Beauty April 26, 2023

Shop Thoughtfully with Shoppers Drug Mart’s Thoughtful Choices Line

I’m becoming more aware of the impact my purchases have on the environment and animals. Shopping consciously has become a priority for many, and it’s important to know where I can find products that align with my values.

Shoppers Drug Mart’s Thoughtful Choices line is a great option for those who want to make thoughtful and ethical purchases.

What are Thoughtful Choices Products?

Shoppers Drug Mart’s Thoughtful Choices products must meet at least one of the following two criteria: no animal testing and formulated without harmful ingredients (such as Parabens, SLS, SLES, etc.), and packaging that contains recycled content (minimum 30%), fully recyclable, and refillable solutions. This means that you can shop with peace of mind, knowing that the products you are purchasing are not harming the environment or animals.

Where to Shop for Thoughtful Choices Products

You can shop for Thoughtful Choices products in-store or online on the Shoppers Drug Mart website. When shopping online, simply go to the “Shop Thoughtful Choices” section and browse through the products. Shopping online is a great option for those who want to avoid crowded stores or for those who live in areas where there are no Shoppers Drug Mart locations nearby. I find myself shopping online more with my busy schedule, but in-store shopping is an irreplaceable experience too. If you have any questions about these thoughtful choices of products you can go through your list of questions with a beauty advisor. It’s always helpful to get someone else’s perspective and experience.

My Favorite Thoughtful Choices Products

Marcelle Talc-Free Eyeshadow
Rimmel Kind and Free Eyeliner
Naturally Serious After Dark Natural Peptide Sleeping Cream
Watier Rose Petal Gel Toner
My Clarins Clear-Out Targeted Blemish Lotion
Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel
MONDAY Color Protect Shampoo

These products have become staples in my daily routine because they work well and align with my values. The Marcelle Talc-Free Eyeshadow is pigmented and long-lasting, and it’s great to know that it’s made without harmful ingredients.

The Rimmel Kind and Free Eyeliner is easy to apply and is perfect for creating a natural makeup look. The Naturally Serious After Dark Natural Peptide Sleeping Cream is hydrating and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth in the morning.

The Watier Rose Petal Gel Toner is refreshing and helps to soothe my skin, and the My Clarins Clear-Out Targeted Blemish Lotion is effective at reducing the appearance of blemishes without drying out my skin. The Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel is gentle on the skin and removes impurities without stripping away natural oils. The MONDAY Color Protect Shampoo is sulfate-free and helps to keep my color-treated hair looking vibrant. I take the shampoo and conditioner with me to my kid’s swimming classes every week, and it works perfectly to bring that hydration back into their hair after being in chlorine water!

Shopping consciously has never been easier thanks to Shoppers Drug Mart’s Thoughtful Choices line. With a wide range of products to choose from, you can make thoughtful and ethical purchases without sacrificing quality. My favorite products from the line have become staples in my daily routine, and I’m confident that you will love them too. So, next time you’re in need of cruelty-free beauty products, natural skincare, paraben-free products, haircare, or other personal care products, consider shopping from the Thoughtful Choices line at Shoppers Drug Mart. If you’re on social media, use the hashtag #ThoughtfulChoicesAtShoppers to join the conversation and share your favorite Thoughtful Choices products.

Beauty June 5, 2021

7 New Fragrances To Try For Men & Women 2021

I’ve tried all of these 6 new fragrances and yes, even the one for men. They all smell amazing and highly recommend for this year. The brands I’m featuring below are Jean Paul Gautier, Nina Ricci and Carolina Herrera.

1. Le Mâle Parfum Spray – Jean paul gautier

men frangrance image of a man black bottle with grey stripes

This is the intense version of the original le male fragrance by Jean Paul Gautier. The fragrance is sharp and a perfume so lasts longer too. The perfume has notes of iris/lavender, cardamom and vanilla. Honestly, I sprayed this on myself and I was in love. A little amount goes a long way. The combination of all these notes falls under the oriental woody family. $128 CAD for 125 ml

2. Nina ricci Rose Garden (limited edition)

The new Nina Rose Garden fragrance is the pleasure of an escapade, a picnic in the park, rustling leaves, the sun’s rays on the skin, the scent of barely blossomed flowers, crisp fruit ripening in the gentle spring light.

The notes are a combination of pear and freshly cut grass. Vanilla, white musk and orange blossom. This is the perfect fragrance for spring/summer. If you could put a picnic into a scent, this is it. $85 for a 50 ml.

