Canadian Beauty

Launching Today: Butter London Colour Clash Collection

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Henna

…and a swatch of Cotton Buds from that collection.

Butter London’s latest collection features 6 bright bold colours that are fun and summery.

The colours are: Cotton Buds, Wellies, Pimms, Cake Hole, Silly Billy, and Giddy Kipper.

I got my hands on Cotton Buds – white is the surprise “it” colour of the summer and I had to test out this one. My first thoughts were that it looks like correction fluid, but I’ve been told that it’ll grow on me.

I do like that the colour was opaque and creamy. It applied really easily without any streaking. You can tell from the picture that this is a nice white bright.

Each polish is $17.

Posted in Summer 2013 | Tagged Butter London, Pictures of My Makeup, Swatch | Leave a comment

No Burns, No Tans: Neutrogena Beach Defense

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Henna

This was what we did on Canada Day weekend:

It was 28 degrees outside and the sun was beating down. We were there for almost 3 hours and having gotten to the Lake around lunch time, there was not a shady spot to be found. Despite that, would you believe that none of us got a tan or a burn and that’s thanks to Neutrogena Beach Defense Sunscreen.

We used the Beach Defense SPF 30 for the body before we left the house – the lotion is super light, non-greasy, silky to the touch, and not at all whitish. We liked it so much that we also slathered it all over our faces – it was so easy to use and disappeared into the skin with a minimal amount of rubbing!

When we got to the beach, we all realized that we forgot something: the back of our necks and our feet! So out came the SPF 60 spray and we sprayed our necks, hands, and feet – and the spray is so easy to use that we just kept reapplying any time we felt the sun get too hot.

Shared six ways, the lotion and the spray went far and the next day, everyone kept remarking on how impressive it was that there wasn’t a burn or tan in sight despite the sun beating down that day. There was not a tan line in sight!

Moral of the story: I’m not hitting a beach without this stuff. It’s waterproof, sweatproof, and has Helioplex in it which helps maintain stability of the sunscreen in the sun. This means it won’t break down and will continue protecting your skin! Plus, this sunscreen is protecting against UVA and UVB rays.

$9.99 at drugstores everywhere.

Posted in Sunscreen | Tagged neutrogena | 1 Comment

Thursday Threes: Help Your Hair Beat Humidty

Posted on July 11, 2013 by Henna

Friends, I’m visiting my hometown of Toronto for a few weeks, and I truly was not prepared for the damage it would do to my hairstyle. Last Friday I had to head out to a wedding and after carefully straightening my hair and coating it with layers of hairspray, I stepped out into the twilight only to have the entire hairstyle turn into a fluff-ball within minutes. Yikes.

Since, I’ve been experimenting because I know I can beat this thing.

So here’s my recipe:

Copious amounts of Live Clean Leave-In Conditioner, L’Oreal Professionnel Absolut Repair serum, and Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Oil-in-Cream. In that order.

Divide your hair into 3 sections and apply the products thoroughly while hair is wet and then dry using your method of choice. My curly (obviously frizz-prone) hair tends to soak up product like nobody’s business, so I like to use a LOT and it works. If I’m wearing my hair curly, the curls are well-defined and glossy, but if I straighten then my hair stays straight and looks glossy and moisturized.

These three products work for a reason. After you get out of the shower, you need to give your hair a dose of light moisture, and that’s what the Live Clean Leave-In Conditioner does.

Then you need to seal all that goodness in – enter the Absolut Repair Serum.

Then – believe it or not – you need something that can add some weight so that there’s not too much frizz. Said product needs to leave hair touchably soft so you don’t want a gel. That’s what I turn to the Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Oil-in-Cream. Because it’s a cream it’s a little heavier so you can use it sparingly. It’s also great to finish dry hair.

If you have ways to combat humidity, I’d love to hear what you use!!!

Posted in Styling Products | Tagged L'Oreal Professionnel, Live Clean, Shu Uemura | 1 Comment

The Best Bronzer Ever: Guerlain Terracotta 4 Seasons Tailor-Made Bronzing Powder

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Henna

No matter what I’m going to use bronzing powder for, my criteria are that it has to be matte and in a natural brown tone.

I’ve found that and so much more in Guerlain Terracotta 4 Seasons Tailor-Made Bronzing Powder. You know this bronzer is the real deal because it comes in separate shades for blondes and brunettes, the thinking being that blondes probably bronze differently than brunettes. I have to agree: the brunette bronzer shouldn’t be as red as one for blondes and it definitely needs to be more of a true brown colour.

