Everyone’s getting ready to go out for New Years, or keeping it low key by getting comfy at home with the dearest to their hearts. Whatever it may be, bring in the New Year with some RED. I’m just gushing over this Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso! It is absolutely my favourite red lipstick right now.
At the BeautyBoutique Holiday Party last month I got my make-up done by a lovely make-up artist who put Beso on me for the first time. I hadn’t worn red lipstick I think in almost a year, and as soon as I saw it on me, I fell back in love with the colour. Here are some pictures from the event:
I’m in love with this New Year make-up look! So before you decide what lipstick to wear tonight, think of RED! The classic party look. Black eyeliner, mascara, natural face with that pop of red. When you do have a chance, I highly suggest to try Beso by Stila. It looks good on every skin tone and why not? I have a lot of red lipsticks but nothing like this one.
Merry Christmas! Some of you are sitting around the Christmas tree with hot cocoa, eggnog and other fancy drinks and treats. Most importantly spending quality time with friends and family. Opening presents and sharing precious memories. Not only is it Christmas Day for me but our wedding anniversary! Five years ago today we got married! At this very moment I’m cuddling my husband and have baby D sitting beside us reading Christmas books. Not. Actually, baby D has fallen asleep, taking his nap, so my hubs and I are watching bad moms. :”D
The #beautyBOUTIQUEholiday party was held at
the TIFF building in the beautiful malaparte room. When we entered the room the first thing we noticed were the beautiful white Christmas trees with lip gloss, mascara and other beauty product ornaments! How cute!
I love shopping at beauty boutiques for gifts. I remember for one of D’s birthdays getting him his favourite fossil watch, make-up sets for countless events like a pumpkin carving contest we held and so much more. Definitely my go to spot for gift shopping. They do an awesome wrapping job and you get to collect optimum points! Which in my opinion is the best rewards program out there. I might have a biased opinion because it was my first job and worked at Shoppers for years. #truth
At the party I got illustrated! I love watching the artists work their magic in minutes and this time we got an image and animated version of the illustration. Check it out:
And here’s the video version. I added one of my fave Christmas songs to it:
Catching up over good food is my favourite thing to do with my girlfriends. We usually opt for places we’ve tried before but this time I suggested something new and it worked out! We all met up at Yorkdale, did some shopping and window shopping and then headed on over to Holt Renfrew.
The Holts Cafe is on the main floor of Holt Renfrew and if you haven’t been there before ask for directions.
I could see it being missed easily. One of the sales associates there walked us all the way to the entrance of the cafe. So kind of him. The entrance is decorated simply but very nice.
We loved the seating area. You have the choice of sitting on chairs or booth and chairs. We always go for booths, as you get a lot more space for jackets/purses and we love to talk for hours, so coziness factor is important.
Keep in mind their brunch hours are SATURDAY, 9:30AM TO 4PM and SUNDAY, 11AM TO 4PM. Also, try to make reservations for an earlier time to ensure they’re not our of their more popular dishes like the apple crumble french toast. Alll portions are perfect and all the ingredients are super fresh! Compliments to the chef.
Here’s what we had from the brunch menu:
Apple Crumble French Toast – This actually felt like you’re having dessert but very filling. Tastes amazing! I had this and another dish. Finished I would say at least half of it and shared the rest.
SHAKSHUKA – Two eggs baked in Moroccan tomato sauce, sautéed kale, grilled bread.This was perfection.
Cafe Menu:
INDIAN SPICED CHICKEN: Grilled scallion yogurt, sautéed kale, currants, marcona almond, fingerling potato. Chicken was cooked to perfection, kale was fresh, delicious due to the awesome sauce it was sauteed in. Probably had something to do with the yogurt mix.
Sweet Potato Fries: I’d totally order them again. Also give you two sides of sauces to dip in.
LOBSTER SANDWICH: It was superb, but I can’t find it on the menu anymore.
