Too Faced Love Flush Long-Lasting 16-Hour Blush

There’s nothing wrong with adding a little love into your beauty routine. The adorable Too Faced Love Flush Long-Lasting 16-Hour Blushes come in coquettish heart-shaped compacts, with even more saccharine love-themed shades. Keep reading below to see if this product is worth loving…

Packaging: Leave it to Too Faced to come up with the most adorable blush packaging. The blushes come in a sleek compact, with the packaging matching the shade of each blush. There is also a mirror included in the compact, perfect for travelling or touch-ups.

Colour Range: There are six shades in this range – with one neutral tone (“Baby Love”) and five brighter shades – ranging from pink to coral to plum. I can see these shades working for a multitude of skin tones as the shades are bright enough to make darker skin tones pop, without making lighter skin tones look as if they are wearing theatre makeup. Speaking as a pale gal, I’d advise those with lighter skin tones to use a light hand when applying these blushes – the colours are BRIGHT and if you swirl too much product on, your face will be hot pink before you know it.

Pigmentation: I’ve been using NARS blushes for years since I didn’t think I’d ever find anything better – but this product proved me wrong. While only six shades are available, the blush is so buttery and applies seamlessly – there’s no smudging product caking when you apply it. If you’re interested in a higher-end product, such as the Tom Ford Cheek Colour Blush or Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush, but don’t want to shell out $60 on a blush, you’ll actually find that this range has better colour payoff and a similar texture.

Staying Power: The formula is definitely smudge-proof; however, I'm not sure about the 16-hour wear time. I applied “Baby Love” prior to going to work, and by mid-afternoon, the majority of the colour was gone. I’d recommend carrying it in your purse with a travel-sized blush brush to re-apply if you’re planning some post-work fun.

SHOP:

Swatched from left: “Baby Love”, “Love Hangover”, “I Will Always Love You”.

The Too Faced Love Flush Long-Lasting 16-Hour Blush retails for $39.00 CAD
and is available at toofaced.com.

AOneBeauty.com Curl Care Box

I won't lie. I don't know many curl boxes ship to Canada or originate in Canada. So I was excited to check out AOnesbeauty curl care box. Not sure if many people know.. I'm natural. I've been natural for a LONG time. I usually straighten my hair to wear with weaves. But on my wash/in-between days I make sure my natural curls are moisturized and popping!

Now about the box. There is shipping to Canada & USA. 

The Canadian box is $30 (including shipping).
The USA box is $45 (including shipping).

What you should know about each box:

• Has around $40 (or more) in products. 
• You could get beauty products, samples & curly hair specific products (+plus discount coupons). 
• Ship on the 25th of each month. 
• Limited quantities. 
• Ships to: Nunavut, Yukon, Northwest Territories for $45

The December 2015 box was pretty good. I was extremely excited for the dye, detangler, gel & Jamaican castor oil. The two beauty products were cool too! Especially since they're in colours that I would use/flatter my skin tone. Lastly, samples are a blessing. If it works, I buy. If not, I throw them away. No love lost.

The only thing in the box which doesn't bother me but I could see some others having an issue with is the Profectiv No-Lye Relaxer Touch Up. I know natural girls who relax their edges or are texlaxed- so I can understand why it would be in the box. 

The total price of the contents in the box:

Would you try a curl care box?

Canadian Made: Therapie Silk and Bamboo Pillowcase

Growing up, I've always known the importance of silk pillows. But they were way to expensive for me to invest in. So cotton was the way to go. Honestly, it was wreaking havoc on my face silently. My sleeping masks weren't doing their jobs. My lash extensions were falling out prematurely. I won't even go on. That's when I found out about Cherise at Therapie. She has a line of  Silk and Bamboo Pillowcases, eyemasks, booties and mitts. I interviewed her to find out more about her line.

How did start your business?
I started Therapie to fill a need I saw in my skin rejuvenation and hair restoration business, Results Cosmetic & Wellness Therapies. My clients invest in high quality skin and hair care products and in expensive in office treatments for their face and hair. I want them to get the best possible results for their investment. Hopefully, they have their face/ hair pressed up against a pillowcase for 6 to 8 hours out of 24 hours. That pillowcase influences the beauty of skin, hair, and lashes. A pure silk pillowcase is the kindest to the face, hair and lashes. The pure bamboo panels keep that pillowcase in place so you actually sleep.

Why are silk pillow cases important?
A pure silk pillowcase is important because no other fabric has the slip, slide and glide of pure silk. It is the kindest fabric to the delicate skin of the face and to hair. It's the gentlest fabric on lash extensions. It's very breathable so it feels cooling to hot sleepers. This starts being very important for all women as they get older, even as early as in their mid 30s.

