Pretty In Bronze: skincare
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Showing posts with label skincare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label skincare. Show all posts

Friday, June 04, 2021

skincare

How my Six-Week Dark Spot Routine Performed

How my Six-Week Dark Spot Routine Performed
June 04, 20210 Comments
 Hello and welcome back!

I can't believe it's already been six weeks, but here we are. My skincare routine for fading dark spots post explained that I wanted to was target my dark spots and acne scars and make them fade as much as possible by sticking to the routine for an entire six-week period. This is the most consistent I've ever been with a skincare routine in terms of doing it every single day in the morning and at night. I wasn't even this good for my wedding, which is a little confusing for me, but I also didn't have the dark spots back then.

I was really good about following the routine every single day, except for May 4th where I missed both routines, but still applied sunscreen. There were other speed-bumps in the way, such as stopping birth control and getting an IUD, which I will write about in the near future, so my hormones were, and still are, on a rollercoaster ride. My chin area has been getting a new pimple friend every few days, which means new dark spots are being left behind, however, those small spots seem to be fading much quicker and I really think it's thanks to some of these products. I do have a big pimple on my chin, which is pretty visible in the after photos. If you pay attention to the original dark spots, you'll clearly see how much lighter they've gotten, though not completely gone, which I'm really hoping will change in the upcoming months.

I do feel like this routine made a big difference and will show you comparison pictures. In the six-week photos, my face is a bit red from just having gotten out of the shower, so keep that in mind. However, when I'm not freshly out of the shower or back from a workout, the redness on my face has pretty much stayed the same as it was at the start of this routine.

I feel like the Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% made the biggest difference for fading the dark spots and will continue using it in conjunction with the Juice Beauty SPF 30 Oil-Free Moisturizer and whatever moisturizers I have when I need something more. I'll keep using the Divine Essence Rosehip Oil at night since it is supposed to be good for irritation and eczema-prone skin. Unfortunately, I don't think the Azelaic Acid suspension 10% helped as much, especially when it came to my nose eczema spot, which appears to have stayed the exact same, even looking in the mirror now when my face is completely dry. I will probably continue using it every few days until it runs out, but I don't think I'll be repurchasing, at least not for a while.

I'll sign off now and leave you with the comparison pictures so you can see the results for yourself. Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you soon!


April 18th: Full face

May 29th: Full face













April 18th: Chin (right side)

May 29th: Chin (right side)

April 18: Chin (left side)




April 18th: Nose
May 29th: Chin (left side)


May 29th: Nose
May 29th: Forehead
April 18th: Forehe
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Friday, April 30, 2021

hair reviews

Empties from the last year

Empties from the last year
April 30, 20210 Comments
 Hello!

Welcome back to the sister post to "Products I'm Throwing Out". This is the one for products I've actually run out of over the last little while, which makes me feel a lot less guilty. I'll be doing the same thing where I'll give each product a mini review and sometimes a mini back story if there's anything interesting I have to share. As always, most links are affiliate (I don't know why I bother, I've made like 20 cents over the last five years) but I'm sure some of these also aren't available anymore.




Cetaphil: Oily Skin Cleanser - I swear I mention this cleanser is every other blog post,  so this should not come as a surprise to anyone. I've been using this stuff since I was fourteen when I had the worst bacne (which thankfully improved with a combination of this cleanser and hormonal birth control). I also have eczema, so this being gentle is great for that. It's not cruelty free (at least not yet) nor is it Vegan, but it's really the only thing that works well for me that won't break the bank. I've used it for over a decade, so I'll likely continue using it unless something better pops up that ticks all of the same boxes for me.

Batiste: Original Dry Shampoo - I go through several of these each year, even during this pandemic. I love this stuff and I've tried many different dry shampoos on there. I do feel guilty since it is an aerosol product and it's terrible for the environment, but this works a lot better for me than the powder dry shampoos, and it's also SO cheap. I'm talking two 400l bottles for $12 CAD at Costco. I really love Costco. I hope that they'll one day they'll come out with a non-aerosol version that works just as well, but at least the brand itself doesn't test on animals and this particular product (and I'm assuming most others) are also vegan friendly!

Moroccan Oil: Moisture Repair Shampoo and Conditioner: I'm cheating a little bit here because I'm only actually out of the Shampoo, but the Conditioner is almost done and will be empty in a few weeks. You read that right, I use up my shampoo faster than my conditioners. I wash my hair once a week and like rotate through my hair products about once a month or every four to five washes. I got this almost three years ago at an event hosted by the brand and it's definitely one of my top favourites. It's very moisturizing and it makes my hair look the best when I leave it natural and curly. This helps my curls look way more defined and less frizzy, so if you have curly hair, I highly recommend. I won't be repurchasing right now since I still have a lot of other products to go through, but if I ever decide that I want to wear my hair natural more often, this is what I'm going for first.

Degree: Motionsense DrySpray Workout SeriesAntiperspirant - I got this from one of the product testing in exchange for genuine reviews companies over a year ago while still living in the condo. This claims o be a 48h antiperspirant, but every one I've tried from any brand that claims the same hasn't worked for me, including this one. I sweat excessively under my right arm and nothing can tame it except for the liquid that fully stops the area from sweating (I believe it blocks it). Antiperspirant, however, does help reduce the amount of it and this one was no exception. My reason for not repurchasing is that it's an aerosol. Not only does it feel like I'm in a room where a poisonous gas was just released when I use it, I find that it wastes a lot of product if you aren't a pro at aiming for your underarms. It's also only 107g, which means if it's your primary antiperspirant, you're going through it quickly and it's really bad for the environment, like I mentioned with my favourite dry shampoo, which has almost four times more product in it for only slightly bigger packaging. I say skip this one and stick to a non-aerosol one!

