Clarins Has Perfected Skincare for the Under-35 Set

Last month, Jenn and I headed to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Toronto to see the new launches Clarins was debuting for Spring 2016. It was quite a fete – there was a dessert bar, complete with a cotton candy machine, macaron lollipops and some bubbly! The venue was perfect – the hotel is actually home to the only Clarins spa in the country!

The products also did not disappoint. When the Clarins team walked through the product benefits and allowed us to smell the product and get a feel for their texture, I immediately fell in love and began testing them out that evening!

L’Oreal Paris True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation

Cushion foundations are all the rage lately – French cosmetics brands have perfected the launch, offering sheer, buildable coverage and a trusty compact that is perfect for makeup bags and traveling. I tried L’Oreal Paris’ take on the trend to see if it stacked up to the rave reviews.

APPLICATION
My favourite thing about this foundation is how true to skin tone it is – when I first opened the compact in my shade, I thought that there was no way this would work – it was way too dark. However, upon applying, I noticed it was a perfect match. So perfect that even swatching was difficult, you could barely see the product! What you see in this shot is several coats of foundation applied with a stippling brush.

This product also gives your skin a luminous glow, almost as though you’ve also applied a highlighter. It’s perfect for a fresh-faced look for daytime. At night, I add translucent setting powder to mattify things up a bit.

COVERAGE
The coverage for this product is sheer-to-medium – it takes a few applications to build it up. If you’re looking for additional coverage, add a creamy concealer to blemishes and under eye circles following your foundation applications.

SHADE RANGE
The product range includes 8 shades ranging from “Light Ivory” to “Suntan”. Unfortunately, I don’t think this foundation is a good match for those with darker skins.

PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The L’Oreal Paris True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation is available in drug stores including Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall, as well as Walmart and Amazon.ca for approximately $24.99.

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. 

Philosophy: The Micro Exfoliating Treatment Kit

When you think of chemical peels and microdermabrasion, a trip to the spa and a $300+ price tag often come to mind. Luckily, skincare brands are releasing at-home versions of your favourite spa treatments for a fraction of the cost. The best part? These treatments usually include multiple applications.

Over the years I’ve tried several chemical exfoliators, microdermabrasion and peel kits – scrubs, fruit-acid soaked pads, you name it. I’ve noticed results, but not enough results to justify the price tag (skin treatments generally cost significantly more than a cleanser or moisturizer).

Enter the Philosophy Microdelivery Dual Phase Peel – a two-step peel that sells for under $100. After one use, I was hooked. My skin felt smoother than it’s ever helped before, redness was gone and my skin glowed. This is a great product if you suffer from acne or acne scars, aging skin, hyperpigmentation or sun damage.

Four reasons why you need the Microsoft Surface

I love being a beauty blogger. Trying out new products is always exciting. But that's only one side of my life. If you know me, then you know I work with video cameras and computers all day. I love when I find a product that makes my life easier. When I was asked if I wanted to try out the Microsoft Surface for Toronto Fashion week, I accepted without any hesitation.