What are the benefits of silk pillow cases?
The problem with a traditional silk pillowcase is that you might not sleep well. Because of the great slip, slide and glide of pure silk, it makes your pillow move around under your head. And the case likes to work its way off the pillow. The 2 bamboo panels act like grip and eliminate this problem.

When should I wash my pillow cases?
If you wear makeup to bed, you'll need to wash your Therapie Silk and Bamboo Pillowcase more frequently. If there's a lot of styling products in your hair at the end of your day, you'll want to wash your pillowcase more frequently. With acne, wash your pillowcase more frequently. Otherwise, aim for every second week.

How to wash - hand washing best preserves the luster of silk. Turn inside out. Use a fine fabric wash. Soak in warm soapy water for at least 5 minutes. I let mine soak for about 20 minutes. Squeeze soapy water out, do not twist or wring out. Silk is its most fragile when it's wet. Soak in cold water for a minute or two, to rinse. Squeeze water out again, lay on dry clean towel and roll up the towel. Squeeze the heck out of the towel. Then place pillowcase over a towel bar of the back of a chair, to dry. If you need to machine wash, a mesh bag for delicates is a must. Turn inside out, put in mesh bag. Do a gently cycle, the smallest load possible, only like colors. Do not bleach. Do the shortest cycle possible. Dry the same way.

What is the best way to wash/dry them?
If pillowcase is still damp before bed, tumble dry, inside out, for 5 minutes by itself.

Bayview Village Pop-Up Shop- Dermalogica

Do you live near Bayview Village? 

If so, check out the Dermalogica Holiday Pop-Up Shop at Bayview Village. 

It's open until January 15!

At this space, shoppers can do three things.

Receive a Face Mapping® Skin Analysis:
It’s unique skin analysis provides insight into your skin’s past and present within 10 minutes. Your skin issues are divided into fourteen zones and at the end you get a skin prescription sheet.

Book MicroZone treatments
These are unique 20 minute treatments.

• Brightening Treatment
• Eye Relief Treatment
• Hydrating & Soothing Treatment
• Clearing Treatment

Lastly, purchase their favourite Dermalogica products.

Check it out!

LANEIGE comes to Canada

Laneige is a Korean skincare brand which recently launched at Sephora. It's inspired by purity and the gift of life. With two decades of research under their belt, they discovered the advantages of skin-perfecting mineral water.

Laneige is meant to do three main things to your skin: hydrate, protect and revitalize!

I fell in love with the line. So many innovative products to try out for the new year! The biggest pros for me is that the line is dermatologist tested, does not test on animals or has any animal-derived ingredients in the skincare.

These three products are most haves for the new year!

Multiberry Yogurt Peeling Gel ($29.00 CAN)
Gentle exfoliator for smooth skin.
Use it once or twice a week. The coolest part is that it actually contains yogurt: Sogurty™. It's a fermented yogurt that offers your skin anti-inflammatory advances and soothes/calms skin while making collagen production.

More note worthy ingredients:

• For skin polishing there is natural Konjac beads and chestnut extract to remove dead skin
• Extracts of raspberry, blueberry, wolfberry, cranberry and strawberry.
• Multiberry Complex which contains nutrients & antioxidants to protect skin.

How to:

• Wet face
• Massage product all over face
• Rinse off with warm water

Deep Pore Cleansing Foam ($29.00 CAN)
Perfect for deep cleaning! My girls with oil-prone complexions will really benefit from this one. Cleanses your skin without striping it of moisture. It's infused with Melia Azadirachta Extract Water. Which is really good for clogged pores.

More note worthy ingredients:

• Natural Moroccan Clay to absorb oil
• Salicylic Acid as an anti-inflammatory 
• Keratinase is a natural exfoliating enzyme

How-to:

• Dispense it in your hands
• Add water
• Make it lather
• Massage all over face- including problematic areas
• Rinse off with warm water

Brightening Sparkling Water Foam Cleanser ($30.00 CAN)
This product is everything- probably my favourite from all the products I tried! I sound crazy but this product makes washing your face fun. The consistency is a thick foam infused with sparkling water. Optimal for deep cleansing. It's really light and helps clogged pores. Contains five multi-fruit AHA’s that do four things: exfoliate, brighten, detoxify, and purify.

How-to:

• Shake it well
• Dispense the foam in your hands to dry face
• Apply in a circular motion
• Rinse off with warm water

SHOP: