Must Haves For Flawless Skin!

Here are my current Must Haves for achieving flawless skin! Step up your face care routine this winter to make sure your skin stays flawless!

PRODUCTS FEATURED:

Biosource Hydra-Mineral Cleanser Toning Mousse

Bioderma Sensibio H2O

Nip + Fab Scrub Fix

Neutrogena Naturals Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer

The Body Shop Luxury Flannel Face Cloth

Tarte Maracuja C Brighter Eye Treatment

Current Offers!

The Body Shop 

Cyber Monday 50 % off site wide + free shipping with any $50 purchase! Valid 12/02. No code required.

AND

30% off all gifts! No code required.

Biotherm

Cyberweek Event 25% off orders $100 + and 20% off orders under $100 and free shipping!

Code: CYBER

Hope you all had a great weekend! xx

My Skin Story: From Hormonal Acne to Clear Skin!

This is my skin with no makeup on, right after washing (and first thing in the morning, as you can see from my bed head). I did not edit out any spots, blotchyness, etc. I still get the occasional spot like pretty much everyone my age, but it is not too often nowadays. My skin has settled on a combination type, and that's what I've been working with for a few years now. Some people may say that my hormonal acne has gone away because I have gotten older, and am no longer a teenager. This is WRONG, as whenever I stray from the products and behavior that keep my skin clear, it breaks out again.  

Disclaimer: Before I say the first step that keeps my skin clear, just a reminder that this is not for everyone, and unless prescribed by a doctor, you should not go on it for this reason. 

1) BIRTH CONTROL

Birth control drastically helped get my skin under control, especially in the beginning stages when I was 15 and had fairly severe acne. This was the initial step that allowed me to even get to the other steps. When you specifically have hormonal acne, combating hormones with hormones is one of the best steps you can take to get your skin to behave, and fast. I have gone off of birth control once or twice since I was 15, and my skin has started to break out again every time, although not as bad as it might of if I didn't take care it. 

2) TAKING YOUR MAKEUP OFF BEFORE BED

When I was younger, I never listened to or cared about all the warnings that sleeping with your makeup on can cause significant damage to your skin. I used to fall asleep with my makeup on CONSTANTLY. Taking it off consistently every night has allowed my skin to repair itself so much more than it ever had the chance to. Not only did it reduce any breakouts, but it allowed my skin to repair itself overtime, and faded some of the acne scars I have from when I was a young teen. This is a definite must for clear skin.

3) USING THE RIGHT PRODUCTS FOR YOUR SKIN

You need to look specifically at what products are meant to do for your skin, and target the areas that you wish to change. If you are looking to reduce the size of your pores, look for a product that specifically says it does that. If you are looking to balance and tone your skin, look for a product that does that. Research what you are putting on your face, or at the very least read the back of the bottle. The skin routine that I have now works wonders for me, and that is because each product that I use is meant to target a certain aspect of my skin that I do not like. Below are the products that I have settled on and use on a regular basis, as well as what I use them for:

Biosource Hydra-Mineral Cleanser Toning Mousse: Cleanses, tones and removes leftover makeup. 

Nip + Fab Scrub Fix: I use this once a week to keep acne away/get rid of any spots I may have, plus brighten and renew my skin.

L'Oreal Radiant Tone Ideal Moisture Day/Night Cream: I use this in the morning to moisturize my skin and keep it looking radiant. I also use this to smooth away any texture, which I did have an issue with from leftover scarring/acne. 

Marcelle BB Cleanser: I use this at night to deeply moisturize and repair my skin overnight.

4) USING A WASHCLOTH

This used to be just an aid in taking off my makeup, until I realized what it was doing for my skin. A washcloth acts as an exfoliator, helping to slough off dead skin cells and renew your skin, making you less susceptible to acne and breakouts. This cut down on how often I was exfoliating and how many products I use. This is an absolute must every night in my skin care routine.

5) TREATING YOUR BODY RIGHT

When it comes to eating, unfortunately I do not eat anywhere near how I would like to. This tends to happen when you're a student. However, I rarely drink, do not smoke or do drugs and get plenty of sleep on a regular basis! Smoking, drinking and lack of sleep have a significant effect on your skin, and do not allow it to reach anywhere near it's full potential.

And those are my secrets to clear, healthy skin! Hope you enjoyed! 

October Favourites!

             I can't believe it's November in 2 days! So crazy. This means less than 2 months left until Christmas, and also less than 2 months left until I go to Ireland! Ahhhh! I have been loving anything moisturizing this month, as my skin has officially made the changeover from summer to winter. I also have a few random favourites that I will include as well. I have mentioned some of these products before, so there will be a few familiar ones. Let's get into it!

