It’s snowing today! But I’m sure we’ll need sunscreen soon, so that’s why I mentioned sunscreen in this April Favourites Video. Enjoy, Like, and leave comments.
New Live Clean Age Resist Line
Basically all my friends and family love Live Clean products, and so I’m thrilled to be able to share some details about their new Age Resist Line with you.
First: as always, these are natural and eco-friendly solutions. There are no sulfates or parabens in this line and there aren’t any silicones either! The entire line is petroleum free. The Conditioner and Leave-In treatment are 96% natural, while the shampoo is 98% natural and the pre-shampoo is 99% natural. I think it’s the high level of natural ingredients that makes people really love this line and gravitate towards it.
According to Live Clean, the symptoms of Aging Hair are the following: diminished density, changes in hair texture, dullness and lack of shine, increased dryness, and fragile hair. I don’t feel that I have aging hair yet, but I definitely suffer from some of the listed symptoms from time to time, especially increased dryness. These days it seems that no matter what I do, I can’t keep my hair hydrated!
The Live Clean Age Resist collection includes a shampoo ($8.99), conditioner ($8.99), leave-in conditioning treatment ($8.99), and pre-shampoo treatment ($11.99). All the products contain Avocado and Rosehip oil, and the pre and post conditioners have jojoba oil in them as well.
The shampoo is clear. It is hydrating but light, and despite the fact that there are no sulfates in the product, it does lather a lot and cleanses nicely without stripping the hair and making it too dry.
The conditioner is super thick and heavy and actually kind of greasy. If you have fine hair, you will want to avoid this because it doesn’t really wash out of your hair completely and does leave it feeling slightly slick. I don’t use this conditioner when I have to blow out my hair, simply because it’s difficult for me to get enough volume after I use this conditioner. That said, it does have an impressive amount of hydrators in it, and it would be an excellent option for very coarse and very dry hair. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like to put very many products in your hair, then this would be a great conditioner because it will give you extra hydration.
The Age Resist Multi 10 in 1 Treatment is also super thick, but I love using it on my ends because it leaves them frizz-free. I like that you can just use a tiny bit and it goes a long way. It is great for frizz-prone hair.
Finally, the Age Resist Miracle Nutrition Oil is a dual-phases product with one hair being water based, and the other being oil based. You shake up the bottle and mix the two halves together before applying to your hair. Of all the products in this line, this pre-shampoo treatment is the lightest and easiest to use. I’ve always used pre-shampoo treatments in my hair – everything from the uber-pricey Ojon to plain old Coconut Oil, and they really work to make your hair stronger, shinier, and better hydrated. If you’ve stayed away from pre-shampooing treatments in the past because you find them thick and heavy, then this is the one for you to try because it’s absolutely light and washes out so easily.
At the end of the day, I’m using all the Age Resist products except the Conditioner which I find just too heavy for my fine hair. If you have thick unruly or coarse hair, you will likely love this line. If you need an extra dose of moisture, either the pre or post conditioners are great to try because they’re so affordable. And if you like using natural products, then this is probably one of the most nicely formulated and effective lines there is.
The Live Clean Age Resist Collection is available across Canada at Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaw’s Superstore and Walmart.
Best Drugstore Nail Polishes Under $10
You don’t have to break the bank to find amazing nail polishes at the drugstore. Here are our three favourites that are $10 or under.
1. Essie Nail Colour. Essie has an amazing collection of neutral and nude shades, so check them out if you’re looking for your new classic colour. ($10)
2. Revlon Nail Art Neon Collection. This nail polish comes with a white base so that the neon colours really pop. ($8.50)
3. Sally Hansen Triple Shine Nail colour. We love this polish because it really is shiny and super pigmented. ($6.50)
Holy Grail Spray from Bumble and Bumble
Sometimes your hair just needs a little bit of oomph. Texture, hold, and a bit of build up is sometimes what newly washed hair needs, and Bumble and Bumble’s Cityswept Finish spray is the amazing new answer to that hair problem.
Not a hair spray, not a dry shampoo, and not a surf spray, this is a spray that combines all three of those. It instantly gives hair some shine and bit of separation so that hair looks a little lived in. When I use this on my long hair, I find that there’s really no such thing as too much. You can build as much or as little volume as you need, and the spray just ends up setting your hair.
The best part is that unlike using a hair spray, your hair isn’t super dry afterwards and it’s also not tacky or hard to the touch. Lightweight, it’s perfect for every hair type.
Pick it up at Holt Renfrew for $37.
The New Way to Cleanse Your Skin: Use a Complexion Sponge
Ok, if you’re already on board with cleansing oils and now you’re looking to take your skincare routine to the next level, you have to check out complexion sponges. They are sponges made from natural fibers and are easy ways to add exfoliation into your skincare routine. Made out of 100% natural Konjac root, the Konjac sponge is gentle on the skin yet able to wipe away dirt and impurities. In many ways it works just like a cleansing cloth, and you can rinse it clean when you’re finished with it and let it dry until the next use. Konjac can be infused with skin-caring ingredients such as clays and charcoals to give additional skincare properties to the cleansing experience, but I tried just the Konjac by itself.
