Clarins Daily Energizer Wake Up Booster

I don’t know if i’m going to be able to tell you just how much I love Clarins, and more specifically, this product. Not only is Clarins into using natural ingredients in their products, but those ingredients work! I mean how many times do you see a product that says it has “essence of some rare giant found only in Sweden”, yet the product does nothing?

Clarins delivers. Now onto this product. Containing white tea and green coffee extracts – to soften, moisturize, recharge, not to mention protection against environmental stresses, the moment this product touches your face you feel better. I pretty much roll out of bed every single morning and: – wash my hands – put 2 to 3 drops of product on my palm – rub for a quick second with my other palm – “blot” all over my face

I can FEEL the product livening up my skin. It’s like not being able to open your eyes in the morning and then having them pop right open. I buy this product over and over again. I love trying new things, but when you find something as refreshing and wonderful as this product, why change? I strongly recommend you try this product. Added bonus? It’s only $15 and will last you months!
Ingredient of the Day: White Tea Extract

Categories: Antioxidant/Plant Extracts

There is research showing that white and green teas have the highest concentration of antioxidant properties.

Marcelle BB Cream

Beauty Balm. BB. 1000 in 1 miracle cream/tint/stuff. This is the first BB Cream I have ever tried (I have another brand on deck). I love the texture/thickness of this BB Cream as well as it’s coverage. It’s not completely sheer but almost hitting medium coverage. It tints to your skin colour wonderfully. I have a touch of a tan and it tinted from my paleness to my slight tan. As for all these things these Beauty Balms claim to do, I didn’t notice any difference in my skin. This is a great, and yes I mean great, tinted moisturizer. But that’s about all I can claim. Do you have a BB Cream that you enjoy?

Ingredient of the Day: dimethicone

Categories: Emollients/Silicones/Slip agents

Like Silicone: Substance derived from silica (sand is a silica). The unique fluid properties of silicone give it a great deal of slip, and in its various forms it can feel like silk on the skin, impart emolliency, and be a water-binding agent that holds up well, even when skin becomes wet.

Lise Watier Crystal Drops in Tangerine

What’s hotter this year than tangerine? Well…..hot pink, but tangerine is up there. I have mixed feelings about this beautiful looking lip gloss. First of all, the colour works on just about everybody. Bonus. It’s great for people who just want a hint of colour. Bonus. It’s SUPER shiny. Bonus. I bought this with high hopes. I applied it and insta-smiled. Beautiful, wonderful, 30minuteslatershattered. While the shine sticks around for hours, the actual tangerine colour disappears 30 minutes or so in to wear. Upsetting? Yes. As much as I love shine, I have many neutral/nude/colourless glosses that do just fine. I’m buying colour because I want to see colour. The crystal drops come in 3 different beautiful shades, unfortunately all lasting the same amount of time. My suggestion, if you want to buy it and try it, get a colour similar to go underneath for lasting colour.

Ingredient of the Day:  Polybutene

Categories: Thickeners/Emulsifiers

Polymer derived from mineral oil and used as a thickener and lubricant.

The Body Shop – Moringa Body Scrub

I have a SLIGHT addiction to exfoliating. My face, my body, I would exfoliate my boyfriend if he would let me. So I try body scrubs whenever I can. Body Shop has some amazing scrubs and this is just one of them. If you like the smell of fresh flowers, this baby is for you. As soon as I open it, the gentle aroma of flowers and sunshine (yes, sunshine. don’t judge me) hit you. This would be WONDERFUL for the winter. Opening this up on a dark, gloomy, cold day would just brighten everything. Ahem. Enough gushing.

On top of the fabulous aroma, is the wonderfully textured beads and the creaminess of it. It’s creamier then some scrubs which makes it more hydrating to your skin. I don’t know about you, but anytime I can get an extra boost of moisturizer, I’m on it. My skin is so dry, and I feel so wonderful after using this scrub.

Bottom line: Give it a try. Get rid of that dead skin on your body and reveal the soft, glowing you!

Ingredient of the Day: Glycerin

Categories: Skin Identical Ingredients

It is present in all natural lipids, whether animal or vegetable. It readily absorbs water from other sources, meaning it works because of its ability to attract water from the environment and from the lower layers of the skin increasing the amount of water in the surface layers of skin. It also helps prevent dryness and scaling.