3. Carolina Herrera – Good Girl SUPREME

This fragrance falls into the floral family. It’s on the warmer side with notes of Tuberose, Jasmine, Tonka Bean. I love The Good Girl stiletto, a refined combination of haute couture aesthetics and technical expertise is taken to glistening new heights with a glamorous, black-to-glitter design. $130 for a 50 ml

4. CAROLINA HERRERA – BAD BOY

This is a warm and spicy scent but on the cooler side. Key notes of this fragrance are White Pepper, Vetiver, Tonka Bean. The story behind the bottle is Bad Boy seduces and captivates with the speed and precision of lightning. The combination of black pepper and white pepper notes with the citric vibrancy of Italian green bergamot make this fragrance stand out.
$92 CAD for a 50 ml

5. LA BEau – Jean PAUL GAUTIER

A men’s eau de toilette built around addictive tonka bean and coconut wood combined with the fresh facets of bergamot.
$120 CAD for a 125 ml

6. LA BElle – JEAN PAUL GAUTIER

Spray this beautiful scent on your pulse points for best results. This eau de parfum for women is the result of the fusion of addictive vanilla pod, fresh bergamot and stunning pear. An addictive, luminous trail for an attractive and ultra-feminine woman. $110 CAD for a 50 ml

7. invictus – paco rAbanne

Invictus Victory Eau De Parfum

Invictus victory, the extreme eau de parfum by Paco Rabanne, shocks the senses. In this intense duel, two powerful and contrasting elements do battle: Freshness and sensuality.

Paco Rabanne has created two unique combinations for a long-lasting fragrance. At the outset, a surprisingly fresh boost: Sharp lemon mingles with powerful incense. An extremely sensual surge follows: Full-bodied tonka bean is supported by powerful vanilla. The perfect match between emphatic freshness and magnetic intensity.

$125 CAD FOR A 100 ML

Beauty April 1, 2021

10 Ways to Shop Consciously with Thoughtful Choices at Shoppers Drug Mart

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Shoppers Drug Mart has curated a new lineup called Thoughtful Choices. Included in this range are products from beauty and personal care to make it easy for Canadians to shop consciously.

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lady with thoughtful choices range of products at shoppers drug mart

10 Ways to Shop Consciously with thoughtful choices at Shoppers Drug Mart

This assortment features products that are cruelty-free and mindful of the planet, with either partly to fully recyclable packaging, ethically sourced ingredients or sustainable ingredients. They are also free of ingredients like parabens, BPA and aluminum to name a few.

Here are my top picks from the Thoughtful Choices at Shoppers Drug Mart lineup. Head over to the Shoppers website to discover more.

1. Hello activated charcoal fluoride-free toothpaste

hello toothpaste thoughtful choices shoppers drug mart

I’ve used charcoal toothpaste with coconut oil before and let me tell you that my dentist was impressed the last time I saw him. I love that there is no artificial taste and it feels good that you’re cleaning your mouth with something with no dyes or artificial sweeteners. $7.79 CAD

2. Native Coconut & Vanilla deodorant

Native deodorant is aluminum-free and contains naturally derived ingredients, with effective long-lasting odour protection. It’s natural and it works! They have a ton of amazing reviews online and if you’re making a switch I highly recommend it.
$18.99 CAD

3. live clean shampoo

live clean shampoo thoughtful choices shoppers drug mart

4. Graydon full moon serum

5. my clarins re-boost

clarins thoughtful choices shoppers drug mart

6. thayers Rose petal facial toner

7. Honest hydrogel cream

This moisturizer has an advanced moisture release formula. I love that it has an instant cooling feeling upon application, especially nice during hot summers. Your skin will transform to supple-feeling, firmer and hydrated with an instant dewy glow! $29.99

8. ZERO NIGHT CREAM

9. burt’s bees cleanser

burts bees thoughtful choices shoppers drug mart

10. Covergirl lash blast clean mascara

covergirl clean vegan mascara thoughtful choices

This clean vegan formula delivers amazing results! Smudge and clump proof and I love that the paper packaging it comes in is made with 80% recycled paper. $10.99

These products were #gifted to me by Shoppers Drug Mart, but all opinions are my own.

Beauty June 19, 2020

Benefits of Shiseido WASO Skincare

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

The belief behind the WASO line is that all things beautiful come from nature. Whenever I use any products from this line, the saying “you are what you eat” always comes to my mind. After all, skincare is food for your skin. Nourishment and essential top layer care. WASO is inspired by the holistic and natural Japanese food traditions of Washoku. Washoku means “Japanese eating”.

Washoku consists of rice, miso soup and side dishes like fish, pickled vegetables and vegetables cooked in broth. Are you hungry yet? The most common is seafood, which is either grilled or raw (sushi/sashimi).

