’t miss any spots. Dries down to pretty much nothing so you don’t ever feel that you have it on. SPF 30 and perfect for a day in the park.

3. L’Oreal Sublime Sun Quick Dry Alcohol Free Sheer Finish Spray. Really does dry quickly and perfect for touch-ups. I like the spray sunscreens because they cool you down as you apply them, so they’re nice to have on hand if you’re spending a lot of time outdoors.

$17.99 each at drugstores now.

Posted in Sunscreen | Tagged L'Oreal | Leave a comment

Streaky, patchy Self-Tanner? Here’s what to do:

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Henna

Self-tanners work best on top of smooth skin, so exfoliating before applying is very important. For the tan to continue looking great, it’s also important to exfoliate a couple of days after application so that the skin sloughs off evenly and the tan continues to look smooth.

St. Tropez recommends their own Tan Enhancing Body Polish ($18) which is made with round plastic beads so that you get a smooth even exfoliation, but we found that it wasn’t strong enough for really dry skin, and really, any body scrub will do a great job provided you use it thoroughly and regularly.

I really love the body scrubs by Soap and Glory. Scrub of Your Life ($16) is an amazing body polisher that will not only get rid of excess self-tanner but will also leave your skin super smooth for the next application. Follow Soap and Glory’s instructions: get wet in the shower, turn off the water, and then apply the scrub from head to toe, taking your time really scrubbing. Then rinse off. You’ll find that you’re able to really get a nice scrub without wasting any product down the drain.

Posted in Body Scrubs | Tagged Scrubs, Self-Tanning, Soap and Glory, St. Tropez | 1 Comment

Nuxe Huile Prodigeuse

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Henna

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but actually, in all my time as beauty blogger, I hadn’t tried the infamous Nuxe Huile Prodigeuse. I think it’s because I’d always seen it at Shoppers Drug Mart (they always carried French pharmacy products way before it was trendy to do so) and so I just didn’t give it much thought.

But now I have my hands on a limited edition Nuxe Huile Prodigeuse limited edition bottle (with this cute little illustration on it), and I’ve been using it to moisturize daily and I love it.

This oil has been formulated with 6 precious oils from plants: macadamia nut, hazelnut, borage, sweet almond, camellia and St. John’s wort, and is a dry oil formula which makes it perfect for a grease-free finish. I use it daily after a shower and love that it seals in moisture.

Although this oil is moisturising, I will say that it is very light, so if you have very dry skin, you’ll likely need to layer on something thicker after applying this.

Pick it up at Shoppers Drug Mart, The Hudson’s Bay, Ogilvy, and Murale for $39.

Posted in For the Body | Tagged Nuxe | 2 Comments

Pureology Colour Fanatic Hair Treatment Spray

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Henna

I love leave-in conditioning sprays, and the one I’m using constantly right now is Pureology’s Colour Fanatic Hair Treatment Spray.

They say that it has 21 benefits, and although I’m not sure that’s entirely true, I will say that this is a multi-purpose product that helps your hair in a myriad of ways.

First and foremost, it is a detangler and great to use right after you wash your hair. It’ll give your hair just the right amount of slip and let your comb just glide through. The spray contains Camelina, Coconut, and Olive Oil, to give light weight conditioning, smoothing and anti-frizz results, and after using it for a while, I have to say that this is definitely moisturizing; in fact, I love to use it after swimming because it completely makes my hair feel soft and smooth whereas the ends can feel a little like straw if I don’t use this.

It is also a heat protectant, so if you’ve used the spray on the entire length of your hair, you can then go in with a blow dryer and minimize some damage.

The name Colour Fanatic also means that it’s good for colour-treated hair (all Pureology products are) and is meant to help colour from fading… although I do have coloured hair, I can’t comment on the fading aspect because I don’t really keep track of weather my hair is fading or not! It’s not red or any colour that really fades fast, so….

It does have a UV shield in it, and also makes your hair less prone to static.

Anyway, this leave-in is awesome and I do recommend it!

For the record, here are the “21 benefits” that this provides:

PRIME

Hair Color Protection
Leave In Conditioner
Hair Detangler Spray
Blow Dry Spray for Quick Drying
Moisturizer for Dry Hair
Low Porosity Hair Care
Weightless Conditioner
Hair Cutting Lotion
PROTECT

Split End Treatment & Prevention
Hair Breakage Treatment from Daily Brushing & Combing
Hair Fiber Product
Repair and Protect Heat Damaged Hair
Shields Hair Against Environmental Damage
PERFECT

Hair Smoothing Treatment
Silky Hair Treatment
Seals Hair Cuticle
Hair Moisturizer Spray for Reduced Dryness
Anti Frizz Hair Spray
Reduces Hair Static
Hair Refresher Spray for Restyling
Hair Shine Treatment

Available at salons for $27.

Posted in Shampoo and Conditioner | Tagged Leave-In Conditioner, Pureology | 2 Comments

New Make Up For Ever Aqua Matic

Posted on July 4, 2014 by Henna

Summer makeup should be easy and long-lasting. So many of us have oilier skin, and are constantly going from the office to the pool to the patio, and so we need something that lasts and lasts and even better, can be applied in a flash.