The Ordinary: Salicylic Acid 2%  - Unfortunately I haven't been able to get this in Canada for a few years now. I was always quoted that they were reformulating, but it seems like the product wasn't allowed to be sold here in its current state (at least without a prescription), which is strange because I can easily buy 2% salicylic acid from the drugstore from many brands. This one was the 30ml version (larger than the original) so it did last a few years, but it's finally come to an end so I purchased a new acne spot treatment a few months back, which I mention in my current skincare blog post. If this is available where you live, it's definitely worth picking up!

Wet n Wild:Under The Sheets Makeup Remover Towelettes - I've had these for many years and only just used up the last wipe, but I don't remember how I got it. I'm pretty sure it was sent to me at some point, but truly don't remember. These do remove makeup well, specifically stubborn makeup, but I found that my skin is a little bit too sensitive for them so I normally ended up cutting each sheet in half and using them to remove swatches from my arms, especially if they were liquid swatches that don't come off very easily. I wouldn't purchase these, especially now that I'm aware of how bad they are for the environment and stick primarily to my Makeup Eraser, but if you do need a good makeup remover wipe, the Simple ones are my favourite.

Dr. Belmeur: Dry Repair Panthenol Soothing Gel Cream - I got this and the next product for free from Chick Advisor back in August of 2018. I really loved this and used it as a daily moisturizer. Like with my haircare products, I have a lot of skincare because it was often sent to me, so I always cycle through them all. This is definitely at the top of my favourites list so I might purchase it once I run out of everything else I have, unless I want to try something new first that I think I might like more. This is super moisturizing and sits under makeup really well and since it's a gel, I think it works great on combination and oily skin.

Dr. Belmeur: Advanced Cica Recovery Cream - I just finished this up a few days before this post is going live. This stuff is way more intensive than the Soothing Gel Cream, but in a good way. I allocated this to nighttime use only, which is what I recommend due to it being heavier. This one is definitely better for dry skin, but since I used it at night it didn't really matter since I didn't need to care if it made my forehead look shinier, or that it might be too heavy under makeup. When I got this, the packaging was the big tub that came with a little applicator stick to remain sanitary, but I looked it up to get a link and it now comes in a squeeze tube, which I think is better. While I loved this, I have tried other heavier moisturizers that I liked better, (specifically polypeptide ones) so it's unlikely that I'll repurchase because of that, but I still highly recommend if you're looking to try out something new!

iQ Natural RestedEyes Brightener Gel. - This was the second product I ever received as PR in exchange for an honest review, back in 2016. I definitely went overboard because I was so excited so it's a long one that includes full ingredient lists. This eye gel contains hyaluronic acid and retinol and it was the first time I used those ingredients after learning a little bit more about skincare. I loved this stuff. It did feel a little bit sticky under my eyes, but it also felt nice and cooling and definitely moisturized them. I would put this on first and then moisturize my face so the hyaluronic acid could do its job better. I made this last for a really long time and was sad when I finally ran out so many years later. I used to have a 10% off affiliate code, but they've done a rebrand in the last few years and even changed all of their own packaging, while also removing the program, so this new link won't give you a discount any more.

Moroccan Keratin: Sulfate Free Shampoo - I had to look this one up because I have worked with a Keratin treatment brand before, but this wasn't the one and I actually purchased this one according to my Amazon history... twice! This came in a set with the clarifying shampoo meant to be used right before applying the treatment, the actual treatment itself, and the matching conditioner to this product. It works ok, but it's unfortunately not strong enough to get my hair straight. I don't know if I'll continue repurchasing this in the future because at this point, I'd rather save up for longer and get the Japanese permanent hair straightening done again. I've also been wearing my hair curly more often recently (yay quarantine), but with my new favourite hair styling tool (which I'll write a review on in the near future) that gets my hair straight pretty quickly, so I don't have to spend a bunch of money on a product like this. If your hair is less curly than mine, I'd say try it at least once if you want it to be straighter and less frizzy, but if your hair is like mine, or curlier, you'll probably be disappointed because it doesn't compare to getting a treatment done at a salon.

Laneige: Lip SleepingMask - I've had two of these mini jar's (original flavour), each one lasting roughly about one year each because I only used the tiniest baby amount. Both times these were included in gift sets, the last one being my 2019 Secret Santa at work. Once I ran out in late 2020, I purchased the full size one, this time not in the candy flavour. I love this stuff and I can't sleep unless I have it on. That sounds dramatic, but it's true. I feel the same way about not having any moisturizer on my under eye area. It works super well and I love it so I highly recommend. It lasts so long if you don't over use it (only use it at night, and don't take more than you actually need) so it's worth the price tag in my opinion! I will 100% keep repurchasing and might even have more than one on the go so I can try the different flavours.


We're finally done! That was a lot, but I'm glad that I can finally recycle most of these and throw the ones that don't allow me to do so away.

Sneaky self-promo: If you like Fantasy and even Romance novels, my newest novel is available for pre-order (ebook only), and the paperback will also be available on May 9th. Check it out here!

See you soon with a dedicated product review!
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Friday, April 23, 2021

makeup reviews

Products I'm Throwing Out

Products I'm Throwing Out
April 23, 20210 Comments
 Hello!