Most of you know my deep love for Japan. Their cuisine, beauty products, and way of life, we’ve traveled to Japan three times and honestly, I can’t wait to go back for a fourth visit. I had the pleasure of meeting the marketing people behind Shiseido many times in my years of working in the beauty industry and I have to say they’re some of the most passionate people I’ve met. They genuinely love the products and know so much brand history.

10 Ways to Shop Consciously with Thoughtful Choices at Shoppers Drug Mart

WASO shiseido beauty smart water

WASO BEAUTY SMART WATER – WASO HYDRATING RICH CREAM

This beauty water is inspired by Amazake. Amazake is a traditional sweet, low alcohol Japanese drink made from fermented rice. This all in one cleansing water will Cleanse, Hydrate and Prime skin in just one step. The fermented complex makes for a textured water that gently polishes skin. Helps with removing dirt, any excess sebum, dead skin cell build up and any light make up you might be wearing.

The gentle 3-in-1 cleansing water retails for $40 at Shoppers Drug Mart.

waso giga hydrating rich cream

This super-rich cream was inspired by fermented soybeans that help to lock in moisture for 48-hours and even help prevent acne and breakouts! This cream has carrot cells, soybean extract and I love that it has a matte finish. There is some amazing science behind this product. If you use it over time it can actually lead to the strengthening of your skin’s barrier so that your skin creates a natural ability to retain moisture. Retails: $50

waso eye opening essence

A small drop of this goes a long way. Love the cool feeling of this eye gel that awakens dark circles. The skin brightening complex is a combination of vitamin C, E, carrot cells, ginger, and the colour correcting pearl gives you an instant boost of radiance perfect for an awakened day look. Retails: $32.00

Beauty December 23, 2019

2 Last Minute Beauty Gift Ideas

You’ve left it to the last minute and you need a gift idea. You’ll probably head to the mall on a frantic chase for the right gift. Here’s a quick rundown of 5 great gift ideas that I’ve tested and found to be amazing products. If you’re shopping on Boxing Day, keep an eye out for these gift ideas. If you find them on sale, snatch them for gift giving throughout the new year.

1. Gift Ideas at Shoppers Drug Mart

This season I bought a handful of toys from Shoppers Drug Mart. They have everything from big puzzles, STEM kits, stuffies, warm socks and cute hand warmers. They have gifts for everyone! For men, you can choose from fragrance, popular shaving sets and lots of gift cards. For women I highly recommend the Rodial gift sets because these sets are such a steal. I’ve tried almost all of their products and they do deliver results. You can find the below gift sets at any Beauty Boutique.

**Twelve Days of Red Carpet Glam Advent Calendar** ($120)

I love beauty advent calendars! This year Rodial offers the 12 Days of Red Carpet Glam Advent Calendar. This gift is perfect for that person who loves to stay in the know of trends and loves to try different products. This is a great opportunity to try so many of Rodials amazing products. The calendar includes: Magic Gel Day Deluxe, Suede Lips in Overdressed, the Soft Focus Glow Drops Deluxe, a Pink Diamond Mask, Pink Diamond Cleansing Balm Deluxe, Dragon’s Blood Eye Mask, Dragon’s Blood Essence Deluxe, Pink Diamond Serum Deluxe, Skinny Mascara, Retinol Deluxe, a Dragon’s Blood Lip Mask and a Lip Scrub.

This gift set comes with a day and night cream for $95!

The dragon blood lip, face and eye masks are amazing! I love this line and this set is a great starter kit for anyone.

The moisture boost kit is a 77% off deal for this gift set!

2. Aveda Hair Salon

If you’ve ever been to an Aveda salon for services. You’ll know that they use amazing products during the services.

With just a couple of days left, head over to either of these two places to see what you can get! Happy shopping!

Beauty November 19, 2019

Quo 2019 Holiday Collection – Shoppers Drug Mart

Holiday collections have hit the stores and one I look forward to every year is Quo, only available at Shoppers Drug Mart. Quo 2019, is all about beautiful sets and they’re such great gift idea options! Here are some of the holiday sets you’ll see at a Shoppers Drug Mart near you:

I love this ‘Pucker Up Lip Gloss Set’ because you can gift it as is or you can open it up and use each one individually to create a smaller gift basket with other items! Or how about stocking stuffers? Price: $20.00 You can take one and add chocolate and some nice jewelry to make a cute yet practical gift.

Quo Holiday Sets

These Quo 2019 cosmetic crackers are so pretty for decorating your dinner plates for the holidays or pretty much any event! Stock up on these at $15 for a set of 6. The glosses come in many colours and stay on power is great!

