Battling the Canadian Winters with three easy steps!

This time of year, I always start feeling the weather in the form of dry skin. Not sure about you guys, but by the end of November I sometimes feel like an old AND dried up. Yes, I know I'm over dramatic but these Canadian winters are NO JOKE! Now, if you face this problem every year, too you may be wondering what we can do to hydrate our skin and keep it fully moisturized. 

Luckily, I have 3 solutions that are bound to hit the spot!

Summer Must Haves!

So I counted and there are 3 weeks until summer starts. I’m not even going to lie- 

I am NOT ready at all. At ALL!!! So summer is totally going to get whatever body I literally give it. 

As we all know Ontario is locked down until at least July 5... so DIY is definitely on the menu for all of us. Check out these great brands that you can buy and get groomed. 

Signs That you Might Have Sensitive Skin

Let me tell you that sensitive skin is really common! If you find that you can’t figure out why you keep having skin issues no matter how many products or methods you try, your problem may be that you just have sensitive skin. If you can see a dermatologist or an esthetician- Do that ASAP.

 

But before you do that look for these signs.

Self-Care Reminder for Work from Home Moms!

I feel like we blazed through July and I’m so interested in seeing how August goes. For me, July is madness! I had two major birthdays which required me to do some planning. 

It also marks that we're half way through summer and we're still dealing with COVID.. *sigh*

I am honestly so grateful for all the encouragement and comments that I’ve been getting from my

Here are three of my favourites!

Chemical vs Physical Skincare Exfoliants

Whenever you research skin care routines and remedies, exfoliating is almost always a part of the conversation. People live by and praise the exfoliating trend to no end...and they have good reason to! 

There are SO many benefits to making it a part of your skin care regime from removing dead skin, unclogging pores, evening skin tone, preventing acne, boosting circulation, reducing wrinkles, and so many more! 

 Now did you know there are different types of exfoliants? 

Do your skin a favour and know the difference between chemical and physical exfoliants so you know what will actually benefit you. Trust me...you don’t want to end up with irritated skin or scars because you picked up the wrong type! 

Five different skin care masks that you need to try right now

I try to do a face mask for myself at least twice a week for great self-care. It’s important to pamper yourself and when I do my masks I feel like I’m giving myself mini spa treatments at home. They range in price too so if you don’t want to break the bank or are feeling like you want to splurge some coins, there are so many great masks out there that you can try. They rejuvenate your skin and give you a great sense of luxury and relaxation, so I highly suggest you give them a try!

I’m listing five different types of masks I’m obsessed with that you can pick up right now and start pampering yourself today.

Homemade Skin Care Remedies in your Fridge: Fruits and Vegetables

EDITOR NOTE:
I know that during this quarantine we have all been guilty of buying to much of something. Mine was bananas and thank God for banana bread! Just incase you have some extra fruit in your fridge- check this out!

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Ever wondered about other skin care remedy options that are not only cost effective but can be found just about anywhere? What if I told you that your next skin care remedy is in the comfort of your own home? I am going to be giving you the tea on skin care options in your fridge that will whip your skin back to shape for the low low!

Here are 5 natural skin care remedies 

you can find in your fridge:

Three beauty products that you need this Spring- Matte Lips- Highlighters-Skin Care

Would you believe me if I told you that I'm getting rid of most of my beauty stash. 

Why?

As a new mom, I want a fresh start.

I was holding on to some products past their shelf life.

Let's be honest A LOT of us are!

I'm excited for my new venture and discovering products again!

*****

With that being said. I have to rebuild- my beauty collection.

Here are three products that you should add to your list this year
because I'm adding more to mine!

MATTE LIPSTICKS

Clarins Joli Rouge Velvet in Guava

Pregnancy Skin: First and Second Trimester - How I battled it!

I’m not gonna lie, I was able to hide my pregnancy for so long because I hardly had any changes. I was one of the lucky ones in my first trimester and second trimester: Amazing skin. I truly did not start showing until I was about 6 months or so. At about 7 months is when the real skin changes started to occur. Some people are probably going to tell me that I’m overreacting but that’s when I started to get dark patches and occasional pimple flare up.... on odd parts of my face.

 Think about it... if you’re not used to something and then you wake up and it happens out of nowhere... it’s totally overwhelming. This is ALL hereditary.
If your mom had all those pregnancy issues its totally going to happen to you.

High End Skin Care: Is It Worth the Splurge?

“Good” skin comes at a cost – no surprises there. Skincare is one of those things where we have so many options and hacks to help get us to that flawless face. At the same time, it can also get confusing when trying to figure out what is worth the splurge.