There are so many reasons for gift giving. Holidays, birthdays, special events, anniversaries and more. Some of my friends have come to me saying how hard it is for them to figure out what to get for people for various events. I find the less you know someone the harder it is. Especially if you want to make sure they’ll love whatever it is you’re deciding on getting them. Gift giving, it can be a pleasure or a pain in the butt. Pain or pleasure, I believe the one thing we always have to keep in mind is the fact that “the manner of giving is worth more than the gift”, said Pierre Corneille.
So give from your heart, with genuine intentions and it won’t really matter what the gift is. Make it count by expressing how and why you went about in picking that gift. I did this every year with one of my dearest best friends, Jenny. Every year we got each other a Christmas gift and a birthday gift. But it was never just one item. It would be a bunch of items that we either saw throughout the year for one another or picked because of the significance it had to a memory we had together, interests or wants. Then in our cards to each other we would write why and the story behind each item. Maybe not each item, but you get what I mean. I actually started doing that for every gift I ever got someone. Recently, we had a Secret Santa gift exchange at our office and I had gotten a male co-worker. Lucky me, he filled out his Elfster wish list. I got him one of the items he wished for, the other was sold out. I tried to find something comparable but didn’t have any luck. So I resorted back to what I usually think you can’t go wrong with for guys, socks.
It came time to exchange gifts and sucks to be me, the gift he had wished for didn’t mail in time. So during the exchange he got a note, with the tracking number for his wished gift, socks, a dancing robot toy ( a filler gift) and a card explaining that the robot was to keep him entertained while he waited for the actual gift. But boy did I feel bad. I was so sure I’d get it in time, since I ordered it literally 2 weeks ahead. After the exchange, the male co-worker who I had last year, called me “the sock lady”. In my defense, I had got him nice socks from The Bay with a chocolate or mixed nuts set of some sort. And he’s worn them multiple times to work, #justsaying. And this year I got the other guy, socks from Banana Republic and the other stuff. My genuine intention is that guys gotta keep their feet warm and some would rarely pick out nice unique socks for themselves. The dryer always eats them, so we need an endless supply, am I right?
Below, I’m sharing my top reasonable gift ideas for him and her.
Let’s get started. For him, haha socks! Socks from Banana Republic for a more mature taste or fun socks from Happy Socks. There are more expensive brands that are like Happy Socks for you prestige loving peeps as well. For her, a nice scarf or hat. Accessorizing in the winter can get tricky, especially when trying to stay warm. So never under estimate the gift of a nice but warm scarf or hat.
LUSH has lots of products to choose from that are natural and their packaging is very neutral. Skincare is the best! Some men just love to use regular soap and call it a day, but they have no idea on what they’re missing out on until you show them. So introducing them to some simple and easy to use skincare through a gift is the best! When they continue to use that product and keep going back for more, they’ll be forever grateful that you saved them from aging prematurely. One of my favourites, (guilty of using it) that my husband has been using and loves is the Breath of Fresh Air toner water.
What’s great is that it’s for all skin types, so no worries if you have no idea what skin type the person has. Very easy to use, all you do is after cleansing your face, just spray it on and either leave it or use a cotton pad to remove any residue left behind from your cleanser. For her, check out the amazing variety of bath bombs you can get! I have some of their bath bombs sitting in a basket in my washroom and gosh if there was smell-o-vision, I’d totally insert that scent right here. You know it’s natural when it smells that good for weeks. Bath bombs are a treat to get and when I think of treating myself to something nice, they are on my top 5 list along with flowers, chocolates, new clothes and make-up. I love how pretty they look and LUSH does a fantastic job packing them in cute gift boxes too!
