L’Eau Papier by Diptyque. Savory, steamy, cozy. Warmth and comfort but without being claustrophobic. Like getting out of a warm shower and smelling that dinner is ready but you didn’t have to make it. The warm comfort of linen, a pat on the back, a kiss on the forehead.
Steamed rice, toasted sesame, ambrette musk.
Watch my entire review on Youtube.
Some things I bought from the Sephora sale because really why not.
I know The Ordinary was not on sale but I needed a new conditioner and thought I’d try this. Honestly, this is a tiny bottle and I need something larger with a pump. I’ll report back on what I think of this but it’s supposed to be light yet effective.
I also got the Multi Peptide Serum for hair density. My secret is to use this. That’s it. If you use it, it might work. I massage it into my hair while I use my mouthwash at night. If you find it weighs down your hair, don’t apply it on your part.
Tarte Tartelette Tubing mascara is a tubing mascara that builds volume. Can’t wait to use it.
Charlotte Tilbury sunscreen primer. I adore this stuff. Yes, the bottle is so tiny but the formula is light and greaseless, yet moisturizing. It’s basically perfect, but guess what? Charlotte Tilbury is offering 20% off their entire site in celebration of the upcoming Prince’s Trust Awards and Met Gala. Use the code REDCARPET to receive 20% off your cart (minimum of $70 USD / $80 CAD) – the discount code will be live until 11:59PM EST on Thursday, May 4, so if you didn’t get anything from the Sephora sale, you could still save some money on your favourite Charlotte Tilbury products.
What did you get?
If you’re looking for perfume recommendations, I highly recommend Glossier You! It’s a best-seller and easy to wear and if you don’t like it, someone else in your family would love to have it.
All week everyone complained about the horribly cold weather we have been having, which seems to be at least 20 degrees (celsius) below the norm for March.
My geraniums bloomed this month, but the irises haven’t even though I saw some for sale at the grocery store, my rhizomes at home probably need more time. Anyway, I’ve been busy going through my samples. Libertine Fragrance is from Edmonton, Alberta, not far from me, and I’ve been meaning to try more of them, but then some samples made their way to me. I have Fin de Siecle (a fan favourite?), Gilded, Soft Woods and Sweet Grass. These samples were a marvel in a bottle, because although they’re made in the same crazy temperatures, they’re all optimistic perfumes.
They all have an airiness, transparency, and a soft gentle herbal nature. They were uplifting and easy to wear.Fin de Siecle – fruity floral without being sweet or feminine. Black currants and dried roses. Gilded – sugared cardamom that’s mouthwatering. I hate it when people smell cardamom and immediately think chai, but this is definitely chai-like in the best way. Soft Woods – gentle weather perfume. Basking in warm sunshine on a day off. Sweet Grass – herbal, aromatic, it’s not fresh grass, it’s a dried grass with notes of rosemary and tobacco.
Have you tried anything from this brand? Do you have a favourite?
New favourite moisturizer is perfect for daytime because it also has an SPF 20. The truth is that I’ve finished many jars of this before because it has the perfect combination of skin soothing ingredients but also with bakuchiol which is great for helping your skin generate collagen. You can see how thick and rich the consistency is. That’s because there’s also Shea butter in the formula. This is the Lise Watier Lift and Firm Y-Zone moisturizer.
The new Neutrogena cleansing balm is here and it’s nice to have an affordable option. You can see from my little scrape that this doesn’t seem as smooth as other cleansing balms, but it still melts in your hands and melts makeup on contact. Great used with a cleansing cloth, and you might find residue on your skin if you don’t use one. As always, I use it as a step when I wash off makeup but it’s not the only thing I use.
I follow up with another gentle cleanser (these days it’s one by Aveeno) and I also use one of those washable makeup erasers to get all my mascara off.
Fenty Skin has a new cleanser that melts away makeup. It actually works, and the texture is smooth with beautiful packaging. You can see it in my picture and that’s about the amount I’d need for my whole face.
It’s creamy dreamy, an oil that melts in your hands and on your face and literally leaves nothing in its wake. I love it.
I know in past years, I’ve complained (and people have joined in) about tinted sunscreen being the wrong shade or being too tinted, but how about a tinted moisturizer that has SPF in it and is available in lots of shades? Would you like that? It’s working for me, but I’m using it on top of my regular sunscreen.
I’ve been testing out a few things from Smashbox, and it’s no surprise that their Halo Healthy Glow All-In-One Tinted Moisturizer is my favourite because it’s a tinted sunscreen but with colour options for everyone, which means that it’s better than your average tinted sunscreen. Honestly, this one makes my skin look so good that I want to carry it around with me and reapply. I have the colour medium, but medium-light would probably work for me too. You can see the real colour in natural light by the swatch on my hand, and yes, those are my glasses on the counter in the background.
The primers – the primers are great, and not too silicone-heavy at all. The hydrating one is your basic super light moisturizer, and the Illuminate one is very glowy with golden shimmer, and honestly, I’d rather use it on my body than on my face. You can read the “studio tip” on the box: “extend the subtle glow to décolletage” and I think that’s a great tip. Shimmer always makes skin look so healthy.
Have you used any of these? Is this a tinted sunscreen moisturizer that you can switch over to?
Fenty Beauty Hella Thicc Mascara is here! Have you tried it? It actually does give you voluminous and thick lashes in one coat which is pretty impressive. If you’re looking for a volumizing mascara, then this is one that you have to try. I always top with a tubing mascara because that’s the only way I can get my mascara to last.
I went away, didn’t take any perfume with me, missed it the entire time, and finished all these things at once.
A pause to appreciate luxury in the form of this empty Charlotte Tilbury concealer bottle. There’s so much, an overload, of everything in this world but this concealer delivers an experience by twisting shut with a satisfying click. Add to that, there’s a heavy glass bottle, metallic accents that haven’t rubbed off even though this bottle is empty. Even though I’ve finished it, it’s hard to throw it out because it’s got that element of luxury like my favourite perfume bottles.
I did not like this Ombrelle Complete facial sunscreen. Went on clear but set chalky! Too much silica in the formula to make it matte, but ended up pilling all over the place.
I oiled my scalp and hair daily and then washed them. That’s what breaks are for. Highly recommend the oil I used if you love the scent of cedar.
Also finished the PM oil from XO Treatment Room and will forever associate a feeling of zen with this lavender scented oil. And the peptide serum for my lashes is done. It had a high amount of actual peptides proven to work and that’s why Annie is a formulating genius.
The only times I use makeup wipes is when I’m on vacation and these Cerave wipes are compostable so there’s less guilt with using them. Obviously finished a pack over the week. I used them at night and then fell into bed and my skin was just fine with that actually! I just have this one persistent dry patch that’s not going away.
Finally, finished this Bond Repair shampoo by Alterna. I loved the shampoo and conditioner from this line and I need more. 
Shampoo in a bottle – maybe for the days that you don’t want to shampoo but you want something clean. Herbal Essences from back in the day, legit the only shampoo that garnered me compliments when I used it and flipped my hair. If you want that feeling back: it’s in Marc Jacobs Perfect EDT.
Perfumer: Domitille Michalon Bertier
Notes: daffodils and clean musks.
Year: 2023.
Here’s my video review of the scent.