Welcome back to another post. This one is a little bit different since I used to film an empties video every few months back in my YouTube days, but it's been a long time. It's been over a year since I've stepped foot into my office, which means I've been using up product way less with the only person who has to see me being my husband. This, unfortunately, means that a lot of products that I've owned have expired and gone bad. Well, to be perfectly honest, a lot of these products were already expired, but now they're completely unusable. In this post, I'm going to focus on the products that aren't empty and will give each one its own mini individual review. Next post will look at product I've actually used up!

This makes up roughly half of all of the products that are being thrown out, which is terrible. Most of these were products that were sent to me in some form of PR or to try out, so while my wallet isn't necessarily crying over it, it's still terrible for the environment and I really hate being wasteful. I feel especially guilty because I wrote a good chunk of this post on Earth Day. Oops. I've committed to not buying products that I won't use so I know I'll be better going forward, but it still sucks that a lot of these went to waste.

Most links are affiliate, though a lot of the products are no longer available.




Bio Oil - Yes, THE bio oil. I'm pretty sure I've had this stuff since late middle school or early high school. I still remember the day my mom bought this for me while at our nearest Walmart. The promise of this stuff getting rid of stretch marks was what drew us to it first, but what made my mom actually buy it was the hope of it fading scars. I will say, this stuff did help, but it's so expensive (at least it was at the time for us) and it was very high maintenance. I'm talking three times a day (once before school, once directly after school and once before bed) just to fade some light scars. It worked, but I suspect that with a few more years of patience that the shaving scars would've gone away on their own like all of the other ones I've gotten have without me using this stuff. It's nearly half full, but it's been well over a decade so it needs to go.

Elancyl: Slim Design lotion - This is meant to eliminate cellulite by applying every night. This has a caffeine complex and what they call a "GP4G" night booster. This was sent to me by a PR firm to test out. I remember being late to posting this, but they were ok with it because I wanted to make sure to test it for at least ten days, which was the earliest it claimed to show results. I won't lie, this stuff did help a little bit, but it is pretty high maintenance in that you need to apply it every single night, using "professional massage techniques" that they provided in the manual all over your legs, hips and butt area. I feel like it helped firm up the area and decreased the look of my cellulite, but to be honest, I doubt it would ever completely get rid of it (I'm pretty sure that's impossible, but correct me if I'm wrong) so I gave up on using it. At the time I could barely wash my face every night so it was too much work for me.

The Green Beaver Company: Boreal Body Lotion (Dry Skin Therapy) - This was sent to me in a box that was periodically sent out to Canadian beauty bloggers. Unfortunately they no longer send these boxes out, but I did love them and all of the natural products they promoted (all of which you can find on Well.ca). I loved other products by this brand, but this body lotion was too hard to work with. It's very thick, but even when you try to use a really small amount, it takes forever (if ever) to absorb into your skin. It was to the point where I'd think I'd massaged it for long enough, but would put on a pair of pants that would immediately have a giant white cast on them from the lotion. My husband tried using it for a little while, but also couldn't get past how hard it was to work with, so unfortunately this is being thrown away as it's been at least three years now and it is a very natural product. The product linked is the closest thing they have now, so I guess they received negative feedback overall for the Boreal lotion.

Clean and Clear: Acne Triple Clear Clay Mask - I've had this for at least four years now. I got this in one of those online sample website cycles (I can't remember if it was Influenster or Chickadvisor... I just know it wasn't Topbox). I loved this stuff, but because of the nature of the product I couldn't use it every single day. This is a 99g tub so that's huge. I really slathered it on my breakouts and all over my face whenever my skin was being oilier, but even though I desperately tried to use this up, I just couldn't get through every last bit before it completely dried up and became unusable. It does work well and it's pretty affordable, so I do recommend, but maybe get this if you have someone else that can also use it.

Catrice Cosmetics: Prime and Fine Mattifying Powder (Waterproof) - I won this product in a giveaway I entered while attending an event at Shoppers Drug Mart that a PR firm invited me to. The gift was a lot of products, but this happened to be the one that I dropped. It was pretty much annihilated by my floor, so my only hope for saving it was doing the alcohol trick, but I feel like it was never the same and when I use it, it leaves a very obvious white cast. It doesn't help that the packaging is broken and looks really sketchy so needless to say, it's going in the trash. Thankfully I have a loose setting powder that was included in the giveaway that I like much more!

Delectable: Everything Balm - I got this at the 2016 Generation Beauty Toronto convention as part of my goody bag. I'll never forget since I met my now real-life friend Chantel there for the first time after only knowing each other through YouTube. This stuff is pretty good and works as a million different things. It works as a balm for your lips, a highlighter, taming eyebrows, dark circles, dry skin etc. It works well for anything related to moisturizing, but because it had so many uses, I kept saying I would wait for the perfect time to use it and it ended up staying at the back of my drawer for too many years and is now, unfortunately, way past its expiry date.

Bioré: Baking Soda Pore Cleanser - I'm pretty sure this is a sample, but it's a full 30ml that I never got through so I'm including it. I had this for years and really enjoyed it, but to be perfectly honest, I lost it for about two years. Once I found it I tried using it again, but my skin is just too sensitive to risk it. I think this works great if you have combination or oily skin, but I don't like it as much as my Cetaphil, so I wouldn't repurchase.

Wet n Wild Photofocus Face Primer (Dewy) - This stuff is great if you don't already own a dewy face primer that you enjoy. It looks sparkly until you put in on the face, but under makeup it just makes your skin look super dewy... almost  too dewy for my liking. This is good, but I had so many other products like it from similar brands that I ended up using those and this one has since expired. I did try using it up as much as possible. Two summers ago I actually used this all the time on my shoulders and collar bones as a highlight. I never ended up using it up, so that's why it's being included in this post, but it was well-loved while it lasted.