The general consensus is that for the following items (providing you have no major skin care concerns), you can scale back and save on as they contain the same basic ingredients that will still get you the results you need:
 Cleansers
 Toners
 Day moisturizers with SPF
 Lip balms
 Eye creams

When it comes to serums, night creams and face masks, we should expect to spend a few more dollars as these products are meant to penetrate deeper into the skin and are packed with highly concentrated ingredients that target your skincare concerns right at the source. I decided to put this to the test with a few pricey products. Although I am a skincare fanatic, I was skeptical on whether these products would be worth the spend.

Let’s find out!

Is Double Cleansing for you?

After a good girls night or a fun date night to muster up the energy to take off your make up is non-existent. In my younger days, I do remember nights not taking off my make up. Please don’t judge me! Thankfully, I had amazing skin that time so it did not impact me.

There are many ways to fully get your make up off which unfortunately do take up time... but honestly it’s worth it. One thing, I will never give up on is make up wipes. But I'm going to be honest, that there are some wipes that do not fully do the job in one wipe. Those CHEAP ones that are ALWAYS on SALE! Stay away from them. Most of the time, those cheaper wipes only get off the first layer of make up. What about your sunscreen, primer, moisturizer or serum? There is still residue left over. Don't leave me- wet a rag and wipe your face.

So here is where double cleansing comes into play...

Guest Post: Clarins Event and Double Serum Review

A couple weeks ago Clarins welcomed a group of Canadian Beauty Bloggers/Toronto Influencers to the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Toronto for the launch of their reformulated iconic Double Serum. The event featured a presentation from Clarins’ brand ambassador. The room was beautifully decorated with elements and ingredients found in the serum such a kiwi, banana and milk thistle. At the event, we were all gifted with a full 50 mL bottle to try. (valued at $120 CDN)

10 Reasons Why you Need to Incorporate Face Masks into Your Life

I know that not everybody is into skin care. I’ve met people who still use bar soap on their face.. no I’m not talking about specially made skin care soap. I’m talking regular bar soap that they also use to wash their.... never mind. I’m not knocking you but I will say that if you do have skincare issues that generic soap is probably not going to get rid of them.

I am a big believer in skin care routines. You target pesky skin care problems such as discolouration, oily skin or even peeling and flaking. Like I know people who swear by homemade scrubs/mask made out of fruit/vegetables. For the ones who don’t have a lot of time or are just downright lazy...package masks are your best bet.

Flashing?!?! Is the DERMAFLASH Facial Exfoliating Device for you?

I cant even begin to tell you how many times an email for an interesting device pops up into my inbox. Then I ask about it and it's USA only. REALLY! 
Flat out.. If it's not available here.... I'm not covering it. 

I don't know if it's me or not but once you hear about a product- it's everywhere! I remember seeing an old video of Taraji P. Henson's MUA using the tool on her before the Grammy's. Guess what?? It was the DERMAFLASH device!  A few weeks ago, I got an email saying the DERMAFLASH was available in Canada.

So I had to do some inquiries about it before I jumped the gun.

Thankfully, I got some answers from DERMAFLASH and I'm sharing them for people like me who have questions!

Hydration is KEY! New Laneige Skin Care

Let's talk skin care! I've really been REALLY into skin care lately. After coming back from Jamaica my skin has totally changed consistency. Now it requires more hydration. I've actually been using a few brands that have my skin looking MUCH better!

Back in 2016, I started my year out with these Laneige classics. 

Now come and see what I upgraded to!

Four must have Ole Henriksen products from Sephora

I'm late on the Ole Henriksen train. I'd always see the brand in Sephora but I wasn't sure if it was for me. After having my first Ole Henriksen facial, seeing the Ole glow and meeting Ole in-person: I'm a believer. He told me I was cute and had great skin. He also give me a few personal skin recommendations plus talked about our love of Naomi Campbell!  I've pretty much tried the whole line. I picked four items that are a MUST haves.... If was trapped on a island these products would HAVE to come with me.

Three Gentle Back to School Products for your Skin: Cerave

I'm not 16 anymore- so my skin care routine is even more important.

I told you all my story many times. How when I was younger, I used to be blemish free... then I turned about 25 or so I started to see pimples. It was really disheartening. I go through times where I find products that work amazing for me and other times where my skin was a MESS. I'm really liking CERAVE. This brand was formulated with dermatologist to help repair your skin. It is also non-comedogenic, fragrance free and leaves and no irritation. Everything in the line is so mild( that I've tried).  Right now I have a good regimen going on which I think I'm going to stick to until the winter.

If you're going back to school and need some skin care advice. Definitely check out these products.

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).

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.

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.