Strivectin Super-Barrier Strengthening Oil

Posted on February 14, 2022 by Henna

TextNiacin but in a dry oil. Instead of using my usual barrier repairing cream, I’m using this Strivectin number and my skin loves it. It really has a silky finish that you can feel when you touch your skin.

Where do I use this in my routine? Well, it’s the last “treatment” product I put on… after vitamin C and before sunscreen. When I use it at night, I apply after retinol… but give the retinol time to sink in. An oil isn’t something I’d use in the summer, but the cool weather has my skin feeling like it needs something more, and masks are sucking the moisture out of skin. You could use a moisturizer before or after this, or use this before and after your moisturizer. Depends on your skin and how much extra TLC it needs.

$79 at Shoppers Drug Mart.

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Guerlain A L’Heure Bleue

Posted on February 11, 2022 by Henna

Got a case for my travel bottle of @guerlain A L’Heure Bleue EDT. It’s a scent I wore all summer but I haven’t turned to it much since it started getting cooler. I figured I’d give it a nice home before putting it away for a while.
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Hermessence

Posted on February 10, 2022 by Henna

Did you know that Jean Claude Ellena, who was the perfumer for Hermes, also created the iconic scent of Nivea?

TextActually, his work and influence is far-reaching, characterized by simplicity and lightness. I had big plans to go smell things this winter break, but Omicron out a wrench in those plans so I’m opening these Hermes Hermessence samples instead and working my way through them. Ambre Narguile already has my heart.

 

 

 

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Chanel No. 5 Body Cream

Posted on February 9, 2022 by Henna

Texture but make it Chanel. Cherie (@thetopnote on Insta) and I once had a discussion about how the cream versions of certain scents smell different than the perfumes. It’s something that’s good to know about if you are deciding on getting a body cream or not. Smell before you buy.

TextIn the case of the Chanel No. 5 Body Cream, it’s definitely different from the perfume, because it’s missing the fizzy aldehydes that make up the top notes. What you DO get is the floral blends that make up the heart. The body cream also has better staying power than the perfume and an intense sillage. This is a scent that’ll be all over your clothes. The texture is more of a gel-cream than a body butter. It absorbs quickly and isn’t at all greasy. I wouldn’t put it all over my body because of how strong it is, but I certainly love it on my hands and arms.

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Perfume Shelfie

Posted on February 8, 2022 by Henna

A mishmash of things.
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Sahajan Hair Oil

Posted on February 7, 2022 by Henna

TextForever my favourite hair oil and one that is made by a company founded by someone who knows and lives in the Ayurvedic tradition: Sahajan Nurture Hair Oil. Smells amazing (herbal but not green). If you like how Aveda products smell, then you’ll like this oil too.

When this company launched, their PR person sent me the whole line of products to try, and I’ve since repurchased the body and hair oils many time, even buying them as gifts. They are THAT good.

They use Amla and Coconut oils in the blend, oils that in Indian households are commonplace and used daily. This oils brings that tradition into this era with tasteful apothecary-style packaging and beautiful scents. I told the founder that she needs to make these scents into perfumes, but it’s probably not as easy as all that.

Have you tried this line? Get it here.

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Empties: Bumble and Bumble, Dior Lip Glow, Maybelline Lifter Gloss, MAC Glosses

Posted on February 4, 2022 by Henna

Morning light and a bunch of things I finished.

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The three really worth mentioning: Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil. I’ve been a fan of this since it launched and I still don’t think there’s anything else like it out there. It’s got silicone in it but also oils so it’s a good blend. It detangles like anything else, fights frizz, and a little goes a long way.

Maybelline Lifter Gloss. This is a slightly sweet gloss. It was ok. I wouldn’t rebuy it, but it competes with a lot of high-end options out there.

Dior Beauty Lip Glow. Again, one that I’ve gone through multiple tubes of. Not the most moisturizing but a nice stain if you like that sort of thing. I have a few more tubes out and about so I’ll probably finish more of them.

A few old MAC lip glosses that are done.

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Kayali Utopia Coco Video Review

Posted on February 3, 2022 by Henna

TextKayali Utopia Vanilla Coconut 21. You know that I’ve been having a moment with coconut these days, and I’m really feeling warm comforting fragrances.

I’m on the fence with this one – I feel like sometimes I get a whiff of the vanilla and it really has the potential to be something beautiful, but the coconut note in this is a little artificial-smelling and that was off-putting. There’s definitely a bit of white floral in here too, and that’s ok, the combo of white floral and coconut is one of my favourites, but again, because that coconut is plasticky, it just comes off as trying to be something it’s not.

The one thing it has going for it is that it’s not too sweet and never ends up being cloying, but I’m definitely not in Utopia.

Here’s a video review of it: let me know what you think if you’ve tried it!

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L’Artisan Parfumeur Ambre Extreme Perfume Review

Posted on February 2, 2022 by Henna

TextToday I had a little spritz of my old bottle of L’Artisan Parfumeur Ambre Extreme, and I believe newer bottles are called L’Eau d’Ambre Extreme. This is a cozy spicy amber that really reminds me of my grandfather. It’s from a different time period. There’s a warm body feel to it, checked shirts, cardamom chai, herbal soap…

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Boscia Pro-Retinol Repair

Posted on February 1, 2022 by Henna

TextBoscia has a new retinol out and it’s an oil! I know we’ve seen cheaper retinol oils on the market for a few years now, but this one is different because it also has bakuchiol in it.

In case you’re keeping track of retinol percentages because your skin is extra sensitive, this is 0.1% retinyl (not that strong) and 0.5% Bakuchiol (an effective amount), so this formula should be pretty gentle.

Personally, I love to use a drugstore retinol on the nights that I’m not using a prescription because they’re always more moisturizing formulas and so I’m still getting a tiny dose of retinol on my skin.

You can find this at Shoppers Drug Mart. $67.

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