Essence: Rock 'n' Doll Volume Mascara - This one is kind of cheating since it's pretty much used up and I feel like most people I know won't actually use up every last bit of a mascara before they toss it. It always feels wasteful to me, but my eyes are truly so sensitive that I can't use a mascara for more than four months at a time. The longest I've been able to go in recent years is six months, but that's only with my Lash Paradise mascara if I'm not putting it near the root of my lashes. My eyes will actually hurt for days if I wear an expired mascara so I never risk it anymore. I probably made it to the full four months with this one, but it said six months on the back, which is why I'm including it in this post. There's definitely enough product left in it for another two full months of wear. 

Maybelline: Fit Me Concealer (10 light) - This one is kind of a shocker to me since it was once my favourite concealer of all time. I loved this stuff and exclusively wore it for years to the point of having it be a subscription item on Amazon that got shipped out every six months. Unfortunately for my wallet, I discovered my Too Faced concealer which has won my heart. There are other concealers that I enjoy now, specifically the Revlon Candid, so I don't see my self repurchasing this again. I stopped wearing this and it expired to the point of it starting to smell funny and the colour going off, so in the bin it goes!

That was A LOT, but I wanted to give decent reviews to the products that I've wronged. Even if some of them were negative. I mainly want to make sure I let you know if I don't like something to avoid you buying it if you like similar products to me. I tried providing links, but a lot of these are hard to find since they're old, so many of the links are for American websites. Let's focus on not over buying so we can avoid products going to waste like this.

Sneaky self-promo: If you like Fantasy and even Romance novels, my newest novel is available for pre-order, available on May 9th. Check it out here!

See you soon with my actual empties + their own mini reviews!
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Saturday, April 17, 2021

skincare

New Trial Skincare Routine for Fading my Dark Spots

New Trial Skincare Routine for Fading my Dark Spots
April 17, 20210 Comments
 Hello!

If you've read my last blog post, you'll know that I've been having some skin issues that have stopped me from being able to wear makeup and even skincare.  Months later, my weird patch of nose eczema hasn't been active, but it has left behind a light scar. Over the last month I started using skincare again and even washing my face with my foreo without irritating it, so I know it's similar to my other eczema scars and is dormant at the moment. Because of this, I want to start using proper skincare again to target all of the acne scars I have on my face, the acne itself and my uneven skin tone. Of course I will be linking to the products I mention, and those will be affiliate links where I'll only earn commission if you make a purchase.

I haven't been able to see a dermatologist at all. Everything is locked down again and I haven't moved yet, so I'm still stuck with the only doctor in this town. I've been doing research on skincare and have decided, after testing out ingredients for a few days, to try a strict skincare routine and see what results, if any, it brings.

In the mornings I will wash my face with water (nothing else) and will apply my The Ordinary Azelaic Acid suspension 10%, and on days where there's sun I'll top it off with my Juice Beauty SPF 30 Oil-Free Moisturizer. It's not the most moisturizing product out there, but it's nice and thin and keeps my face safe from the sun without me needing to apply multiple products. If there's no sun, I'll use a very small amount of my The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA. 



Flash photo of my face on Day One

No flash photo on my face, Day Two


In the evenings I'll be washing my face with my Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser, and two to three times a week I'll use my Foreo (original Luna Mini) to get a deeper clean. Once dry, I'll apply my Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% and then massage my Divine Essence Rosehip Oil into my face. The rosehip oil is very moisturizing and doesn't irritate my skin at all. If anything, it soothes it, which is great considering Vitamin C can be irritating to people with sensitive skin, and this seems to counteract that part for me.

For my actual acne breakouts, I've been using the Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Spot Gel. I've always loved salicylic acid, but The Ordinary hasn't been selling it for years now and a few co-workers gave this one a good review. I do really like it, but I will say that you should only apply it directly to the spot and only sometimes over the surrounding area because it will completely dry out the surrounding skin if you use it every day.

I'm hoping to do this routine for at least four weeks, but will be taking weekly progress pictures to include in my update post at the end of this trial period. Here's what my face looked like at the start so you can have a good look at the dark spots/scarring I have around my chin, the very light spot on the bridge of my nose, and a few on my forehead. My cheeks are always red (though you can't tell from these pictures), so I'm hoping that will subside as well.

I'm hopeful that the Vitamin C and Azelaic acid will help with the dark spots and the redness with consistent use. I'm publishing this post on day four and so far nothing has gone wrong, which is great! If anything weird happens, like my nose eczema spot returning, I'll definitely do an update post to talk about it, but otherwise I won't update about this routine until the end of the four weeks! My next post should be a mini-review post with a bunch of products I've used up/expired/are being thrown out so keep a lookout for that.

See you soon!
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Friday, October 09, 2020

skincare wedding

Wedding Skincare Routine ~ Lead up to the wedding

Wedding Skincare Routine ~ Lead up to the wedding
October 09, 20200 Comments

 Hello again!


Welcome to the second post in my wedding series! I recently—finally—got married and I wanted to document everything I did beauty wise (and also planning wise if people are interested) on the day of, and also leading up to it. This post is all about what I've been doing as skincare for the lead up to my wedding. Since it's pretty much the most important time in my life to be serious about skincare and care about how it looks, I thought I'd share my routine.


I have fairly normal to combination skin (sometimes a slightly oily t-zone and a few notorious dry patches around my face). I do have cystic hormonal acne that is on my face for three weeks out of every period cycle and unfortunately this included the week of my wedding. I actually had one huge cystic zit on my forehead and three on my chin. 