MAC Casual Colours in Out for Fun

I bought this amazing product a couple of weeks ago, but I clearly didn’t have a blog then. So this morning when I woke up I had a light bulb moment. “I should post about this amazing product while it’s still around!” Oh MAC and your Limited Edition awesomeness.

MAC Casual Colours in Out for Fun

This wonderful little product, that comes in quite simple but nice packing, is great. It is a lipstick and/or blush. The versatility from one to the other is great. The colour will pop on your lips and be subtle on your cheeks. Totally buildable for both though if you’re looking for subtler colour on your lips and bolder on your cheeks. It’s creamy which makes it easy for application, though I strongly recommend getting yourselves a lip brush if you don’t already have one. Putting this baby on your lips with your finger doesn’t cut it. I’ve tried both ways, and if you want that bold vibrant lip, you need to brush. There are, I believe 8 other colours but some are already sold out. This was just my fave. Please please rush out and try to grab one of these. You won’t regret it.

Ingredient of the Day: Vitamin E

Source: Antioxidants, Vitamins

Considered an antioxidant superstar. It is one of the most well-known and researched antioxidants, both when taken orally and when used in skin-care products. Benefits of vitamin E:

•Protecting the epidermis from early stages of ultraviolet light damage

•Increasing the efficacy of active sunscreen ingredients

•Reducing the formation of free radicals upon skin exposure to UVA rays and other sources of skin stress

•Protecting the skin barrier’s oil (lipid) balance during the cleansing process

Benefit – Stay Don’t Stray

Stay Don’t Stray – Benefit

I stumbled upon this beautiful product one day, when I just wanted to try something new. The cosmetician had asked if I had ever tried an eyelid primer. An EYELID primer? Seriously? Well….actually…..yes! I know they commonly get used as a base for eyeshadow – which I do, BUT, for me it has an extra added bonus. My eyelids are slightly pink, which is noticeable I’m sure only to myself.  Nevertheless, I swipe this baby (and a little goes a long way ladies) across my lids and not only does it get rid of the pinkness, but my eyes brighten up instantly! And not only can you use it as a base and an eye illuminator, but it works as a pretty fantastic concealer. This product is worth every penny and it’s lifespan is fantastic. I used it every day and it JUST ran out (I bought it at the beginning of winter).The only downside to this wonder, is that if you apply too much to your lid, it will get sticky and clumpy. You only need a little.

This product of the day is a “read this blog entry and go out and buy it right away” kinda product.

Ingredient of the Day: Isododecane

Categories: Miscellaneous

Hydrocarbon ingredient used as a solvent. Isododecane enhances the spreadability of products and has a weightless feel on skin. All hydrocarbons used in cosmetics help prevent the evaporation of water from the skin.

My Very First Post! – and 2 nail polishes to start the week.

On the weekends I usually dedicate some time to cleaning my make up brushes and taking care of my nails. Saturday I remove my nail polish from the previous week and trim/prep for painting on Sunday. I like to give them a nice 24 hours without polish since I’m – always – wearing it. So, since I’m starting this blog on a polish day, I thought I would share what I’m wearing for the week.

Mink Muffs – Essie

A Cut Above – Essie

Summer, yes, is fantastic to bring out those bold, bright, neon colours. I have been wearing them non-stop. Though it has (finally) started raining here, I felt a little neutral toned. I also wanted a bit of pop though, and that’s where the pink comes in. These two colours are great together to create a flirty nail.

 Base Coat x 1

Mink Muffs x 2

A Cut Above x 1

Top Coat x 1

Don’t forget to wait 5 minutes before each coat to get a smooth finish. I hope you get a chance to grab the Cut Above as it’s a Limited Edition Nail Polish!

Side Note: Essie nail polishes never – ever look good first coat. So when you put on the first coat and you think “CRAP”, don’t worry, apply your second coat and all will be well.

Ingredient of the Day: Cellulose

Categories: Plant Extract/Thickeners/Emulsifiers

Primary fiber component of plants. Used in cosmetics as a thickening agent and to bind other ingredients together.