A new scent is always appreciated by anyone.Okay, maybe not always. Since some could be allergic or just not wear fragrance. But that’s what gift receipts are for, right? You can skim through so many options on beautyboutique.ca. Just to ensure they get the scent they want, check out the fragrance sampler for him and her, comes with a gift card for a full size cologne and a bunch of small bottle sampler to try before they decide which full size they want. I ordered something from them recently and was pleasantly surprised at how fast shipping was and the very nice packaging everything came in. Not sure if that’s just for the holidays and for where I live, but I highly recommend.
I love gifts that are unique and conversation starters. Check out this wood watch by JORD. Definitely a show stopper and you’ll fall in love with the details more than he will. I have a wood watch and every time I wear it someone always without fail will ask me where I got it from or if they can try it on. Intrigued by the fact that it’s made from wood. P.S This is your last weekend to order to receive the watch by Christmas!
I absolutely love this time of the year! How can anyone not? It’s full of love, surprises and so much cheer. I’m really looking forward to the holidays, especially since it’s also our wedding anniversary on Dec 25th. Every time I tell people that, the reactions I get are either “OMG, you guys are crazy! How did you manage?” or “Awee that’s so cute” or how about.. “You guys must really love Christmas!”
To be honest, it’s a bit of all three. Okay, so because we have our anniversary and the holidays are among us, I get really conscious about how much and where I spend my money.
So when I was given a $100 Shopping Challenge for a holiday look, you bet I was excited! As soon as I got to the Dixie Outlet Mall, all that excitement turned into,
“Oh $#&*. $100?! Okay, this is going to be for reals a challenge.”
As I walked around the mall, I realized oh right… this is an outlet. Which means, great deals! The first place I went to was winners. I bought these cute open toe boots with a wrap around ankle detail and these half leather/half cotton leggings. The boots were regular priced at $85 and I got them for $30! Amazing buy! After awhile of searching I found these tights on sale for $10. I was surprised, because I have a similar pair at home not as great of quality that I bought for $30 elsewhere.
I don’t like wearing my winter coat to holiday dinners as it’s really bulky (i.e a parka) and the worse is when I have to place it on my chair due to no coat check. The bottom always touches the floor and gets dirty. So instead I got this coat from Dynamite – The Garage Clothing Co. It was on sale for $35 from $50 on Black Friday! I went back after Black Friday and the coat was back on sale for $50. So happy I got it on Black Friday! Such a steal!
Note: Dixie Outlet Mall has great deals and low prices all year and then on special days like Black Friday and Boxing Day, even more reduced prices.
It has really nice zipper details and a belt! I opted for a medium size due to my personal preference of wearing over-sized coats/jackets.
I love combining lace and leather into one outfit. They go together so well. For some, it’s a strong statement but so are red lips and I dared to add that to the mix! You just gotta live on the wild side sometimes. I got this lace crop top and a plain black long sleeve shirt to wear underneath from Sirens. The lace crop top was $15 and the plain black shirt $10. Both are so comfortable! Here’s a more brighter detailed image of the top:
I didn’t think I could pull it off but honestly I probably couldn’t have if I was shopping anywhere else. Dixie Outlet Mall has amazing deals and that’s a fact! Especially after putting it to the test with this $100 Holiday Shopping Challenge. Okay, so now for the GIVEAWAY! Head over to my Instagram @HumJK to enter to win a $100 Dixie Outlet Mall gift card! Good luck everyone and happy shopping!
I love going to previews and sharing all of my favourites with you. Below are the #ACIFall16 collections that are the newest and happening shades/products of the Fall/Winter 2016 season.
Paul & Joe Beauty
Did you ever watch Tom & Jerry as a child? Okay, maybe even as adults?
Well if you’re a fan of those characters or Tweety, then you’re in for a surprise! Paul & Joe are launching
this super cute fall collection with the most adorable packaging ever! Super nostalgic!
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Paul & Joe line of cosmetics, it’s a French brand known for their quirky, adorable packaging. The maker is obsessed with cats, so you’ll often see cat shaped items within different collections. The other cool thing about this brand is that they sell in refillable packaging. So if there’s a packaging you particularly just absolutely adore, then you can totally re-use that lipstick container, blush/powder case etc with which ever colour you like!
