Currently Obsessed: Mary Kay Beauty Blotters® Oil-Absorbing Tissues

I'm the queen of looking like an oil slick during summer. It's annoying but that's what happens to me when I wear spf on my face. There is one product that I literally can't live without during these times: Oil blotters!

Right now, my go to's are the Mary Kay Beauty Blotters® Oil-Absorbing Tissues ($8.50 CAN). 

Currently Obsessed: Olay Deeply Clean Pore Mineral Cleanser

I'm really good with all the steps in my skin care routine. I cleanse- exfoliate- tone and moisturize almost daily. The one step that I need to switch up regularly is my cleanser. Each one has their own unique attributes. A good cleanser can help you purify and brighten your skin. Especially after a hot day!

I was excited to get back to the basics with Olay Deeply Clean Pore Mineral Cleanser ($7.99 US).

Cake Beauty: Desserted Island Brown Sugar Scrub

I've just come back from my second vacation of the year. My skin is literally perfect right now. I know jet setting is not the easiest and affordable thing to do. But there are easy ways to fake it. I have been playing around with some fun Cake Beauty items like the Delectable by Cake Beauty Everything Balm but so far I'm in love with the Desserted Island Brown Sugar Scrub($32.00 CAN).

A mix of brown sugar, cocoa butter & wholesome oils- into a lovely scrub.

Dead skin is what prevents you from looking your best. Once it accumulates, you look dull and uneven. Exfoliating can fix this by regenerating new skin to shine through.  

I love this scrub.
It gains major points from me for being made in Canada.
Plus it's:
*Cruelty-free
*Vegan
*Gluten-free
*GMO-free
*Paraben-free
*Phthalate-free

The brown sugar crystals are not rough on the skin.

After my showers, I always feel moisturized. 

The best place to use it *in my opinion*:

• Under Arms
• Elbows
• Knees
• Legs after shaving

 I basically just take a scoop up with my hands and apply it to wet skin in circular motions. I heard you can also do it on dry skin too but I haven't tried that yet. 

I keep it out of water for at least a minute and then I rinse off. Once I get out of the shower and pat dry my skin with a towel. They recommend using it twice weekly for best results.

Three uses: Delectable by Cake Beauty Everything Balm

Since purses are getting smaller and smaller- Cake beauty is trying to cut down the products that you stuff into your make up. The solution:
Delectable by Cake Beauty Everything Balm ($16.00 CAN).

This unique multi-purpose balm is petroleum-free, hydrating and conditioning.
It has over 21+ uses.

I like the fact that it's not greasy like petroleum jelly and it smells amazing. One of the key ingredients is natural Castor oil. A product that I haven't grown up with as a child- plus Coconut oil, Cocoa butter and Sunflower seed oil. I haven't got into the full list of 20 uses but there are three that I really think are awesome.

Cuticles

With the weather changing back my hands are not in the best looking right now. The excessive hand washing really took a toll on me. For repair, I like apply it around my cuticles. Let in “soak” in for around 2 minutes and then rub it in.

Lips

Before I get ready to apply my matte lipsticks, I put the balm on my lips. I then let it penetrate until my make up is done. After I wipe it off then apply my lipstick and I'm good to go. Or to revitalize an old lipstick, I apply a squirt to refresh.

Bites

This balm helps to reduces itchiness. When your outside and obviously do not have the product to apply- just dab the balm around the bite and you're good to go.

Those are my main three uses but you can do anything from tame your brows, soften cracked skin on your heels, put it on a sunburn or use it to tame flyaways, honestly the list goes on and on. You can find this product at cakebeauty.com, Shopper’s Drug Mart or even at well.ca.

Olay 4-In-1 Daily Facial Cloths

I really don't understand people who can go to sleep with their makeup on. 

#1- It damages your skin 

#2-  There so many easy ways to remove in less than 3 mins.

I'm a wipes girl. I love how easy it is! 

Wipe your face, wash off and after that apply your night cream.

 The one thing I can say about certain brands is that they are a little bit to dry. Especially now that we are in the whole waterproof/sweatproof resistant make up era. So when these new Olay 4-In-1 Daily Facial Cloths showed up at my door, I knew instantly that I would fall in love. 

They are designed to remove dirt, makeup and oil while gently conditioning skin, these cloths cleanse and hydrate skin in one easy step Super easy to use- just wet them, rub together to lather, cleanse and then rinse. For people like me who do not wear foundation, try cutting them in into four squares. 

Why waste a full one if you don't need to. 

 These wipes are very gentle and they smell good. 

If you see them in store, I'd recommend that you pick it up!

