New Fresh Peony Brightening Line

Fresh Peony Brightening LineFresh has a new line of brightening products that promise to deliver on reducing sunspots and generally helping skin become more clear. The line includes: the Peony Brightening Night Treatment Mask ($76), the Peony Spot-Correcting Brightening Essence ($76), and a Peony Brightening UV Shield SPF 50 ($76) to keep those pesky discolorations at bay.

Of the three products in this line, I would absolutely avoid the sunscreen and use my own. It is thick, greasy, and extremely pigmented so that it sits like an actual mask on top of your skin. It’s really too bad, because this is the day and age of light, almost watery sunscreens and this formula is quite dated.

Other than that, the Brightening Mask and Brightening Essence are amazing. Both are formulated with a form of Vitamin C that has been proven to reduce sunspots, meaning that these are products that actually work! There’s also been some research that shows that Peony essence could help make skin more clear, and so Fresh is among the first to use that in their skincare products.

All the products smells like fresh cucumber which is lovely to use especially in the summer months.

The Brightening Essence is like a serum and goes on light and smooth.

The Night Treatment Mask is more emollient and has more brightening power. It’s best to use the Night Treatment Mask only once or twice a week as directed because although it feels thick, it does tend to dry out the skin a little bit.

You can pick up all the products at Sephora and Sephora.com.

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Perfectly Defined: Bobbi Brown’s New Gel Eyeliner

Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Gel EyelinerHave you been a fan of Bobbi Brown’s Gel Eyeliner, but find that cleaning a liner brush on a regular basis is just not your thing?

Well now Bobbi Brown’s Gel Eyeliner comes in a pencil form.

Called Perfectly Defined Gel Eyeliner, this liner applies with the ease of a pencil but has the lasting power of a gel eyeliner.

I have this liner in Chocolate Truffle which is a gorgeous dark brown. The pencil is smooth, very pigmented, and soft enough to get a straight line without any dragging.

And if you’re a novice at doing a winged liner, here is the easiest way EVER to do it:

Apply the Perfectly Defined Gel Eyeliner on top of your eyelid, as close to the lashes as possible, extending slightly past your lash-line. Then take your CLEAN eyeliner brush and go over the line winging the outside end of the liner up and out.

Because a pencil is easier to use than a brush, you’ll find that you can paint on the line smoothly, and don’t have to worry about making the perfect wing. The liner brush will naturally do it for you!

This pencil sets very quickly, so it’s important to do each eye fully: use your pencil liner, and then go over with a brush immediately! If you want to make the line darker, you can go over it again with the pencil, or dip your eyeliner brush in some eye shadow before you go over the line. I like using a clean eyeliner brush better, because I like the wing to be a little subtle, which is what you get with this method.

Other colours available are Black, Sapphire, Scotch, Steel Grey, and Violet Night.

Pick up Bobbi Brown’s Perfectly Defined Gel Eyeliner at Bobbi Brown counters now for $28 or at BobbiBrown.ca.

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Foodie Fridays: Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Festival

Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Festival BanffApparently, this is the best foodie event of the year!

Head to Banff on May 30, and 31 for the annual Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Festival.

Hosted at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, this event overflows with a wide selection of wine, beer and spirits while local restaurants tempt you with mini-main dishes and desserts. Browse the list of participating food exhibitors, and wine and beverage samples being offered at the 2014 Banff Festival:

This year, there’s even an app that lets you search for products, and make notes about what you try at the festival.  If you’re a frequent visitor to Banff, then this is the best way to keep in touch with what’s happening at restaurants there.

Banff does have an amazing food scene – some of the best Italian and French restaurants that I’ve been to have been in Banff, and I’m really looking forward to the festival!

Tickets are available on the website, and you can purchase them for Friday 7-10pm or Saturday 2-5pm.  Tickets will also be sold at the door, but only if there are extra tickets left over.

Have you been to the festival before?  Will you be attending?  Let me know in the comments!

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Only at Shoppers – Get This Season’s Sunkissed Look

Sunkissed SkinMy next article for the Only at Shoppers series is how to get perfectly sun-kissed skin with just a few products.  I may already be a medium skin tone, but I love sunless tanner because it gives my skin the perfect glow!

Read about my tricks and tips and what products I love to use – of course, everything is shoppable and can be found only at Shoppers Drug Mart!

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Hope in a Jar For Dry Skin

philosophy hope in a jar for dry skinIf you’ve been reading this blog for long, you know that I’ve always been a huge fan of Hope in a Jar by Philosophy.  It’s a moisturizer that makes your skin brighter but has a light formulation.

Because my skin recently went through a bout of dryness, I turned to the Dry Skin formula of Hope in the Jar.

In the jar and in my hands, the moisturizer is a thick cream that’s not very emollient.  I was expecting some greasiness (and I was okay with that), but after spreading this cream on my skin and really rubbing it in, I was surprised to see that it set to a matte finish.  I figured my skin was super dry and just drank this moisturizer up.  But I’ve since used it again and again, and even on my hands, and I find that no matter what, this moisturizer absorbs into my skin quickly and sets to the same grease-less finish.

It’s quite amazing.

The hydration is immediate and lasts the entire day.  For better or for worst, I could feel this wash off my skin at the end of the day but I was happy to know that it was atleast still on my skin.

Does it work well with makeup?

Yes, it absolutely does.  I was using liquid and powder foundation at the time that I first started using this, and once it has absorbed into your skin, you can layer anything else on top.

I will say that this formula doesn’t brighten as well as the original Hope in a Jar does, but it’s still an amazing moisturizer.

Pick it up at Sephora or The Bay for $52.  Used daily, the jar should last you atleast three months.