You can purchase the Paul & Joe Looney Tunes collection here.
Stila – Stay All Day Matte’ifcient Lipstick
This is hands down the most long wearing lipstick I have ever worn! You may even need to use an actual make-up remover to remove this lipstick completely from your lips. I plan to wear this colour to one of the holiday parties I attend this year. It’s so rich in colour and the perfect blackberry tone.It’s also infused with argon oil, castor oil, and vitamin E. You can purchase this lipstick here.
No flash – True Colour of Stila Matte Lipstick in Bordeaux
With Flash – True Colour of Stila Matte Lipstick in Bordeaux
Mascara – #ACIFall16
Fusion Beauty – LashFusion Armour
This mascara is an enhancing and conditioning primer for your lashes. Have you ever tried anything from Fusion Beauty before? Well, you’re in for a treat! Whenever I think of Fusion Beauty I think of treatment and cosmetic in one. I remember being obsessed with their highlighter+filler. I’m not sure if they still have it but I’d wear it on my cheek bones and I swear not only would it temporarily fill my cheek but it would also be one of my favourite liquid highlighters. So this is a primer and mascara in one! I usually use it by itself during the day and for an evening look you just take it up a notch, by applying regular mascara over top the primer.
CARGO Cosmetics
Check out this gorgeous new palette! Great combination of warm and cool colours. You can buy it here.
And how about this CARGO mascara. If you’re a fan of the fine rubber brush, then you’ll love combing your lashes with this mascara:
Here’s a close up of the wand: (You can buy it here.)
KORRES Skincare
This is my first time using Korres products and I’m really impressed. For a product so rich, I didn’t break out even once! And the scent, wow…. I just can’t believe it’s all natural. I was really excited to try this line after attending the #ACIFall16 event,
Κorres is a Greek company founded in 1996 in Athens by pharmacist Georgios Korres from the island of Naxos. It produces beauty products for women and men, based on natural ingredients.
Side note: Check out how they make this elixir in the video below – I really want to try it!
This wrinkle night cream is just the right amount of richness and moisture your skin needs. If you’re looking for an anti-wrinkle cream and you haven’t used many before, like myself, than this is an awesome one to start with. Particularly, because of the main ingredient being chestnut tree extract. Not just any chestnut, but chestnut tree extract from Greece’s Arcadian Forest! Castanea is also known as chestnut.
The leaves from the Chestnut tree hold amazing benefits like anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and supports natural tissue repair! P.S These products were not tested on animals. You can buy them here (Night cream: $80 & Eye cream $60)
Have you tried any of these #ACIFall16 products? If so, which ones? Comment below!
There are so many baby shower theme ideas to choose from. Just do a simple keyword search for a baby shower on google or better yet, Pinterest and you’ll see! Baby D was born in February, a very cold time. So you know when I saw the ‘baby, it’s cold outside’ theme, I related to it, as it was my exact thought every time I wanted to take my new babe out. If your baby was born in the wintertime then this is the very best theme to go with! Also a great one-year birthday theme.
As soon as you know the theme, start looking out for items that you’ll need whenever you go shopping. I remember some of the items I bought months in advance. For instance, three glitter snowflakes. One large, medium and small from Pier 1 were regular $75 and had gone on sale for $40 right after Christmas. I figured they would make for great winter decor around the house during the season, so I bought them! They looked beautiful on our cake/dessert table. Side note: My besties and sisters (love them SO much) wanted to help with everything but I actually really enjoy doing the crafty stuff and organizing so I just couldn’t resist! If this is you, you can instead definitely get help putting it all together, hosting and don’t forget the games!
The sign I used, as seen above – was the same art I used for my e-cards and then I followed the same design and colours into the baby shower theme. The cake, napkins and you can’t go wrong with white for a winter-ish theme.