The above neutrals/nudes are a perfect choice for any of your fancy holiday attire. Don’t forget to pair it with a bold lip! These eye shadow duos also work as beautiful ornaments. Price: $6 You can hang these on your Christmas tree or around your gift of choice. The pigment is also perfection!

This Quo winter rescue kit is perfect for someone who needs an introduction to skincare and beauty! Or someone who loves to travel and seems to always lose their skincare while travelling. Price: $30 This set comes with a serum, lip balm and face gloss. This is a great deal!

I’ve said this many times before and I’ll say it again! The limited edition make-up brushes by Quo are amazing! I’ve never had a Quo brush from a set that I didn’t like. I would highly recommend getting a brush set by Quo if you’re either just starting off in the make-up brush realm or a professional.

If you’ve been watching my Instagram stories, you would’ve seen the first part of the below unboxing. Enjoy the Quo 2019 holiday collection and get it before it’s gone!

Beauty October 22, 2019

What Happens to Your Skin at Night – Estee Lauder Intense Reset Concentrate to the Rescue

The night is more than just a quiet time. It is more than a time to fall asleep and reboot your body for another day. Think about this for a second, the sun and the moon do a switch, and because of that switch is how a lot of scientists understand the body at night. They understand that the body is on a constant element of transition. When you’re resting, everything inside your body is working hard and at night our skin is working over time to reset. In this post I’ll do a quick explanation of what happens to your skin at night and how Estee Lauder’s new Advanced Night Repair product, Intense Reset Concentrate can help rescue and reset your skin while you catch some Zzz’s.

Did you know skin loses more moisture at night?
Estee Lauder

While you sleep your skins temperature goes up which causes moisture loss. Losing water from the skin during this nightly process is called epidermal water loss. It actually starts at the end of the day and through the entire night. Not only does you skins temperature go up, but it also becomes more acidic. These factors cause your skin to get drier in most cases. However, we all have different skin types and concerns so it’s not always the case. Just the most common.

What does your skin need?

The best ingredient for accelerating your skin’s repair functions is hyaluronic acid. This is one of my favourites! I’m going to nerd out by telling you, because I am notorious for not drinking enough water in the day my body is already trying to take water from the foods I eat and whatever I drink to hydrate my muscles etc. There’s normally not enough left for my skin. After I wash my face at night, I can feel the discomfort and tightness of dehydration. So, hyaluronic acid in my skincare is the rescue my skin needs.

estee lauder reset concentrate treatment — Retails for $80.00 and can be found at Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutiques or on Estee Lauder’s website! Click here.

NEW Advanced Night Repair – Intense
Reset Concentrate

Estee Lauder has come out with a breakthrough overnight treatment that has Chronolux ™ S.O.S. Technology that rescues and resets the look of your skin, fast! Your skin will be immersed with 24-hour moisture with 15x concentrated hyaluronic acid in a multi-molecular weight complex. Your skin will be soothed from any tightness and dehydrated feeling in just 1 hour and it restores a more poreless, refined texture to your skin. Basically, you’ll be glowing in the A.M!

I’ve been using the Advanced Night Repair serum for years and have been obsessed with the results. If you’ve been using it as well, then this concentrate treatment would go on after you apply the serum. It’s to give your skin that extra boost! Just like when you do any other skincare treatments outside of your skincare routines.

I also have to mention that I love that they have a disclaimer on their site that says it was tested on all ethnicities. This is very important as ethnicity can play a role in skin types and the way your skin will respond to certain products.

Now that you know what happens to your skin at night, what are you going to do to rescue it?

Beauty October 7, 2019

Why it’s important to go for a Facial – My journey with Alumier MD

As some of you may know, I had the worst fear of getting facials. It was one of those out of sight, out of mind things.

“If I just don’t go for a facial, then I’ll be just fine.”
Not true.

I grew up with really bad acne skin. The type when you just touch a spot and a pimple pops up in place. I had it up until my early 20’s. After a lot of trial and error, it got a lot better and in order to maintain that balance in my skin I decided to not do anything excessive. But just last year I started to do more research on different kinds of facials and how they benefit the skin. Going for that regular detox is important for your skin to breathe.

Just a couple of months ago, I completed my facial journey with the professionals at Alumier MD and I have to say it has been a very interesting one. I’ve seen a huge difference in my skin and my make-up routine has changed as well because of it. I find myself using less foundation and concealer and more accentuating products like blush, lipstick, mascara and eyeliner. It’s amazing how treating the base of your skin can change your routine altogether!

A quick tip, September to the end of May is when the UVB is not as strong, and it’s a better time to go for an AlumierMD Glow peel. During the summer it’s recommended to do other facials unless you can sit out of the sun after your peel for 3-6 weeks.

