L’Oreal Everstrong Thickening Shampoo, Conditioner, and Thickening Tonic

L'Oreal EverstrongWe’re all about thickening products these days, and when we found out that there was a drugstore option for thicker hair, we had to try it.

L’Oreal Everstrong is a new line for thicker hair and it’s perfect for those of us who need some TLC for the hair. The system is sulfate-free which means that it’s going to be able to care for your hair and your scalp. It’s also fortified with keratin which adds a layer to your hair so that it looks and feels thicker and more strong.

We’ve been using the system for a few weeks now, and the difference was apparent after the very first time we used it. Because we were already using Nioxin, we can’t tell whether the system stopped our hair fall, but just the shampoo and conditioner helped make our hair look thicker.

Pick up the entire line at drugstores – the shampoo and conditioner are $9.99 each, and the tonic is $11.99.

Posted in Hair | Tagged | Leave a comment

Play Truth or Dare with Schick

trimstyleThere’s nothing like a game of Truth or Dare to keep things interesting, and Schick is stirring the pot with a virtual game of Truth or Dare.   Until May 29th Schick Quattro for Women is daring Canadians on their Twitter account, @SchickQ4W!

Over the course of the contest, @SchickQ4W will pose daily Truths and weekly Dares for participants to answer. Each daily response is an entry to win a variety of fantastic prizes including Visa gift cards.

If you’re interested in participating, don’t forget to use the hashtage #Q4Wtruthordare when tweeting.

 

 

Posted in More Than Beauty | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Cara Delvigne at the MET Ball

We’re still going through all the amazing looks at the MET ball, and can’t get over this one.  Burberry makeup did the look on Cara Delvigne, and the major smoky eye is beyond.  We would use a primer and smudge a waterproof eye pencil all over to get a similar effect (surprisingly simple to do, actually).

Cara Met Ball

Here’s her entire look.

Cara Delvigne at MET Ball

Posted in Spring 2013 | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Marc Jacobs Oh Lola! Sunsheer

Special edition fragrances can be hit or miss.  If you already own a scent, how likely are you to get their limited edition version vs. a new scent that you don’t already have?

What special edition scents are good at is capturing the essence of the season.

Marc Jacobs oh Lola Sunsheer

Marc Jacobs’ Oh Lola! Sunsheer edition is this year’s answer to your perfume boredom.

Lola is a Fifi award winner, and a scent that I love.

The Sunsheer’s notes are: raspberry, wild strawberry, pear , peony, magnolia, cyclamen,  vanilla, sandalwood and tonka bean.

Available at The Bay, Sears, Holt Renfrew, Shoppers Drug Mart, Murale, Sephora, Jean Coutu and London Drugs. Beginning in March 2013 for a limited time only.

$79 for 50ml.

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged | 2 Comments

Revlon BB Cream Review

Revlon Photoready BB CreamLet’s get a slow clap for this BB Cream because it’s the first one I’ve found that does pigment absolutely right.

Revlon’s Photoready BB Cream is absolutely “Photo Ready” because it comes in skin-true shades.  Medium and Deep toned girls, this product is going to be your holy grail if you’re looking for a BB Cream.  The medium and deep tints are neither pink or overly red, and are just yellow enough to look good on a large variety of skin tones.

I love that this BB cream also has SPF 30 in it because it means that all I need on my skin during the day is this and nothing else.

Aside from the lovely colours, the cream goes on super smooth and is very blendable.  It almost feels the way a primer does going on.  The finish is satiny and the coverage is light, just the way it should be for a BB cream.  The cream is also lightly hydrating.

Photoready BB Cream comes in Light, Medium/Light, and Medium.

$15.99 at drugstores.

 

Posted in Make-Up | Tagged | Leave a comment

J’Adore Voile de Parfum

Dior Jadore Voile de ParfumDior’s latest reinvention is a variation of their iconic J’Adore perfume. The Voile de Parfum is supposed to be like a second skin and a veil on the skin. It’s supposed to be delicate – perhaps more noticeable to the wearer and those that dare come in close.

The thing is that J’Adore is just such a strong scent in its nature that a light version of it doesn’t really work. I found this version of the scent to be just as strong as other versions, and it wore like quite a heavy veil (maybe a shawl, actually) on my skin. I could smell it and nothing else.

The debate about its intenseness aside, the scent is a very pretty floral. It has notes of iris, musk, and rose. As I mentioned, the scent is pretty strong. It’s intense and really becomes the wearer. I like it, but it’s definitely not for those times that I’m feeling low-key.

J’Adore Voile de Parfum is exclusive to The Bay. $85 for 50ml and $112 for 100ml.

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged | Leave a comment

Summer’s Here (soon): Daisy Eau So Fresh Sunshine

So we’re all mentally prepared for summer, but it’s just not here yet… but, we can prepare for the summer thanks to Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau so Fresh Sunshine, the summer version of the original Daisy fragrance.