It took me a long time to make this (because it was my first time) but making your own table garland made with wrapping tissue paper is the best! It was my version of knitting, while in nesting mode. Here’s a really good tutorial.
I also made my own cupcake stand with two boxes stacked on each other wrapped in white tissue and hot glued some white snowflakes on the front. Would’ve been a cleaner finish if I glued some on the sides of the box too.
For this theme, I found having a hot chocolate station is a MUST. Imagine coming in from the cold to an event where they have hot chocolate. YAS!
Some of the games we played were passing the chocolate poopy diaper to music (or I think it was a balloon.) whoever was caught holding it when the music turned off they were out, and the last person standing/sitting won a prize. Basically the game hot potato. We had other general baby shower games like holding on to a clothespin. Can’t say certain words and if you do, you get your pin stolen from you from whoever catches you saying it. The one with the most pins wins a prize. We set this game up near the entrance to ensure everyone got a pin and also set up the takeaways at the same table.
takeaways
The takeaways were snowflake cookies made by the same wonderful lady who made my cake. I ordered some brown boxes online to put them in and some stuffing to keep them in place. The boxes are called kraft boxes and with lots of research, I found the best price I could find online, here. 30 for $13.80. I was told it was a great find 🙂 Totally didn’t stay within the theme for the late lunch. We had Italian and Indian food catered.
Baby, it’s cold outside game idea for baby showers
We also had my baby book (where I keep all of his ultrasound pictures and first time memories in) at the table for people to leave messages for myself or Baby D. I decorated it with snowflake decals too. Gah. Snowflakes everywhere!
From the day your little one is born, it’s almost like your entire life gets erased behind you and you’re starting new again. You’re a mom. The moment I held baby D I thought, “I’m here for you, forever and always. I will protect you. I will guide you and I will teach you all the best things you need to know to move across this world…” That was just a snippet of my thoughts but you know what I mean. All that mushy stuff that makes our heart melt and love life.
I traveled. I was, and am an entrepreneur and I feel before being a mom I had lived some of my most ambitious days of my life. I can’t say I thought those days were over now, I just knew deep down that a different chapter of those days had begun and doing those things I did would look a lot different now. My mind was a lot more sharp before I got pregnant and at least a few months after having baby D. But after some time I was back to 100% me. Baby brain days. Honestly, it’s real. We may not all get it…but those of you, who do feel like you’re suffering from it. It’s okay. It’s real.
Mat leave can very quickly swallow you up and become a daily routine of feeding your little one, eating, napping, feeding your little one, TV, sleep etc. It’s hard coming out of that routine and remembering “oh yeah, I need to make some time for me.” I remember one mom telling me she felt like she was being selfish for thinking of making time for herself. And when she did go out with her girls she couldn’t stop thinking about her baby.
If going out and leaving your newborn seems like a far stretched idea then try some of these ideas to start with:
Take time to do your nails.
Read a book. Even if it’s one page a day. Stick to whatever you decide.
Have a hobby that you spend at least 1 hour a day on. Plan during your babies nap time.
(I started painting something for baby D’s nursery on canvas.)
Exercise.
Do a weekly mask.
Even now when I need to find time to update my blog or work on different projects I try my best to schedule doing those things either when baby D is napping or I have someone watch him while I do my work for a few hours.
How do you manage making time for yourself? It’s always nice getting tips from other mommies. Walking through security on our way to Japan when I was 5 months pregnant, the security lady looked at my pregnant belly and said “Welcome to the club honey!”. So true. We’re in this together ladies!
Finally I got around to opening this voxbox and trying the products that I got for testing purposes. Below is my review of each product that I used for a little over one week now. Let me know below in the comments if you’ve tried any of these products and what you think! It was great hearing from you guys on Instagram. XO
L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Brightening Daily Scrub Cleanser
I’ve used this for a week now and one of the things that I love about this scrub is that the beads are not abrasive. They’re actually gentle compared to other leading brands. The scent is not overpowering and it appears to be working. I did start to break out after the first day of using it, but that could just be the resurfacing of dirt etc for the deep cleansing to work.