We all know there's no possible way to get rid of cystic acne overnight and it requires a lot of hard work (sometimes antibiotics). Unfortunately, I never got onto medication in time so I've been trying to manage it as best as possible without any prescriptions. I didn't care much about it existing as long as it mind if it wasn't super enflamed or noticeable under makeup so the pictures will still look nice, but of course I'd much rather not having it at all.


Nighttime Skincare routine:




Every single night in the few weeks leading up to the wedding I was using the first four products. The order in which I used those four is actually the same way they're laid out. 


The Ordinary's "Buffet" serum has lots of great ingredients and while most of the reviews I saw about this mentioned anti-aging (I even bought it for my mother-in-law a few years back), I did find a few claiming it helped with acne. I'm pretty much 25 now, so while that's young, my skin definitely doesn't look like it did on my past Seventeen-year-old self so the anti-aging benefits are a plus for me. 


The Dermalogica "Barrier Defense Booster" and "Calm Water gel" are a pair made in heaven. The oil isn't too light or too heavy and definitely makes my skin feel more plump and the moisturizer is pretty light on its own, but paired with the oil it's perfect. They are very expensive to me and I probably wouldn't have purchased them for the wedding if I didn't already own them since I have tried more affordable skincare since that's similar enough (not quite as good), but the price tag makes those products more worth it. If I didn't own skincare that had similar results I would've for sure bought these for the wedding.

The Ordinary "Salicylic Acid 2% Solution" was my spot treatment of choice, and it was used pretty much every single night since I started this routine.


The last product in my nighttime skincare routine started being incorporated about a week before the wedding. Because of my skin changing based on what part of my cycle I'm at, my skin became very dry next to my nose, closer to the cheeks. It was to the point where the oil and moisturizer weren't enough and it'd feel dry to the touch. This is a sample of the Skinfix Barrier+ Lipid-Peptide Creme that I got as a free sample from Sephora. I've tried a peptide creme before and LOVED it so when I found this in my sample area I instantly knew that it would solve my problems and boy did it ever! I started applying this on the dry patches next to my nose and all around my eyes, focusing underneath them and the crevice near the inner corner. Within two days the dry patches disappeared, so I kept it up because makeup applies way better when my skin is moisturized.

Cleansing Products:





These are my very basic washing/cleansing products! If you've read my past skincare posts, you'll know I love the Cetaphil Cleanser for Oily Skin and the Foreo Luna Mini has been amazing for my skin. This may seem random to post after my actually skincare routine, but I put this between because I was actually using this every night and every morning leading up to the wedding.


Daytime Routine:


My daytime skincare routine is going to seem boring and that's because it is. I didn't use any unique products from my nighttime skincare routine at all. The only difference is that I was only using The Ordinary's "Buffet" followed by the Dermalogica "Calm Water Gel." Yup, that's it. I told you it'd be boring.


I've actually reviewed several of these products before on this blog so I'll leave a link here for you to look through my skincare reviews. 




This was my face before doing my makeup on the wedding day! You can see all the fun cystic friends that joined me in my nuptials.


Tips and Tricks for better looking skin:


While I never stopped using the skincare routine for even a day, I did sometimes do something different to help out. When my four giant cystic acne spots decided to invade my face, I quickly ripped off a piece of aloe from my plant and started applying it to my skin at night. This worked especially well for the huge eczema flare up I experienced on my right hand (yay allergies).


On the morning of the wedding the acne was still very visible, so I packed a sandwich bag with three ice-cubes and held them on all of my spots the entire way to the wedding venue (a bit over an hour). Ice helps a lot with the swelling of the acne, so while it won't get rid of it, it makes it look much smaller. This helped significantly and it now looks like I just had small little breakouts instead of the massive ones they truly were.


I have allergies all year round and they get really bad between August and November. Right when my wedding was happening. It's to the point where i have a prescription for what's essentially Reactin (same drug, just not brand name) that I can take every single day. I made sure to take it every day leading up to the wedding, as well as on the wedding day to make my eczema less itchy, my nose less runny and my eyes less watery. I also took an ibuprofen the morning of the wedding because that can also help with inflammation, which was great for my eczema and acne.


Here's a picture of me on my wedding day from my Instagram page (go follow me!).



That's all I have for you regarding what I did skincare wise leading up to and on my wedding day! I hope some of it was helpful or at least interesting to read. I'll be posting more wedding-related posts when I have all of the pictures back so you can actually see my makeup, dress, hair tools etc. For now I'll leave you here.


See you soon!


Disclaimer: Affiliate links were used in this post. I barely make any money from them and primarily use Magic Links to make linking easier. Seriously. I've made 20 cents in the last 4+ years of blogging and doing YouTube.
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Monday, March 30, 2020

bodycare haircare

Winter Empties Mini Reviews - Would I Repurchase?

Winter Empties Mini Reviews - Would I Repurchase?
March 30, 20200 Comments
Hello!

I thought I'd do a beauty/lifestyle related post rather than talking about wedding things, even though I have an update post surrounding that, which will likely be up next or in two posts! Today I wanted to share my empties from the past few months. There aren't many as I've rarely been wearing makeup and even more rarely buying new things. I want most of my content to be on this blog and Instagram since during this time I won't have easy access to my camera (self-isolation and all that) and this is much more manageable for me.

My first category is makeup + tools



The Beauty Blender makeup sponge is my favourite sponge that I've used so far. I've tried sponges from Quo, Real Techniques, and a few other affordable ones and they just don't compare to the Beauty Blender in my opinion. The BeautyBlender Pro is my favourite and I've used this one for a bit more than two years (I know, that's crazy!) I clean mine really well and have never had a problem with them growing any mold. Even when I used the pink original ones, I made sure to check and would normally keep one for an entire year and cut it open when throwing it out. Never any mold, but the sponge itself would start to disintegrate and leave little pieces all over my face.