The Ecotools Pure Complexion Sponge is hard to the touch initially – it actually looks and feels like styrofoam – but gets soft when you run it under water. Add half the foaming cleanser you would normally use, and start rubbing it all over your face. Not only do you get a nice luxurious lather, but the sponge quickly wipes away dirt and makeup while also gently scrubbing away dry skin.
This sponge is $6 in drugstores, and is a great alternative to more expensive versions by brands such as Boscia (theirs is $22). Both are made from Konjac root, so there’s no difference in the different sponges you can buy. The only difference is the shape of the sponges, and the Ecotools one has a pointy end that works well for areas such as under the eyes or around the nose, and the fatter end is perfect for the rest of the face.
Think you’ve heard of Konjac before? The root definitely isn’t new. A couple of years ago it was hailed as the best weight loss aid because companies would make noodles out of it that were fat free, carb free, and calorie free – but still filled you up. I’ve tried them – they have a weird texture and are not that tasty to eat, so I prefer Konjac for the face and not for the stomach.
The sponge does shrink as you use it, and after a while you’ll need to get yourself a new one, but it’s easy to replace and so this is worth it.
Look for Konjac sponges in your drug store and if you have flaky dry skin, definitely consider adding them to your skincare routine.
April is Rosacea Awareness Month
Persistent redness of the skin and pimples are common symptoms of rosacea, which is a condition that affects over two million Canadians. It’s also commonly misdiagnosed as adult acne…and although we realize that this isn’t a life-threatening condition (this from a blog mostly about beauty products), it is something that really affects self-esteem in those who should have no reason to feel badly about how they look.
Rosacea has no known cause and currently there is no cure. All you can do is calm sensitive skin and hope that some of the redness that rosacea causes goes away.
Now, there is a new solution offering relief for those suffering from rosacea.
Dr. Jason Rivers is the founder of Riversol Skin Care Solutions Inc, and president of the Acne and Rosacea Society of Canada. Dr. Rivers formulated a product with a natural healing essential oil that calms the symptoms of rosacea and works well on sensitive skin because of its soothing properties. The products made by Rivorsol contain this essential oil, called beta-thujaplicin, which has a powerful antioxidant derived from the Western Red Cedar tree. The products also have Vitamin C, which helps with skin clarity, and Vitamin E that calms skin. Together the products help clear skin while hydrating.
So why haven’t you heard of this new antioxidant and what it does?
It turns out, that this – like most essential oils – is difficult to extract with its purity intact. But it’s worth the work because the oil is naturally anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal. Patients who have used Riversol noticed an improvement in their skin within three weeks! That’s pretty amazing, because my rule of thumb is that you need to use a product for at least 4 weeks before you can really note whether it’s working for you or not.
If you suffer from rosacea, check out Riversol online. There are product kits for dry, normal, and oily skin. You can also order samples if you want to test-drive it before splurging for the entire system.
A full-sized kit containing a cleanser, serum, and moisturizer is $218 while the sample-sized kit is $30.
Limited Edition Philosophy Sunshine Grace
Every summer, cult skincare and fragrance brand Philosophy comes out with a summer scent, and this year is Sunshine Grace. Part floral and part woods, this scent is a blend of heart of jasmine, orange blossom, tiare flower, and frangipani. The drydown is solar musks and blond woods.
I really like the addition of Tiare in this scent. It’s a more island-inspired addition, and I think with the weather we have had, everyone agrees that summer might just be found on an island somewhere.
The frangipani is also a more tropical feeling note, and so this summer scent is a little off the beaten path.
Sunshine Grace edt spray 60ml, $55.
Sunshine Grace body lotion 480ml, $44.
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How do you apply foundation?
I just got this Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge – basically a variation of the popular Beauty Blender, which itself is a variation of the original latex sponges that people used to apply makeup with.
I use it damp to apply foundation, but my one pet peeve is that sponges just absorb so much foundation that it seems like a waste to use them. Application is easy and the resulting complexion is flawless but I truly feel that I get great results with my fingers or a traditional makeup brush.
But these sponges are now everywhere and that clearly means that people are buying them. So I have to ask: how do you apply your foundation and why do you use that technique?
The Makeover Event at Shoppers Drug Mart and Win $100
On Saturday, May 3, in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and all the Atlantic provinces, participating Shoppers Drug Mart Stores will host The Makeover Event benefitting cancer support program, Look Good Feel Better®.
Tickets to The Makeover Event are available for $10, with $5 donated to Look Good Feel Better. The remaining $5 is redeemable on any purchase made at Shoppers Drug Mart during the event.
Gala guests will enjoy complimentary makeovers, skincare consultations, as well as free samples, refreshments and snacks. Space is limited, so visit your local Shoppers Drug Mart and speak to a beauty expert to get your ticket. Look Good Feel Better offers a free 2-hour hair and cosmetic workshop for women with cancer – helping them face their cancer with confidence and courage. Visit lookgoodfeelbetter.ca to learn more.
Want to win a $100 Shoppers Drug Mart gift card that you could possibly use at this event? Just leave me a comment about your favourite product this spring, and I’ll pick a winner next week!