When to use: Nightly What does it do: Gently exfoliates dullness and gets rid of impurities (dirt and all that make-up grime that’s seeped into the next layer of your skin. *gross*) Key ingredients: Glycolic Acid and Perlite
L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Bright Reveal SPF 30 Moisturizer
For an everyday moisturizer that has SPF 30 this is very light in texture. It has a bit of a pearly look to it, which actually doesn’t affect the look of your makeup when taking pictures etc. It actually brightens your face in a radiant glowy kind of way. It almost reminds me of the Guerlain pearls primer. Not exactly but could be a distant cousin of it. My skin did feel moisturized all day which is great, because I have some dry spots on my face. In terms of long term results of a week of using I don’t see a huge difference in the darker areas of my face, but maybe I need to prolong the use to see that. If you have sun spots like me, I would still protect those areas with a higher spf. SPF 30 won’t take you through an entire day of office lights or sun exposure.
When to use: Daily What does it do: Absorbs quickly. UVA/UVB SPF 30 protection Key ingredients: Glycolic Acid
Dual Overnight Moisturizer
This dual overnight moisturizer reminds me of the day SPF 30 because of the texture and look of the cream. After I used the peel pad from this line and applied this moisturizer I saw instant radiance in my skin. Is that even possible? Well, it has been “revealing brighter skin” as promised. But I’m not sure if it’s because of the amount of glycolic acid and pro-retinol or if it’s the mica. For those of you who don’t know, mica is an earth mineral included in products to give them sparkle and shine. It’s usually found in make-up. The reason why it’s called dual moisturizer is because it is one side serum and one side moisturizer. With one pump, you get an even amount of both to apply all over your face and neck. Because this product has 4% glycolic acid and pro-retinol I started using it on my neck only to see if my skin reacts to the combination. So far no reaction. Just brighter and moisturized skin! I’m also a firm believer of not mixing skincare steps into one. I like using my serum first, waiting 30 seconds and then applying moisturizer on top. Also don’t believe in 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner products. But so far the results have been great so I can’t complain. Would I use this again after I finish this bottle, probably not. I like to mix and match different brands and favourites. Having my serum and moisturizer in one, doesn’t allow me to do that. I would recommend someone trying glycolic acid or retinol products for the first time to test on the neck or the inside of the their wrist before applying all over their face. Not everyone reacts the same to skincare, better to be safe than sorry. Also, you won’t always get lucky and get both treatments in one pump. I had to slap the bottom of the bottle to get the serum to pump out. So as you see in the image, the moisturize to serum ratio isn’t always equal.
When to use: Nightly after cleansing What does it do: Two treatments in one pump. Penetrates skin’s surface to remove dead skin cells and infuse brightening formula for overnight skin rejuvenation Key ingredients: 4% Glycolic, Vitamin Cg, Pro-Retinol
L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Bright Reveal Peel Pads
The last time I used pre-soaked pads like these was when I tried oxy pads. Probably when I was a teenager. Ever since then I haven’t been drawn to products like this just cause I fear I won’t close the jar properly and the product will dry up. That happened to me once. Oxy days. Because these pads are soaked with 10% Glycolic Acid I was scared to use right away all over my face so I started only using it on my neck. Even after washing my face, I noticed on the pad some left over traces of make-up. UGH. Felt instant gratification for these pads for removing that gunk. Out of habit I always use a rough hand to apply skincare and used the pads the first few times of use a tad bit to abrasively. I did start to feel some uncomfortable tingling and then read the instructions, where it said “gently apply in circular motions…”. *Doh* After that I’ve been following the instructions and I have noticed brighter and more smooth skin. Which is awesome for make-up applications. I received this product for testing purposes.