 

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I Did The Stayfree Challenge!

Have you been following the @The_PantyParty?

Watch this new video of me doing the Stayfree Challenge.

As you can see in the challenge, Stayfree really did absorb more product than the competitor brands… pretty impressive! It was so cool to do this myself and see that it’s true!

Also! The blue liquid is actually saline solution, not water as I said!

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New from Rag & Bone: Worldwide Exclusive. Limited Edition. $55. Charitable Giving.

Rag and Bone TotesIf you’re like the rest of the fashion world, by now you are wearing and obsessed with Rag and Bone jeans – I know I am.  The pairs I have fit like a glove, make me look tall and skinny, and just seem to fit the style of the day.  I even wrote about their boyfriend jeans (seriously, you need a pair).

Now, you can get your hands on a limited edition, worldwide exclusive tote bag that Rag & Bone has designed in collaboration with Holt Renfrew.

Priced at $55 (um, 1/6th of the price of their jeans), this tote bag supports Right To Play, a global organization that uses the transformative power of play to educate and empower children facing adversity.  I think we can all agree that it’s really important for kids to play – whether it’s directed playing or completely unstructured, they need the time to be able to play so that they can learn and activate different parts of their brain.

By purchasing the totes, customers will help Holt Renfrew reach its goal of raising $100,000 for Right To Play.

This entire initiative is part of Holt Renfrew’s H Project which offers unique products to benefit charity.

rag and bone tote in green

The Rag and Bone Tote comes in three colours: black, white, and army green, and does have a Rag and Bone label on the outside.  It’s completely made of cotton canvas and perfect for the summer.  I’ve been using mine to tote around extra snacks – it’s the perfect summer accessory that’s casual and stylist at the same time.

Pick yours up at Holt Renfrew stores now.

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Only At Shoppers – Don’t Sweat It!

Don't Sweat ItI’m a blogger for the brand new #OnlyAtShoppers program for this summer! What that means is that if you head to the Only at Shoppers website, you can read my tricks and tips on how to look and feel great this summer. Best of all, all the products mentioned are shoppable – you can of course, find them at Shoppers Drug Mart!

Check out my article on keeping your skin in great condition this summer despite all the sweat and oil you might encounter.

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New Aveeno Skin Relief Hand Cream

aveeno skin relief hand creamOk, if you’re familiar with sensitive skin then you’re familiar with Aveeno, and the latest addition to their skincare line is a hand cream.

Probably not for very chapped skin, what the Skin Relief cream does offer is immediate relief for dry skin, and a non-greasy formula that is fast absorbing and also fragrance-free. It’s so gentle that I don’t mind if my little one plays with the bottle.

Like the rest of Aveeno’s Active Naturals line, this is formulated with Colloidal Oatmeal which helps heal dry skin and forms a protective barrier for long-term moisturization.

Love it. Already finished the tube I got in the beginning of March (our family goes through a lot of hand cream).

$9.99 at food, drug, and mass merchandisers.

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MAC Alluring Aquatics Collection Details + Video

MAC Alluring Aquatics

This collection is available online now and in stores this Thursday May 22nd!

It’s definitely one to check out in person so check out my review and swatches of it in the video I made.

Here’s what’s in the collection:

MAC Alluring Aquatics Lipsticks

LIPSTICK
Siren Song sheer pale beige (lustre)
Pet Me, Please light shimmering mauve (frost)
Enchanted One mid-tone neutral pink (matte)
Mystical mid-tone creamy rose (cremesheen)
Goddess of the Sea dark vibrant violet (cremesheen)
SRP $17.50 US/$21.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Lipglass

LIPGLASS
Clear Water sheer nude with multidimensional pearl
Peachstock creamy true nude
Water Deities light bronzy pink
Seducing Sound mid-tone plum bronze
Modern Lure deep violet with pink pearl
SRP $16.50 US/$20.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Lip Pencils

LIP PENCIL
What Comes Naturally light nude
Half-Red soft burgundy
SRP $16.50 US/$20.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Eyeshadow

EXTRA DIMENSION EYE SHADOW
Lorelei golden beige
Sea Worship tarnished olive
Silver Sun mid-tone dirty sea foam green
Legendary Lure deep cerulean
Fathoms Deep deep blue
Soul Serenade deep plum brown
SRP $19.50 US/$22.50 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Eye Liner

PEARLGLIDE INTENSE EYE LINER
Black Line black with gold pearl
Black Swan black with pearl
SRP $17.50 US/$21.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics bronzer

BRONZING POWDER
Refined Golden finely spun golden with soft pearl
Golden muted golden tan-beige with shimmer
SRP $27.50 US/$33.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Extra Dimension Bronzer

EXTRA DIMENSION BRONZER
Aphrodite’s Shell golden bronze with a touch of fine shimmer
Delphic soft brick tan with a touch of fine shimmer
SRP $33.00 US/$38.50 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Blush

EXTRA DIMENSION BLUSH
Sea Me, Hear Me beige pink
Seduced at Sea mid-tone neutral plum
SRP $27.50 US/$32.50 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Nail Polish

NAIL LACQUER
Submerged dark teal chrome
Neptune tarnished gold
Shimmerfish sparkling aluminum
SRP $17.50 US/$21.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics Brushes

BRUSH
127 Split Fibre Face Brush
SRP $35.00 US/$42.00 CDN
233 Split Fibre Eye Shadow Brush
SRP $25.00 US/$30.00 CDN

MAC Alluring Aquatics makeup bag

MAKEUP BAG
SRP $35.00 US/$42.00 CDN

Posted in Summer 2014 | Tagged , , | Leave a comment