Daisy Eau So Fresh Sunshine

The scent has fruity and floral notes: Strawberry, Apple Blossom, Pink Grapefruit, Jasmine Petals, Day Lily, Rose, Violet Leaf, White Oak Moss, Amber Wood.  Unfortunately, you don’t smell a lot of the Oak Moss, but the Amber comes through and the opening note of apple blossom is fresh and only slightly fruity.  If you’re already a Daisy wearer, this will be a nice variation but still leave you true to the original Daisy scent.

Available at The Bay, Sears, Holt Renfrew, Shoppers Drug Mart, Murale, Sephora, Jean Coutu and London Drugs. Beginning in March 2013 for a limited time only.

$85 for 75ml.

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged | Leave a comment

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate

midnightrecoveryFriends, I think I’ve mentioned once or twice that I’m a new mom… well, newish at this point, and I gotta tell you that my child sleeps like a baby… which basically means that she doesn’t.  So five months in and the lack of sleep is starting to show on my skin.  I can cover up dark circles like the best of them, but what to do about that loss of glow?

Turns out that there’s an answer out there, and it doesn’t involve any drastic measures.  Basically, Kiehl’s sent me and Cheryl their Midnight Recovery Complex, and I figured that since I’m up at midnight every night, this would be the thing for me to try.

It’s a super-light blend of essential oils that are rich in moisture and Omega 6’s so they can replenish depleted skin.  The scent, like all Kiehl’s products, is amaaaazing.  The lavender stands out and is so calming and relaxing, and I’m convinced that the scent also had an effect on my skin one way or another.

Long story short, though I already have oily skin, I smoothed this oil on to my skin every night before bed, and yes, I woke up with radiant and more luminous skin.  It just had that glow.  It looked fresh, despite the fact that sleep patterns haven’t really changed.

The one or two drops I use on my skin absorbed quickly and the serum almost felt like a dry oil going on.  I didn’t have greasy skin thanks to this oil, and it just left my skin comfortably moisturized.  You might also be interested in reading Cheryl’s review of it here.

Check out Kiehls.ca for stores across Canada or shop online. $48.

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Nioxin Challenge

If you have thin or thinning hair, and want to do something about that, the premiere line on the market to help you is Nioxin. Having experienced some post-baby hair loss (that seemed to be beyond normal!) I just had to try the line especially after I heard that it now had lines that made it perfect for coloured hair.

Nioxin Systems

The new Systems 3 and 6 (one for thinning fine hair, and the other for thinning medium to coarse hair) are enriched with Glyco Shield which helps protect hair colour while still delivering the Nioxin treatment.  All the systems contain a shampoo, conditioner, and spray-on leave-in scalp treatment.  Each part of the system is essential: the shampoo cleanses the scalp so that hair follicles can push hair up easily.  The refreshing peppermint invigorates the scalp and helps promote hair growth.  The conditioner maintains moisture balance and ensures that hair is conditioned.  The leave-in treatment provides SPF, and essential vitamins and anti-oxidants, again promoting good hair growth and protecting it as well.

Upon receiving the system, my only concern was that the bottle of conditioner was half the size of the bottle of shampoo!  This is a major problem as I have longer hair and I need more conditioner.  I ran out of the conditioner within a couple of weeks of getting the system, and continued to use the shampoo and leave-in treatment but a different conditioner (in this case Ojon).

I’ve used this system consistently for a month (I was using System #3), and though I haven’t noticed a major thickening of hair, I do have to say that my hair fall has slowed dramatically.  Now, I will say that this could be for a number of reasons.  I’ve been on vacation for the entire month of using this system and eating really well so maybe that has helped slow the hair fall.  The hair fall could also have been just a stage in my own development and perhaps that stage has come to an end.  I knew that the hair fall was going to end eventually, and that cycle might have just finished.  I did have consistent hair fall for about 2 months, which seems to be a long time. All that aside, I’m not going to mess with something if it’s working.  I’m going to continue to use what’s left of the system in the hopes that my hair fall doesn’t come back.  But I’m also going to try to take better care of myself and maybe that’s the best prescription.

As it happens, my sister tried Nioxin for a year and a half and had the same results that I did – the thinning out stopped, but it didn’t make any hair grow back. It was progress though, and that’s why she kept on using it. A good friend of mine has also been using it for two years because his stylist suggested it to him, and he had the same conclusions, which is why he continues to use it.

To find out if Nioxin is for you, check out their website.

Posted in Hair | Tagged | 3 Comments

OPI Matte Top Coat

…is seriously the most major thing to hit my nails this season. If you haven’t been a matte nail polish girl in the past, all that is about to change.

OPI Matte Top Coat

The trouble with most matte polishes is that they chip super easily making your nails look like a mess on day two. You can’t use a traditional top coat on them because that just takes away the matte finish, so it’s a challenge to keep the matte polish on your nails.

But now, OPI’s Matte Top Coat means that you can essentially turn any colour nail polish into an eggshell finished one, and have the polish last on your nails without any chipping or scratching for at least 5 days.

This new matte is anything but boring or one-dimensional. An application of moisturizer adds a sheen to the nails, and the matte effect looks great on already low-key neutrals or on a summer bright colour.

OPI Matte Top Coat is available at Professional Salons and Spas across Canada for $10.95 CAN.

Posted in Spring 2013 | Tagged | 1 Comment