When to use: Nightly What does it do: Ultra-gentle pre-soaked textured pads physically resurface dead skin cells Key ingredients: 10% Glycolic Complex
I’ve been using Benefit cosmetics for years and they have lots of cool products that are so easy and a lot of fun to use! If you’re a make-up junkie as much as I am, than I’m sure you own more than one benefit product and if you don’t then by the end of this post I’ll have you inspired to definitely try something from their super cute line of cosmetics.
Benefit Favourites
High Beam
When have I not used this?! High Beam comes in a perfect size bottle that has a nail polish brush attached to the lid. I usually take the brush and do one quick swoop where ever I need it. Cheeks, down the bridge of my nose or a little touch on the forehead to add dimension depending on how much make-up I’m wearing. As a make-up artist I would just dab with the brush a perfect amount on my mixing slate or the back of my hand. Baby pink in colour, it’s the perfect amount of glow. You can totally build this product by adding more on top if you want a very noticeable highlight. For pictures and video it looks very natural and doesn’t stand out as much as a powder highlight does. In my opinion, liquid highlighters have a softer and more dewy look compared to powder highlighters.
POREfessional
This is benefits primer. If you haven’t used a primer before and don’t know whether it is for you, then know this; whether you’re going for a heavy look or simple, it will be the perfect base for your foundation or tinted moisturizer. This primer helps to diminish the look of shine and minimizes the look of large pores. A little goes a long way with this primer. I just wish I could remember to use it all the time.
Balm
From the first day bene-tint hit boutiques I was obsessed. It was a red liquid, with a scent of rose petals and just a drop would stain your lips to look naturally red. From this product they created the best bene-balm ever! Super hydrating due to the mango butter… mmm! and sodium hyaluronate, the tint is perfect. It has a nice glossy finish but like most balms wears off easily. If you’re not into red, then try posie balm, which is the baby pink version.
High Brow
This is probably the quickest way to get perfectly arched and tamed eyebrows. You know those in between threading/waxing days when you have a little bit of growth? Well this highlighting pencil comes in really handy for that. Apply it under your eyebrow arch and you have an instant illusion of perfect eyebrows. I love that it’s a cream/powder like texture and blends really well.
Roller Lash
I’ve always been hesitant to use comb-like or toothy mascara wands. I have fine but long hair lashes, so building volume is hard to do with the Roller Lash wand. But I found a really good way to use it! So first I build volume with a thicker mascara wand, and then I create length with the Roller Lash and comb out any mascara clumps. Match made in heaven and results are as if I have falsies on.
used the peel pad from this line and applied this moisturizer I saw instant radiance in my skin. Is that even possible? Well, it has been “revealing brighter skin” as promised. But I’m not sure if it’s because of the amount of glycolic acid and pro-retinol or if it’s the mica. For those of you who don’t know, mica is an earth mineral included in products to give them sparkle and shine. It’s usually found in make-up. The reason why it’s called dual moisturizer is because it is one side serum and one side moisturizer. With one pump, you get an even amount of both to apply all over your face and neck. Because this product has 4% glycolic acid and pro-retinol I started using it on my neck only to see if my skin reacts to the combination. So far no reaction. Just brighter and moisturized skin! I’m also a firm believer of not mixing skincare steps into one. I like using my serum first, waiting 30 seconds and then applying moisturizer on top. Also don’t believe in 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner products. But so far the results have been great so I can’t complain. Would I use this again after I finish this bottle, probably not. I like to mix and match different brands and favourites. Having my serum and moisturizer in one, doesn’t allow me to do that. I would recommend someone trying glycolic acid or retinol products for the first time to test on the neck or the inside of the their wrist before applying all over their face. Not everyone reacts the same to skincare, better to be safe than sorry. Also, you won’t always get lucky and get both treatments in one pump. I had to slap the bottom of the bottle to get the serum to pump out. So as you see in the image, the moisturize to serum ratio isn’t always equal.
