Strivectin Super-C SPF 30

TextNew Vitamin C + Sunscreen + Moisturizer from @Strivectin.

Maybe it’s the price point, but this brand does facial products so well and this is a beautiful rich formula. I’m not crazy about the jar packaging. Dipping my fingers into sunscreen daily is just odd – remember that sunscreen is a medicine in Canada and regulated, so any risk of contamination isn’t good.

Still – rich and creamy, and SPF 30 to boot. I’m using this every morning.

It’s moisturizing and is protecting my skin so I love it. It also doesn’t pill and layers well with makeup, so that’s a bonus, and has Niacin in it which helps brighten skin.  The combo of Vitamin C and Niacin works well for my skin and I try to always have something that prevents hyperpigmentation because I find that my skin is prone to it.  The more I can do to make my skin look great without makeup, the better!

Available now on the Strivectin website.

$69.

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Makeup On Repeat: Charlotte Tilbury and Natasha Denona

Makeup on repeat. I’m using the Natasha Denona Glam Palette eyeshadow (this was a freebie with a Sephora order) and I can totally see what the hype is. It’s a beautiful formula and super flattering. I like the mix of glitter in the shimmer formula and it’s super soft and blendable.

TextAlso: Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation. I’m the colour 6 neutral, but 7 warm is maybe a bit better.

I’ve noticed a bit of oxidation when I wear this foundation, so be mindful when you pick a warm or neutral colour.  I have found that using a primer definitely helps if this is a problem for you.

Available at Sephora!

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Merit Beauty Tinted Lip Oil in Marrakech

TextMerit Tinted Lip Oil in Marrakech. Beautiful colour in a hydrating formula. I love this tinted oil the best out of any I’ve tried because how much pigment is in it. Most tinted lip oils are rather sheer, but this one is just beautifully pigmented. Have you tried Merit Beauty? Have you found anything you like?

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Uma Oils Hair Oil

Another hair oil from the cupboard today but this one is herbal, with a fresh minty tingle meant to stimulate hair growth. The scent is quite fresh and green, though not what I would call beautiful.

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Uma Oil uses Ayurvedic knowledge to craft this oil, and you can use it before or after washing your hair. Isn’t the bottle just beautiful?

This is another one of those oils that can be used as a scalp treatment and then also to condition your hair after you wash it. I like massaging it in, inhaling the refreshing aroma, and then washing it out.

$92.

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Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation Demo Video

I have been using this foundation ever since I got it and I love it, so I wanted to share some information about it and show you all how it looks.

How glowy is the finish? Check it out here.

I powdered it, but you could also use powder underneath to set it and to maintain more of the luminous finish. I’m the colour 6 Neutral but I wish this was available in a warm shade. 6 warm would maybe be better for me, because my skin is a bit yellow. Blends out really nicely though.

 

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1 Empty, 1 Newbie: L’Oreal Paris Wonder Water

TextA hair dresser told me that the ingredient that works in the L’Oreal Wonder Water is basically wax. It coats your hair and makes it look nice and smooth. You know what, I’m ok with that! Because at least it works! Probably, using it too much will cause a build-up and you want it to wash off before applying again. I do agree that the scent is too too strong, which is what someone comments every time I post a picture of these on social media.

Turns out that it’s not wax, it’s actually a polymer that coats hair which makes it look less frizzy.

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Bye Bye Atelier Cologne Video

I just have 3 from this brand: Love Osmanthus, Pacific Lime, and Musc Imperial.

Some are available here and there, but once they’re gone, we might not see them ever again!

Do you have favourites from the brand?

Did you get anything from the sale?

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New Annabelle Mascara Collection: Beauty for Everyone

I’ve been test-driving the new mascaras from Annabelle Cosmetics; latest launch and I seriously love both of their formulas. The formula for all the mascaras is pretty similar.  It’s a flake-free, smudge proof formula that beats most of the others that I’ve tried. Even the Pat McGrath mascara wasn’t this good and it was 4 times the price.

There’s a few of us around here who are prone to having mascara smudge throughout the day – in fact, I think the only reason my mascara didn’t smudge when I was younger is because I wasn’t wearing enough sunscreen. Now with a few layers on, there are definitely oils that seem to migrate down and make makeup move around.

This Annabelle Cosmetics Skylimit mascara does not move, it’s not tubing, and I like the thin brush because it makes the mascara easier to apply.

I think it looks pretty good, and it lasted the whole entire day on me. Also, just $9.95 at our drugstores. I’ve paid a lot more for mascaras that do a lot less.

TextI’m pretty picky with my mascara because I find they all smudge so easily but these are winners.

I have to say that the curved brush wasn’t for me because I found I ended up with more mascara on my eyelid and I had to be so careful.

Have you tried these? What did you think?

*gifted.

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K18 Review

TextK18. Nothing has been this hyped since Olaplex, so in 2 years, this is the latest and greatest on the haircare scene.

It’s available at Sephora and the first drop sold out within days. After they refurbished their stock, I bought mine, but by then I had already heard from countless people that it had made a difference on their hair.

To be clear, the science is there. This works to temporary repair the broken bonds in your hair. There are three kinds of bonds in your hair, and you damage them through heat styling, hair dying, and daily management. All of that can make your hair look and feel unhealthy. That’s why sometimes the top of our hair often feels healthier than the bottoms. The top just hasn’t been subjected to as much. Because of this, if you have short hair, or don’t subject your hair to much, or if you just wear your hair in a bun, you might not even need k18! My hair is long, highlighted, and I like to straighten it, so something that repairs those bonds is ideal for me.

Actually, Olaplex also claims to do something similar and that’s why hairstylists love it so much. K18 helps with that damage and after using it 5 times, you’re on a maintenance schedule.

You start with one pump… it seems like too little but it spreads easily… (the last picture is 1 pump of k18) I use about 4-6 pumps in total for my hair, but my hair eats product so it’s not surprising that I used so much.

I’ve used this 5 times already… I think it’s ok. I’m sorry, I know people want to hear that it’s a holy grail, it’s not. It does make my hair feel softer, maybe a bit smoother, but for my hair type, I like a product with keratin in it, so if I’m layering that on top anyway, I’m not sure this is worth the coin.

Can this prevent further damage? Maybe? But also limiting heat styling and not washing and blow-drying your hair so often will go further and that’s free.

What do you think? Share your experiences so that others can decide if it’s for them.

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New Vichy LiftActive Serum

When was the last time you found a product that was truly offering you something you didn’t already have?

TextAt the end of every week when I clean up my bathroom counter, I put away 3 or 4 bottles of serums or treatments and I often wish there was one that had everything, roses and contained to work just right.

Well this Vichy serum does it. 5% Niacinamide, exfoliating glycolic acid, and antioxidant vitamin C. There’s also Tranexamic acid which is a newer “it ingredient”. I have a more expensive Tranexamic acid serum but it doesn’t have all these other ingredients too, so I’d rather use this.

It’s a watery formula and a one-and-done kind of situation and supposed to reduce hyperpigmentation. It’s too soon to tell whether it works, but at least the ingredients have successes behind them. Once it has absorbed, I use 2 pumps of the sunscreen as a first layer. I mean, I’ve also upped my retinol so I’m being careful and protecting my skin barrier, but so far so good.

I know a few people have tried this or are using it – what do you think so far?

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