The bronzer love continues when you open up the compact: turns out that they actually have 4 matte shades in the compact instead of just 1. Use the lighter shades in the winter time, and use the darker shades in the summer when you might have a bit of a tan. Or use the lighter shades to add an all-over glow, and the darker shades to contour. Because all the shades are matte, there are so many ways you can use this bronzer (as eyeshadow, in your crease).

At $94 it’s definitely one of the more pricy makeup products out there, but it’s also the only one you’re ever going to need, no matter what the season.

Posted in Summer 2013 | Tagged Guerlain | Leave a comment

$ vs. $$$: Hair Gloss

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Henna

The latest in hair styling products is a new gel-type product that has virtually no stickiness and is super light in the hold department. As it happens, my favourite hair care brand, Shu Uemura has its version – Touch of Gloss Hair Wax but at $42 it’s kind of pricy.

Joico (also a salon brand) has its own version – Super Shine Glossing Polish. The kicker is that the Joico version costs about $16.50.

Both are meant to be used on dry hair – either at the ends to add shine to the hair, or sparingly and meticulously applied to longer locks to create definition.

I used both my own way: I applied to almost dry hair, braided it, and left it to dry overnight. The effect was defined ringlets if I did the method on curly hair, and wavy beachy hair if I used the method on straight hair. In both cases, my hair was super shiny and healthy looking (even the ends!).

So which product did I like better?

Truth is that there isn’t much of a difference between the two of them, but the Shu Uemura one wins by a hair. The Touch of Gloss Hair Wax is a little less stickier and so a little easier to apply. It also dries a little less crunchy than the Joico Glossing Polish, although I have to say that both products are not like typical gels and are definitely on the little to no crunchiness side.

However, I just loved how super shiny my hair looked after using the Shu Uemura Touch of Gloss Hair Wax, and so it’s the one that I keep reaching for. Is it worth almost triple the price of the Joico product? Definitely not, but if you were going to pick up one product for making your hair look good this summer, that would be the one I’d splurge on.

You can get Shu Uemura’s Touch of Gloss on their website, and Joico’s Super Shine Glossing Polish is available at SpaBoutique.ca or check their website for a retailer near you.

Posted in Styling Products | Tagged High vs. Low, joico, Shu Uemura, steal vs. splurge | Leave a comment

Liquid Pore Strip

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Henna

If you browse around on various skincare forums and such on the Internet, you can find recipes for making your own pore cleansers – they’re usually a mix of starches and gelatine. I’ve never tried any of them myself because the entire process seems too messy – I’d rather just use a nice ready made pore strip that comes off easily and lets me see the dirt I’ve captured. Still, I can see the value in making your own pore cleansers – they don’t come in just one shape so you can use them on different parts of your face, and not just on your nose. Also, because it’s a liquid, they can get into crevices and really do a thorough clean.

Thanks to Avon, now there’s an option for a liquid pore cleanser that you don’t have to make yourself. The answer is the Clearskin Professional Liquid Extraction Strip. It goes on as a thick gel that dries so that you can peel it off. It takes off any pore-clogging dirt with it just like a regular pore strip.

Although it seems easy to use, I have to admit that it took me a few tries to get this to work perfectly. There’s a fine line between applying too much gel and not enough. If you apply a too thick layer (the instructions do say to apply it thickly), it ends up running down your face. If the layer you apply is too thin, it’s hard to peel off when the mask is dry.

I also found that it took a long time for the Liquid Extraction Strip to dry: the instructions said to leave on for 20 minutes, but I couldn’t peel mine off for almost half an hour.

Still, the end result is the same as a pore strip and so if you have pores that need unclogging, you have to try this stuff.

Available as of July 2013 through Avon Independent Sales Representatives, 1-800-265-AVON or online at www.avon.ca for $14.

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged Avon | Leave a comment

Just in Time for Summer: Philosophy Total Matteness

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Henna

There used to be a time when I could count on my skin breaking out in the summer time, so much so that it used to take me to the ProActiv counter – that was the only way that I could count on my skin staying clear.

Now, I don’t have that same problem with acne, but I still have combination skin, which means that once warmer weather is here, there’s just more oil and that really doesn’t do great things for large pores.

This summer, I’m turning to the Philosophy Total Matteness line for help. Formulated with special ingredients especially to absorb oil and keep skin matte, this line is for anyone who wants more matte, virtually poreless skin any time of year.

The superstar of the line is their Total Matteness Pore-Minimizing & Mattifying Cleanser + Mask ($29). Like most oil-absorbing masks, this cleanser is made of kaolin clay which is amazing at absorbing excess oils, but unlike most masks, it also foams which means that it’s great at really giving you a nice deep clean. The Cleanser + Mask can be used both ways – as an actual cleanser or as a mask when you have more time. Regardless of how long you leave it on your skin, you can be sure that it’s going to absorb oil, and give your skin a nice clean.