#BESTBEAUTIFUL

I am a Beauty United influencer. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Made in Canada: Introducing Alba Botanica

With vacay on my mind (I'm planning two major ones within 3 months) I'm already thinking of sunscreens. I'm lucky that a lovely Alba Botanica package showed up at my door. I won't lie, I've never heard of the brand before. Through research, I found out some really amazing things about Alba Botanica. 

Their products are:

• Natural- Enhanced with naturally sourced botanical extracts 
• Around since 1976
• 100% Vegetarian 
• Parabens-free

The keyword I keep on getting from these Alba Botanica sunscreens are: Emollient. Meaning: Softening and good for your skin. To be honest, that is the first time- I've ever seen those words to describe a sunscreen. This formula is like a milk lotion. So a few squeezes of the tube is all you need to fully lather your whole body. If your struggling to find out how much to really use on your body- google the "shot glass" method.

A few other notables: Alba Botanica provides broad spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 40 protection, Dermatologist Tested, hypo-allergenic and water resistant up to 80 minutes.

The biggest pro for me was the spray!
I have no answer why but I'm a sucker for anything spray lotion. It's just easier on my life. On vacay, just spray it all over the areas exposed to the sun and then pass it over to your significant other! Super easy.

Available at: Well.ca, Whole Food & London Drugs.

Foreo LUNA 2 facial-cleansing brush + Anti-Aging Device

Skin care is so important to me. It's literally my #1 priority. Whenever my skin is bad, I swear it's like an extreme downer. While some people would cover it with makeup, I go back to my skincare routine. I've been eyeing the Foreo LUNA 2 ($229 CDN) for a long time. Where have you seen a silicone device that uses sonic power before? 

What is it?

The revolutionary designed LUNA 2 is an enhanced T-Sonic™ face brush and anti-aging system that gives you a completely personalized cleansing. 

This device has actually changed my whole skin care routine. It's smooth, hygienic and powerful. It can put out 8,000 T-Sonic (transdermal sonic) pulsations per minute. Which sounds scary but it's very gentle. You never feel like your damaging your skin when you use it. Off topic: I once burned my skin with a brush device-  so I really appreciate how delicate this product is.

This dual-sided device on the other side is used for anti-aging and helps you absorb product into your skin. You can use the lower-frequency pulsations for this task. Within a week my skin of serums, hydration, water plus the foreo my skin was literally back to my teenage years. It was glowing!

How to use it?
1.
Apply your favourite skin care cleanser to your skin.
Wet the device and click the button once to start the cleansing mode.
2.
Glide the cleansing surface(the "brush" side) in circular motions over your skin.
This should last one minute.
3.
Rinse the product off and pat dry your face.
Apply your serum and moisturizer.
4.
Double tap the device to the Anti-Aging mode.
Press it into your wrinkle/fine line areas for one minute.

SHOP

How does it feel?
Extremely gentle on the skin.
With product it glides over the skin effortlessly.

How to clean it?

Easiest way: All you need is soap and water. To dry, pat with a towel.
Foreo also sells a Silicone Cleaning Spray which is also a great option.

Why you should get it?
It's an investment for great skin.
It also comes with a 2-Year Limited Warranty and 10-Year Quality Guarantee.
Lastly one charge gives you 450 uses.

Sleek Makeup Lip VIP Lipstick Swatches

Summer is coming... Are you looking for a few bright lipsticks to add to your collection?

Sleek Makeup Lip VIP lipsticks ($8.49) might be with worth trying! These extremely pigmented babies pack on colour with the first swipe.

Application:
Easy and streak-free. It actually feels pretty velvety on the lips.

Formula:

Creamy semi-matte lipstick finish that doesn't dry out your lips. Infused with Vitamin E, Shea Butter and Coconut oil.

SWATCHES:

Personally, I'm not use to wearing bright colours like this which draw attention to my lips. But it was fun to play with them. If you asked me which colour would I work into my "every day" routine- it would definitely be Night Spot. 

Testing out Revlon ColorStay 2-in-1 Compact Makeup & Concealer

This is a follow up of my popular Revlon ColorStay 2-in-1 Compact Makeup & Concealer (19.99 CAN) post I did in February.

Let me do a quick rundown, in case you missed the original post. This 2-in-1 compact is all you need. Black plastic packaging- Foundation and concealer together with a tear-shaped sponge beneath, totally eliminating clutter. Perfect for me since I’m forever misplacing my concealer!

I originally tried 400 Caramel which really wasn’t my tone. So I was given the colour 410 Cappuccino which is the deepest colour in the line.

This is a medium-heavy coverage foundation with a satin-matte finish.

Disclaimer- When wearing a matte finish. It’s important to have a really good skin regime. I’m talking about cleansing, exfoliating the dead skin off, toning and moisturizing. If you neglect this your foundation will not look its best.