The L'Oreal Bambi mascara was really nice for an everyday mascara when not wearing a full face. It definitely gave a doe eye effect and was really good at separating my lashes. I received that one for free to test out, which was also the case for the Revlon brow pencil. I really like the Revlon pencils and so far it's my favourite from the drugstore. This was the thin pencil one (I'm not a fan of their chubbier one), but I wasn't a fan of the powder portion that  is easy to miss. That's a bit too messy for me. The spooley works, but nothing compares to my ABH eyebrow brush spooley.

Now for the lips!


 I go through lip-balms quite quickly and rarely lose them anymore. Out of these three there's only one that I would re-purchase and that's the Cuter Cuticles lip balm. I have two more of these in different flavours. This was the watermelon flavour, which wasn't my favourite in terms of scent since it's a natural watermelon scent instead of the fake candy scent that I love. The lip balm itself is amazing and I bought it at the 2019 Indie Expo. I'm on the vanilla one now!

The Laneige sleeping mask is nice, but I don't understand all of the hype around it. I personally don't think the price tag is worth it at all, and much prefer my Catrice Shea Butter lip treatment, at a fraction of the price with MUCh nicer packaging. It just works way better. The scent is nice and I might consider purchasing if it was in the $5 range, but it's not so I wouldn't recommend this one.

The Softlips lipbalm is really old, but I decided to finish it up. It's nice and smells really good and at one point was a favourite, but it doesn't compare to my Cuter Cuticles and especially not to my favourite lip balm of all time from Surya Brasil. Natural lip balms work way better for me, which isn't a big shocker.

Face and body moisturizers


These were all samples, which makes it difficult to give a proper review. Out of these three, the Caudalie (which I got as a Sephora Birthday Gift a few years back) is my favourite. It was great for the daytime and I kept it in my bag for days that I forgot to moisturize, or needed extra hydration.

The North American Hemp Co face cream was good for night time, but the sample was too small for me to be able to tell if it actually helped much with lines. As a regular moisturizer it's nice, but I don't love it as much as my The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors (which is super affordable too). I got this one for free in an old Blogger Box that I received for consideration.

The Renewed Hope moisturizer was all right, but nothing special. It was super small so I think I only got a handful of uses out of it, only using it on trips where I brought my travel skincare bag. It was so small that I can't recommend or not recommend it.


 I've purchased and have been sent so many moisturizers these past few years, but my favourite has always been Cetaphil. I know there are mixed opinions on the brand. Some people absolutely love and swear by it and I fall into that category as it's great for my sensitive skin, doesn't contain added fragrance and their face care products have helped majorly with my acne issues. Some people hate it because of their parent brand (not cruelty free I'm pretty sure), the higher price tag and it doesn't seem to work the same for them. I love it and will always recommend it, but like with everything else, do your own research!

The North American Hemp Co. body lotion is the same size as the face cream sample I reviewed above. I maybe got two uses out of this so it definitely wasn't enough for me to give a review. It didn't irritate my skin, likely because it doesn't have added fragrance. I can't tell you much else so I'll end it on that note.
Face and body wash!


I think I've reviewed this on this blog (and if not, I have a review on my Instagram page), but this is a huge favourite for both myself and especially my Fiancé Steven. I love this for when my skin is extra greasy, sometimes after a bigger workout or on a heavy makeup day (which are rare). It's a bit too drying for every day use, but Steven loves it because he believes drying your skin out is better for acne, despite my years of begging him to moisturize (he absolutely refuses).  This smells nice, foams up a lot (so a little goes a long way) and I repurchased one to put in Steven's stocking before this one ran out. We're staying at his parent's house as during this self-isolation period since I've been working from home (a week or two before it even started) and Steven ended up taking vacation days before finally being given a laptop to work from home as well. We live in a condo building, so it isn't as safe considering we have to leave to walk the dogs a few times a day, and this is the only face wash we brought since it's less bulky. I've been putting on more moisturizer to combat it, but it's been nice because my skin has been a huge break-out filled mess from all the stress of re-scheduling our wedding and being on my period, etc. This is also affordable so we highly recommend it!


I got this body wash for free either from Influenster or from Topbox a long time ago. I used to be bad about using body wash and would just use whatever bar soap was nearby, but this winter I was good about it and finally went through this big boy. Steven uses his own body washes so this large one took me a while to go through myself. I LOVE how this one smells and it's not only fairly affordable but it's very natural, cruelty free and vegan! If we hadn't bought a costco-sized package of a different body wash months ago (on sale) I would've likely purchased a new one of this, or one of their other scents. It'll probably be another year or so before I go through all of the bodywash I currently own, but when I do I'll be sure to look out for this. I highly highly recommend it and I'm curious about their other products!


Haircare


One of the products I've most been sent to review has been Shampoos and Conditioners. This is great for me because I don't use regular drug-store shampoos on my hair since it's been very damaged in the past, and it's naturally curly. I also only wash my hair once a week to keep it as healthy as possible, so I need a good shampoo to do its job. I was originally sent a set of Saryna Key haircare products a few years back, but I loved them so much that I repurchased the Shampoo, which I'm already halfway through as I've exclusively used it for the rest of the winter since finishing this one up. This is hands down my all-time favourite shampoo and likely the one I'll use on my wedding day because I know it'll make my hair look and feel its best. There are many others I love, and my hair is the type where it needs to switch products every once in a while so for self-isolation I brought a different set to give my hair a break from this one, but once the wedding is near I'll definitely switch back to this one a week or two before so my hair is ready to look its best! This is very natural and is great for damaged hair and even though it's not drug-store priced, it's 100% worth it. I highly recommend and will continue to repurchase!