I did the AlumierMD Glow peel and noticed right away, less pigmentation, smoother and glowing skin! Every person is different and your journey won’t be exactly as mine. You may even see better results! Just keep in mind we all have different skin concerns, how much it can handle and its sensitivity. Your skin will get tested and there’s a consultation prior to doing any facial. Even during the facial process, they will ask you how you’re feeling and if you’re comfortable with it.

Here are some footage from before I started the journey, between and after.

Left: My first time going for an AlumierMD Glow Peel. You can tell where I have pigmentation. Forehead, sides of my face and near my smile lines. There’s also some pimple scarring visible and shadows around my lips.

It is completely normal to see some peeling. That is your dead skin shedding and making room for new skin.

Right: I remember not drinking enough water that week and my skin was taking a toll with dehydration. Your skin becomes more sensitive, hence the slight redness. (It was a great reminder to drink more water.)

More details about my skin journey: featured on the
AlumierMD blog page.

If you’d like to find a professional near you, fill out this form and 3 nearest locations will be provided to you. Here.

Beauty September 23, 2019

Laura Mercier Review – Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick + more

I’ve been using Laura Mercier products for as long as I can remember. The first product being their radiance primer (still one of my top faves). Currently, I’ve been using some newer items by Laura Mercier that I just had to share with you on the blog! To the right, I’m wearing the Laura Mercier velour extreme matte lipstick in “optimist”. This lip colour is usually what I go for on a daily basis and to now have it in a longer-lasting and matte look, makes it perfect for Fall.

You may have noticed in my Instagram stories when I tried it on, I didn’t use a lip liner with it. What I love about a smaller stick lipstick is that you have more control in the lining and filling your lips with the one product.

$37.00 CAD – Silky Creme Lipstick with high-impact colour

So you’re not into mattes. Then you’ll love these Creme lipsticks that are so soft that it feels like it’s a lip treatment vs lipstick. These lipsticks are actually infused with Mediterranean sea algae extract!

Mauve Merveilleux – Available at Nordstrom, Sephora, Saks and thebay.com

These Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipsticks lasts up to six hours without bleeding, feathering, drying, fading or settling into lines.
LAURA MERCIER

Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Poolside – $35.00 CAD

This stick eye shadow offers a 12 hour wear with its creamy formula! What I love about creamy formulas is you have enough time to do minor changes before it all completely dries. You can blend it out or build on the colour for more intensity.

Swatches of the Silky Creme Lipsticks
Right to Left (Chocolat Divin, A La Rose and Mauve Merveilleux)

Beauty May 22, 2019

Quo Summer 2019 Limited-Edition Collection

Eid Gift Ideas – Quo Summer Collection 2019

Quo; a Shoppers Drug Mart brand, comes out with the most amazing seasonal collections! I am particularly excited about the Summer 2019 collection because it launches with a theme of my favourite summer colours and cute stars on the packaging. Stars, that tie in with the moon and stars theme for Eid. So you bet I’ll be gifting this collection to family members! It’s the perfect addition to a basket full of goodies.

“Eid al-Fitr also called the “Festival of Breaking the Fast”, is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

Quo Ombre Eye Shadow Palette – $18.00

This palette comes in two options: Cotton candy and popping peach. I have the popping peach and the pink tones are great for every day and can create a beautiful warm neutral look.

Quo Ombre Face Palette – $20.00

This palette comes in two options: Dancing lights and berry beam. I love the summery shades and the true ombre look that can be achieved. The bronzer is a perfect tone if you’re looking for a sun-kissed look.

Quo Face Brush – $14.00

I’ve said this before in my previous posts, the limited-edition make-up brushes with Quo are my favourite! They’re unique packaging and the hairs on the brushes are superb. I’ve never had a limited edition brush I didn’t like. The wide handle fits your fingertips perfectly and I love the wide brush at the top for contouring or applying bronzer.

Quo Transforming Lip Kit – $16.00

The stain in the lip duo set has amazing staying power. I swatched it on my wrist and when I went to remove it, I had to use a cleanser. So awesome for long parties where you’ll be eating and drinking. Staying power is necessary. The sheer iridescent lip gloss, pairs perfectly with the stain. Gives your lip a nice highlight!

Quo Glow Beauty Oil – $18.00

This lightweight oil works alone, under foundation or even use it as a natural highlight in focused areas. Tip: Add a drop into your foundation for a more uniform natural glow. I love that it’s lightweight, perfect for the summer when you don’t want to feel like you’re wearing a lot of make-up.

Pick this collection up before it’s all gone! The limited edition can only be found at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Beauty