Testing what colour works for you:
Always use your jaw, not the side of your arm or your hand. You may pick a foundation that looks amazing on your hand and when you get home and try it…completely off. As with other compact foundations, the colour in the compact may appear darker than it will on your skin so Revlon suggests using the smaller concealer shade as a reference point for proper shade matching in-store before you buy.

Foundation Left to Right:

410 Cappuccino 

400 Caramel

Concealer Left to Right: 


410 Cappuccino 


400 Caramel

Totally embarrassing but my skin has come a long way in the past few months; some slight discolouration on my cheeks, under my eyes and around my nose.

BEFORE

With one application of 410 Cappuccino, most of it is covered. Just a few areas that need extra attention. I added 410 Cappuccino concealer on top of the foundation (I put a circle on top to show you the colour difference). Depending on your preference, you can blend this out and be done with your look or add foundation on top for extra coverage.

The finished look.

I would recommend using a sponge or fingers for this product. The product comes with a sponge—it’s under the second layer along with a hidden mirror, which is really handy. The consistency is very creamy and blendable. Not dry like most matte formulas. This is a foundation worth trying! There are 12 colours in the range to choose from. Let me know what you think below!

This post was brought to you by Revlon but the images and opinions are my own.

SEPHORA COLLECTION Skincare Booster - Tired Skin

Earlier this year, my skin was in shambles. I was trying out a new product for the blog which made my skin go haywire( I will not be showing pictures of this). I knew that something wasn't right but I didn't want to stop due to it's "benefits". I know some of y'all are shaking your head right now. Once I stopped using it.. all the impurities came to the top of my skin. It was not cute... I really needed something to get rid of them. That's when I found SEPHORA COLLECTION Skincare Booster - Tired Skin ($26.00 CAN).

I literally went out on a limb with this product. Skin boosters are on the rise. Think of it as a shot of minerals for your skin to improve complexion. I'm in love. This product was extremely gentle for sensitive skin users like me.

One of the main ingredient is  a high concentration of magnesium.
Which can reduce signs of fatigue and brighten your complexion.

How to?

• Use in 14-day cycles at each change of season.
• Using the dropper take five drops- mix it with your cream/makeup or use it on it's own.
  This can be used morning or night. 

The only picture I have on my phone which show cases my skin.

Mary Kay Into the Garden Collection

Last year, this time I was getting ready for my wedding. It was hands down the best day of my life. So much work goes into one day. The preparation part is crucial. The Mary Kay Into the Garden Collection is perfect for the DIY bride. This line is LE "Into the Garden™"collection is a collaboration between Mary Kay Global Makeup Artist Sebastian Correa and Brazilian fashion designer Patricia Bonaldi.

Feet

You will be on them all day! They have to look good. 

The Into the Garden™ Pedicure Set ($35.00 CAN) is perfect for pampering.

You add the foot fizzies to add to your water and soak. Then add the Satin Feet™ Foot Scrub to get off the dead skin cells. I should add that it is a garden-scented.  Once you're done put on the toe separators and file with the emery board. There are also polishes in the line**.

Hands

You will be shaking a lot of hands. Soft hands are needed!

Into the Garden™ Soap Set ($20.00 CAN).

You get three garden-inspired scent soaps individually wrapped in a lovely floral box. This could also be a cute gift for your bridesmaids.

Face

Into the Garden™ Beauty Blotters™ Oil-Absorbing Tissues ($8.50 CAN) 

You have to stay fresh for photos!

Keep theses in your clutch. If you don't have a travelling makeup artist- these will be your best friend. They will help absorb excess oil and shine- so that it doesn't show in photos. 

Into the Garden™ Nail Appliqués ($10.00 CAN)

Break out that accent nail! 

There is a mix of floral and lace designs to play with.

FACE

Into the Garden™ Color Compact ($45.00 CAN)

The colour combinations are endless!

Four garden-inspired eyeshadows plus three sheer glosses. All-in-one compacts are perfect for the lady on the go.

I should add that limited quantities available of this Into the Garden Collection. 

Expires May 15th, 2016.

Swatches: Styli-Style Line & Seal lipliners

Do you use lipliners daily? 

I should know better but I really never spent the time to apply them. 

For my clients, I always do it. I guess I was lazy to add another step to make makeup routine. 

Derek Lam 10 Crosby fragrance collection

This has been the talk of my washroom. I know.. let me explain. My husband and I are finally are having friends over to look at the house. In the my washroom, I have my Derek Lam 10 Crosby fragrance collection ($115.00 CAN) displayed. EVERYONE who sees it needs to know the backstory.

It's a collection of 10 fragrances from experiences on outside of 

Derek Lam’s window at 10 Crosby Street.

10 stories

10 moments