Deodorant/Anti-Perspirant


Ok this is a bit of a weird category, but recently I've seen a lot of people talking about these types of products again. The Secret gel antiperspirants are my favourites for how it feels and smells. They don't make the underarms of my clothes go all weird and they feel fresh (with many different available scents. Whenever they're on sale I'll buy them because I'm a super sweaty girl.

The Degree motion sense aerosol antiperspirant was really good, but I almost choked every time I sprayed it. It worked really really well, but I know aerosols are bad for the environment, and getting it in my lungs at a time like this isn't the best idea so I likely won't repurchase. I hope they can make a stick or gel version of this that works the same way because I'd definitely purchase it myself for workout days. I'm currently using a completely different brand I've never tried before so we'll see how that one goes.

I'm excessively sweaty so I NEED an antiperspirant to keep my clothes from not being completely drenched, so simply using a natural-deodorant isn't an option for me unfortunately. However, do your research into it. Some people say they're deadly and others say they're completely safe. Look into actual scientific data so you can make the best decision for you!


That's all for this empties review / would I (re)purchase. I hope you enjoyed and will stick around to see my future posts!

See you soon!
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Thursday, February 20, 2020

bodycare reviews

Shea Noir Natural Ivory Shea Butter Review

Shea Noir Natural Ivory Shea Butter Review
February 20, 20200 Comments
Hello!

Several weeks ago I received a package from Shea Noir, a family owned local brand (a mother and her sons) that sells completely natural shea butter. I love being able to promote local brands because they're normally very good, but are underestimated because we're used to buying products from out of country here in Canada. I often find that the products are more natural and work way better and it's great being able to support local businesses, especially as a woman who is also an immigrant here in Canada!

I've never tried pure shea butter before this product and have always heard positive things since there are so many benefits to using it, so when Shea Noir reached out to me on Instagram, I was interested in giving it a go!


The package was very well protected and is much larger than I imagined. Because it's natural, the shea butter is kind of like a soft brick that crumbles, but if you warm it up with your hands it melts. Some of the claims on the packaging and on the brand's Instagram and Facebook page include that the product can help with acne and blemishes (mainly for lowering redness), reduce the look of wrinkles and other signs of aging as well as reduce itchy/peeling skin. I'm not surprised since shea butter is very moisturizing, so it makes perfect sense to me that those would all be true. This particular brand of shea butter is also very natural so it is chemical, preservative, paraben, phthalate and sulfate free, which makes it even better for sensitive skin! The brand is also cruelty free, so that's always nice.

The picture below shows what the shea butter looks like when I rip a small chunk off before I melt it with my hands.


This can be used in SO many different ways. At first I was just using it all over my face. The day after I received this, we were working on cars all day out in the cold, which meant it was also very dry. Because of this, I wasn't going to spend time making myself look pretty, so I decided to slather it all over my face to see if it would keep my skin nourished. It did! I feel like it also helped calm my acne down a bit since it didn't get irritated from the dryness. I don't know that it really made it go away faster, but it definitely didn't allow it to become aggravated.

I also sometimes put a bunch in my hair 30–60 minutes before washing it. I only put it on my ends since I only wash my hair once a week so the roots don't really need help. This definitely made my ends feel less dead and I'm interested in using this in conjunction with a few other hair products to make a DIY treatment to wear in my hair prior to washing it.

I can see myself using this a lot so I was very pleased when I saw that the price is only $15.99 CAD! There's A LOT of product so you're definitely getting your money's worth. This is something I definitely see myself purchasing in the future, particularly for when I get pregnant so I can keep my bump super moisturized to attempt preventing stretch marks and the uncomfortable itchy feeling that comes along with the stretching.

Go check out the Shea Noir website as they have so much more information there, and even fun recipes you can make with your shea butter!

See you soon!
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Friday, July 19, 2019

skincare

Daytime Skincare Routine ~ Summer 2019

Daytime Skincare Routine ~ Summer 2019
July 19, 20190 Comments
Hello!

My last post was focused on the products that I use every night for my skincare routine, but this one is for what I use every morning, or at least after I wash my face during the day. I didn't include sunscreen in this post since I'm terrible and don't wear it on a daily basis (and I only own two that I switch between), but I'll do a post comparing them at some point this summer!


Clearly I've been trying to stick to the same line of products, which is why I've also been using the Dr. Belmeur Panthenol Soothing Gel Cream. As the name states this is a gel and it does feel quite soothing. I just keep this under the sink with the other skincare I use on a regular basis, but it somehow feels a bit cool to the touch. This is very hydrating and very spreadable so you really don't need a lot. I really enjoy it, but I definitely feel like the moisturizer I use at night from the brand is harder to replace and I can easily switch this one out for something else in my collection. I reviewed the full line in an old post here if you're interested in more a more in-depth review than my nighttime skincare routine post.

I mentioned this same IQ Natural Rested Eyes gel in my last post so I won't go into this one here. It's great and works well under concealer so I'm happy with it!

The unique product here is clearly The Ordinary's Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%. I featured this product in a post about my favourite The Ordinary products a long while back and still love it! I give a full review there, but I truly believe this works for my skin. I went a long time without using it so that stinging pain (which definitely isn't a light tingle like the website claims) did happen again for the first few days, but after using it for a week straight my skin got used to it and now it's just another product I use and don't think about since it no longer hurts. Beauty is pain, right?