The line also contains a Mattifying Pore Refiner ($29) which is much like a toner. It not only takes care of any residue but gives your skin an extra dose of oil absorbing ingredients. As much as I really enjoyed using this toner, I did find that it did not work well with my Obagi sunscreen – it made it clump up, and since I had to pick either the sunscreen or the toner, I picked the sunscreen.

Finally, there is the Mattifying Pore Eraser ($42) which you layer on your skin or even on top of foundation to absorb oil and excess shine. It also contains salicylic acid to help with exfoliating dead skin cells. I like to apply this on top of foundation throughout the day to absorb oil – I use it like a powder but it’s not cakey so it doesn’t look like a powder.

All in all, the line is a must have this summer especially if you have oily skin. Check it out now at Sephora and select The Bay and Shoppers Drug Mart stores

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged Philosophy | Leave a comment

Long Weekend Must-Have Sunscreen

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Henna

If you’re reading this, maybe you haven’t left the office for the cottage, or maybe you’re on your way, and maybe you still have time to stop at the drugstore and pick up the sunscreen so good that you’re going to want to use it and it’s quite possibly going to be finished by the end of the weekend because it’s that good and everyone keeps borrowing it.

The sunscreen is La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra Fluid Lotion which is a liquidy-milky sunscreen so light and weightless that you apply palmfuls and wonder where the heck it went. This is nearly unheard of for sunscreens that happen to be SPF 60 UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum, but it’s true of this gem, and that’s why you need it for the weekend. It also doesn’t have any ingredients that give it a whitish cast, which means you’ll forget you ever applied it and you won’t be able to tell in all those photos you’ll be taking. You’ll have no problems applying this to your face, neck, arms, hands, legs, on yourself, your kids, your dog, etc. because it’s ultra-gentle being fragrance and paraben free.

It’ll be the best $30 you ever spend on skincare.

Posted in Sunscreen | Tagged La Roche-Posay | 2 Comments

Waterproof Any Mascara

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Henna

… that’s the claim made by Anastasia’s Lash Genius. It promises to instantly waterproof, refresh, and protect any mascara all day. Moreover, it promises no drying or clumping that the typical waterproof mascara can cause.

So I gave it a test run for a 45 minute aquafit class at the pool. I used it on top of L’Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions mascara and true to its claim there was no clumping when I applied Lash Genius. It even separated my lashes nicely and my mascara did look freshly applied. I made sure to use copious amounts of the mascara – applying and reapplying – so that no part of my lashes were without the top coat that was going to keep my mascara from running.

That said, it did not last a vigorous aquafit class and the shower that came after. I didn’t have any running mascara like I would have had if I hadn’t used Lash Genius, but there was definitely major flaking and smudged mascara under my eye. The look wasn’t pretty, and I would have preferred to wear no mascara or maybe a typical waterproof mascara instead.

Because this is a clear product and does give lashes some hold and definition, it might be great to use on its own at the pool or the beach, but I wouldn’t count on it to keep my mascara pristine this summer.

$21 at Sephora.

Posted in Summer 2013 | Tagged Anastasia | Leave a comment

Thursday Threes: Three Ways to Take Care of Your Hair This Summer

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Henna

Heat styling is a way of life, but add major sun exposure, chlorine, and salt to the mix and you’ve got a recipe for damaged hair. Here are three ways you can make all that go away this summer:

1. Pantene Overnight Miracle Repair Serum. I love this serum because it absorbs into your hair and doesn’t leave a residue on your pillow. It’s completely weightless which means that your hair actually looks fresh and shiny in the morning. And if you want to wash it out in your morning shower, you’ll see how moisturizing it is because the lather from your shampoo will suddenly be rich and super thick. This is a must for those of us with busy summers.

2. L’Oreal Evercreme Conditioning Cleanser. This is the ultimate in gentle hair care. This Conditioning Cleanser turns the shampoo-conditioner 2-in-1 formula on its head by being conditioning first and cleansing second. It’s a super thick cream that has low lather but does clean your hair. It’s not great if you’re looking for a squeaky clean, but if you wash your hair daily, then this is a must. Throw it into your shampoo rotation to clean your hair gently (maybe use it Monday to Friday and use regular shampoo on the weekend). Your hair will be shiny and super moisturized because of how gentle this cleanser is.

3. Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Repair and Finish Spray. Give beachy waves a mist of moisture with this super hydrator. Because it’s a spray, this repair product is super light-weight which means that it’s perfect for the summer. Mist it into your hair before you let it air dry, or use it on already dry hair to refresh your style.

Posted in Hair, Shampoo and Conditioner | Tagged L'Oreal, Pantene, Vidal Sassoon | Leave a comment