If you’re in the same boat, then you need to get Make Up For Ever’s new Aqua Matic eye shadow pencils. They are creamy and highly pigmented, but once they’re on, they’re on for good.

Mine is in ME-50 which is a metallic golden colour and I love it. It’s perfect for a subtle makeup look, and doesn’t crease all day.

It also comes with its own sharpener at the end (just pull the coloured end out), which is perfect for those of us who want to use them as eyeliners.

At Sephora for $25.

Posted in Summer 2014 | Tagged Make Up For Ever, Summer Beauty | 2 Comments

The Body Shop’s new Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream

Posted on July 4, 2014 by Henna

I am a HUGE fan of The Body Shop’s Tea Tree line – seriously, it’s the best thing out there for acne-prone skin, and so I’m thrilled to report that they have a new Tea Tree BB Cream now!

Available in three colours, this BB Cream has fair trade organic tea tree oil in it and will help treat blemishes while blurring imperfections and making skin look better.

It is an almost-matte finish and works as a hydrating cream too. Totally light-weight and easy to wear, this is the perfect summer BB cream.

$15 at TheBodyShop.ca or in stores.

Posted in Summer 2014 | Tagged BB Creams, The Body Shop | Leave a comment

Sebastian Dry Clean Only Dry Shampoo

Posted on July 2, 2014 by Henna

You need dry shampoo this summer so that you’re not constantly washing your hair.

Sebastian’s Dry Clean Only Dry Shampoo is the only one that I’ve tried that actually provides hold and grip to the hair. It’s actually perfect to use on freshly washed and dried hair because it messes it up a little and gives it just enough texture to get beachy summery waves.

This dry shampoo also smells absolutely amazing. Fresh, clean, slightly floral, and almost like a perfume, I have to say that it instantly refreshes your hair on the second day.

Try it before you do a summer braid, because it’s going to give your hair enough texture so that it doesn’t look too clean.

My only warning for you with this dry shampoo is that because it adds so much texture to the hair, you may find that you need to wash your hair the next day. This is a dry shampoo to use sparingly.

Pick it up at salons for $23.

Posted in Hair | Tagged dry shampoo, Sebastian | Leave a comment

Clinique Even Better Essence Lotion

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Henna

It’s summer, and you definitely don’t want to be packing on the moisturizer, but at the same time, your skin needs a little something besides sunscreen.

If that describes you (and it certainly describes my oil-prone summer skin), then you need to get your hands on Clinique’s Even Better Essence Lotion ($37), which actually comes in different formulas for different skin types (dry, combo, etc.)

The formula is almost water-like but contains cucumber extracts and lightweight moisturizers that absorb almost instantly into the skin. You’ll forget that you applied it, but this lotion will relieve any immediate dryness and will hydrate your skin for the long run.

Clinique also says that it works to lighten any skin discolourations, and I have to say that it’s true, but don’t look for any miracles. Healthy skin always looks better, and this lotion will definitely get you on your way to healthy skin. Because it is so lightweight, it’s also less likely to clog pores and is not at all greasy.

Pick it up at Clinique counters.

Posted in Moisturizers | Tagged Clinique | Leave a comment

New Philosophy Time in a Bottle for Eyes

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Henna

Truth: I’m not much of an eye cream person, and it’s really too bad because when people find out that I “know” beauty, they always ask me for a good eye cream. I just really don’t have dry skin under my eyes, and I realized a long time ago that the only remedy for bad under-eyes is to drink tons of water, get lots of sleep, exercise, and eat your veggies. Most eye creams are too creamy for me, and I don’t love the idea of a product that’s exclusively for my eyes.

But serums? Serums I can get behind.

Time in a Bottle for Eyes is an eye serum.

The entire Time in a Bottle for Eyes is based around the using vitamin C to brighten skin, and this eye serum is no different. It is light and hydrating but over time it does brighten skin.

Will it get rid of dark eye circles? NO! If you’ve tried all the above, then it’s probably just genetics, and you – like me – can learn to love them.

But this serum will brighten skin in that it can gradually fade dark spots and sun damage revealing an overall brighter surface.

$65 at Sephora or TheBay.

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged Eye Cream, Philosophy | 1 Comment

Essie Summer 2014

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Henna

Fashion always works in extremes, and if you want to wear the hottest nail colours this season, either you go with white (no colour) or you go with bright blues, greens, and oranges.

Essie delivers on both fronts with their Summer 2014 collection.

I’ll just get right to it and say that I’m all about the whites, and so I had to try Urban Jungle which is a pinkish off white. I have to say that on the first coat, I thought ugh… I don’t know about this, but thankfully, the second coat delivered full coverage and looked completely streak-free.

I love the colour. White often looks too stark and bright, especially with a tan, but Urban Jungle has just enough of a tint in it to look pretty. It’s well-formulated and completely wearable. I do wish that there was just a little more pigment but as I said, the two coats look great.

All the colours in this collection are

Haute in the Heat: Hot guava
Roarrrrange: Bold orange
Strut Your Stuff: Cobalt aqua
Ruffles & Feathers: Peacock teal
Fierce, No Fear: Cocoa mahogany
Urban Jungle: Alabaster orchid

$10 each.

Posted in Summer 2014 | Tagged Essie, nail polish, Swatch | Leave a comment