Things I finished that I won’t replace: Sukin Jelly Exfoliator. This was actually gentle and didn’t have very much grit, but it also wasn’t great at cleaning and just didn’t do anything.
Alumier Retinol 1.0. This was a strong retinol in a very drying, gritty base. Pass on this just because of the texture.
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. I never reached for this – it was long-lasting and went on ok, but I don’t think the price is justified. There are perfectly good liquid eyeliners at the drugstore.
A bit if brightness with these @bliss serums.
I’m adding these into my skincare routine and I love that they have something for everyone. Retinol for night and vitamin C for the day. Might even layer the Niacinamide for morning and night. Bliss has been available for a little bit now in Canada.
Have you had a chance to try any of the products yet?
All black everything. Just some things I’ve been using.
Bare Minerals Translucent setting powder: it’s fine. This is a pressed powder and most of the time I use loose powder. But this is ok, and it’s silky smooth so I like that. Honestly, I never powder my face out of the house so I don’t really need a pressed version of anything. Nars Bronzer, still using this.
Benefit Badgal Bang mascara. The mascara is one to try – it gives you the darkest most black pigment and it’s definitely something I haven’t seen in cheaper mascaras which totally makes this worth it. A couple of weeks ago, I asked my friends what they were getting from the Sephora sale and they all said nothing because Shoppers has a better points system and you can redeem for so much more than just beauty.
If you’re there, look for this Yardley London Activated Charcoal soap which I’ve been using on my face and body. It’s super detoxifying and I love using it.
The latest addition to the luxe Christophe Robin haircare line is a cleansing balm for curly hair and a hair butter for curly hair.
If you’ve been waiting for something more gentle from this brand this is it. The cleansing balm does not have any sulfates in it and it doesn’t foam but it does give your hair a nice clean, and the curl butter is great for when your hair is dry and you want to tame flyaways or add definition to it. It’s meant for curly hair but honestly I feel like even people with straight hair or wavy hair could use a product like this because it just gives you a little bit of definition and a little bit of shine. If you had a piece-y hair style then definitely using the curl butter on the ends of your hair would help enhance that piece-y look without weighing down your hair and without the use of any silicones because both of these products are silicone free.
I got the set of the products so what you’re seeing the picture is a gift box which is probably only available at this time of year.
Get it online for $61 on the Christophe Robin website.
@shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate.
Contains Roselle which is an antioxidant, asp contains reishi mushroom, another antioxidant that helps reduce redness. The formula is also moisturizing thanks to the glycerine in the serum, and glides on to skin leaving it dewy. I’m using it as a dose of moisture and antioxidant and then going on to the rest of my skincare.
It’s winter here, so the empties of body lotion seem fitting. If I don’t stay on top of moisturizing, I’m prone to random patches of eczema. It’s been a decade since that happened, but I’m not letting it happen again.
Finished a HNY Skincare Body Balm. I posted about this early in the year and it made my best of 2021 list. It’s a small skincare brand out of Ontario and their products have beeswax in them. The body balm smelled like rose wax and melted into skin.
I’m also done a Moogoo Skincare body lotion. I’ve had it in rotation for a couple of weeks and so, yeah, it’s done. It’s the Soothing lotion which is the lightest of the bunch. Goes on creamy and then absorbs. I actually like the thicker ones a bit more for this time of year.
This is probably one of the last empties post for 2021!!! Thanks for following along if you have, I know a lot of people have told me that they enjoy seeing these because they can see what I actually have gone through. Some things go quickly (like body care and hair care) and some things take longer (like this body balm! – I tried to save it for emergencies).
Anyway, I’m feeling sunny this morning, I hope you’re enjoying your day wherever you are.
There seems to be interesting nature-inspired products coming from Australia and New Zealand. Australian brand Sukin uses Kakadu Plum in its formulas because it’s high in vitamin C.
The Sukin Glow Night Moisturizer is so rich and I like that it has a blend of so many moisturizing ingredients: glycerin, which attracts moisture to itself, squalane oil, which is nice and light, sunflower oil, and mango seed butter. Perfect for winter or for anyone who has dry skin.
The cleansers are beautiful too – gel-textured, smooth, not drying.
Got another of my favourite toner/serum. The Murad Daily Clarifying Peel is a mix of Glycolic acid, salicylic acid and a mild retinoid in a formula that has glycerine in it so it actually feels moisturizing. I use it as a first step morning and night and then follow up with the rest of my skincare routine. I’ve actually skipped my morning cleanse and just use this instead. This seems to be sold out at Sephora right now but you can get it directly from the Murad website. $49.
Moogoo Skincare sent me their skincare products to try and they couldn’t be more perfect for the cold winter weather. I’ve been trying all the body creams, because I like options, and you can see that I’m almost out of the lightest one (which is in the middle).
The Natural Protein Shot leave-in hair conditioner is my favourite silicone-free product EVER. ($17.99)
I’m using it on wet hair every time I wash it and it’s so smoothing. I think the little bit of protein in styling products really helps minimize frizz.
Why’s it called “MooGoo”? Well, it was first developed to be used on cow’s udders and it turns out that the formula is good for people skin too. The brand is from Australia, and I’ve been lucky to try a few Australian and Kiwi brands this year.
The scent of these is a little lactonic but not sweet. It’s comforting and reminds me of baby products. I’m using the Natural Full Cream Moisturizer ($19.99) these days and it smells kind of like warm milky oatmeal, which is kind of an addictive smell.
You can find Moogoo on Amazon!
Texture shot of this beautiful Naturally Serious After Dark peptide sleeping cream.
The texture is creamy but light instead of thick and greasy. I’m using it on top of serums and it sinks in so quickly.
Naturally Serious Skin is available at Shoppers Drug Mart now, and I’ve seen a lot of their products on the shelves. The products are heavily scented so they may not be for all skin types, but the scent does dissipate quickly.
Have you tried any of the Naturally Serious Skin products?