I don't see myself adding in any new products to this routine on a daily basis because it has been working so well, but because the eye cream is running low and I'll eventually run out of the moisturizer, I'll do an updated post since the routine will be changing at that point.

That's it for my morning/daytime skincare routine! It's kind of boring, but I'm really proud of myself for being consistent with my skincare. I know many don't worry about it in the daytime, but if you do, let me know some of your favourite products to use!

See you soon!
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Friday, July 05, 2019

skincare

Nighttime Skincare Routine ~ Summer 2019

Nighttime Skincare Routine ~ Summer 2019
July 05, 20190 Comments
Hello!

It's been a very long time since I've done a blog post focusing on a skincare routine of mine. Now that I think of it and scroll back, it's been a while since I've made a post dedicated to a range of skincare products.

Summer is finally here in Toronto and while my skin tends to do better this time of year, I have no intentions of slacking on my skincare again considering how much it's been acting up for the past year. While my wedding may still be closer to a year away, I need my skin to be in its best condition.

Skincare is going to be the focus of this blog and my Instagram for the month of July. I've realized that I depend on buying new beauty products or receiving them in PR in order to put out posts when I have perfectly good products that already exist in my collection—even if I've already mentioned them before. Most of these have been mentioned on this blog at one point, but I'm using them differently and it's been really working for me.

This is my nighttime skincare routine that I have been using every single night for the past month and a half. Some of you may think this is over the top, but I also know some of you think this is tiny in comparison to your routines. The only products not mentioned here are my cleansers, but I'll mention those later on in this post since I cleanse my face every morning as well.

I use my Foreo Luna Mini every single night when I cleanse my face and this has probably made the biggest difference in my skin. This is very gentle, but gets my face super clean without irritating it. My coworker and friend gave this to me because her skin is really sensitive and can't even use this one and I'm super grateful because these things are expensive. However, now that I've used it extensively, I can truly say that it's worth the money and would purchase one myself if something happened to mine.

I did a blog post on this Dr. Belmeur skincare line a while back, but at the time I wasn't super blown away with it after only testing it out for a few weeks. While I use these both every night, the Cica Recovery Cream is my favourite from the line. I honestly can't tell if the serum is doing much, but the cream really sinks into my skin and hydrates it after washing all of the bad stuff off in the sink. You only need the slightest amount to cover your whole face so mine is going to last me a very long time. In my last review I didn't think I would purchase this on my own once I ran out, but now I think I will unless I opt for an old favourite instead.

My IQ Natural eye cream has been a favourite ever since I received it years ago from the brand. Yes, you read that right. YEARS. This stuff lasts for ever and still works amazingly well at moisturizing my under eye. If I do my whole routine and skip this step, I can really feel that it's missing. This just makes my undereye area feel a lot nicer. It doesn't help with brightening, but definitely at keeping the area from becoming dry.

I got this Divine Essence Rosehip Oil in an old blogger box over a year ago and never paid much attention to it because I thought it would make my skin oiler. But one day RawBeautyKristi mentioned that she was using Rosehip Oil in her skincare routine and that it made a huge difference. Ever since I've been using it and am in love! This is the second last step of my nighttime skincare routine when I have active breakouts, but the very last one when I don't. After doing some research, I learned that oils should be the last step at night. I'm not sure if that truly works, but I've just been listening to that. This stuff also lasts forever.

Last, but not least, I use the Clean & Clear Salicylic Acid on top of any active breakouts that I may have. I usually always have two, but for a few days out of every month my skin will go without any and those are the days that I ignore this step. I've tried many salicylic acids and although they are technically the same ingredient and strength, I feel like this one along with my The Ordinary one work the best. The packaging on this sucks though, but it's affordable so I can't complain too much.

For my cleansers at night, I mainly use my Cetaphil 'Oily Skin Cleanser', but two to three days a week (very rarely four) I will use my Neutrogena 'Pink Grapefruit Pampelmousse Rose Cream-to-Foam Cleanser' for acne-prone skin. I pretty much gave a full review on both on my Instagram so I'll just post the photo below.


View this post on Instagram
I'm hoping for July to be a skin focused month on here and my blog so to kick things off are my favourite cleansers! I have combination skin, but love my @cetaphilcanada oily skin cleanser for a majority of my face washing (morning and night). It's very gentle, but does a great job of cleaning my face and helping keep my acne to a minimum. I also have eczema a few times a year and this is the only cleanser I can use that doesn't irritate it. I won this particular bottle in a giveaway, but I've purchased it many times in the past and will continue to in the future! My @neutrogena cleanser (also for acne-prone skin) is what I use after the gym (three times a week) or after very heavy makeup days (maybe once every 1–2 weeks). This one gets everything out, but is heavier than what I need on a daily basis and especially mornings. This is Steven's favourite so he uses this a majority of the time and sometimes used the Cetaphil. I got this from @chickadvisor for free months ago, but will definitely purchase if it's still around when we finish it! #bbloggersCA #beauty #bblogger #canadian #beautyaddiction #canada #canadianbeautyblogger #torontoblogger #youtube #discoverunder1k #skincare #instaskincare #skincarejunkie #skincareaddiction #bodycare #cleanser #drugstorecleanser #drugstoreskincare #sensitiveskin #acneproneskin #adultacne #pinkpower #cetaphil #gotitfree
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That's it for my nighttime skincare routine! I'm not sure how long this will stay the same considering some of the products are running out,  but if it keeps working well then there's no point of changing it up too much aside from maybe trying a new eye cream and using my The Ordinary salicylic acid once this one runs out completely.

See you soon!
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