LIP PRODUCTS

Burt's Bees Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm With Kokum Butter: I've started using this lip balm as a base before I put any sort of colour on my lips. It's meant to condition your lips for 4 hours with one application, which I find to be true. I purchased this forever ago, and have busted it out again for the cold weather. A must have for the winter!

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm: The shade I'm using is called Honeysuckle, and it is the perfect colour for me. It's a brownish nude, and goes extremely well with my well loved Gosh Velvet Touch Lipstick in Cappuccino. This tinted lip balm is super moisturizing, and conditions with Shea Butter and Botanical Waxes. I'd highly recommend this for the fall/winter! 

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter: I have to say, I really wish I had tried this stuff sooner! The shade I have here is 065 Creamsicle. This may seem like more of a summer colour, but for some reason I only started getting into the light pink shades this fall! You don't need to apply any sort of a base underneath, as it's exceptionally hydrating and glides on effortlessly. Will be repurchasing more shades ASAP!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain: I just did a review on this, which you can find by clicking here, but I love this gorgeous colour! This one is 035 Charm. It lightly stains your lips while giving them a moisturized feel. Unfortunately, the moisturized feeling doesn't last for too long, so I'm really only a fan because of this specific colour!

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub: I actually received this as a gift for my birthday in May, but only needed to start using it recently. This has become part of my daily routine when I'm getting ready to go out, to make sure that there's no dry skin building up on my lips. My lips get chapped SO easily because of the cold weather, so this helps significantly in getting them ready for the day.

Top to Bottom: Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Honeysuckle, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 035 Charm, Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in 065 Creamsicle

EYES + FACE

Nip + Fab CC Eye Fix -Light: This is a really nice concealer and surprisingly moisturizing! I don't have dark circles under my eyes, but this concealer does make you look noticeably more awake and just brightens up the whole eye area. It contains light diffusing particles, as well as beeswax and vitamin E to nourish and protect. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to start carrying for their under eye area and brighten it up at the same time.

Essence Stays No Matter What 24 Hour Jumbo Eye Pencil & Shadow: This eye pencil was extremely cheap and does it's job exceptionally well! I use the shade 07 Whipped White Frosting for the inner corners of my eyes, and it's really made a difference in the presentation of my eye makeup. My eyes look brighter and stand out more. It really does not budge all day. I'll definitely be using throughout the fall and winter.

Revlon Matte Powder Blush: Apparently I'm a big fan of Revlon this month! They actually come out with some really great products, I don't think they get enough credit. I have the shade Perfectly Peach, which I've been wearing forever. I always tend to gravitate towards peach blushes as opposed to pink, just because they seem to look more natural on me. This blush has quite a long staying power, as when I take my makeup off at the end of the day it's still there. There is quite a lot of product there, so it does last you a long time. Big thumbs up!

NAILS

Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer: All Hail the Queen....there's really no need to say anything else. Check out my review here!

CLEANSERS + MOISTURIZERS

Biotherm Hydra-Mineral Cleanser Toning Mousse: I've talked about this cleanser so many times that it seems to be getting a little repetitive. However, I've been using this all month long and it is the perfect cleanser as it really does tone your skin at the same time. I wish it were a LITTLE more moisturizing for this month, so perhaps I will purchase the one that is meant for dry skin as well. Excellent product.

The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter: I have both the 50 ml size and the 200 ml size, as I like to carry one in my purse. This is a must have for the winter. Incredibly moisturizing, made with Community Fair Trade virgin organic coconut oil, you cannot go wrong with this stuff. I love using this as soon as I get out of the shower and/or on freshly shaven legs. 

Be Better Sakura Sensation Foam Bath: I received this as a gift, but I believe it's from Rexall Pharma Plus, which is a Canadian drug store. I've been using this all month long, as I take baths constantly and it smells amazing! It's made with natural ingredients and is paraben free. Love this stuff!

OTHER

Coconut Oil: I have been a huuuuge fan coconut oil for the past year, but after discovering it's most recent purpose, I've become an even bigger fan. My cat Kenya has not been feeling well (send her good vibes!) and had a really sore throat. She wasn't eating properly and was having a hard time swallowing. I started giving her about a tablespoon of coconut oil twice a day to sooth her throat, and from the first time I gave it to her there has been a huge difference! There's a million different amazing uses for coconut oil, and I'll link an article here in case you don't know about them. The kind I have here is Omega Nutrition Certified Organic Coconut Oil. However, it's best if you can get virgin or extra virgin. 

Owl Change Purse: I am obsessed with this little purse! I purchased it from St Lawrence Market I believe last month and it comes with me all the time! It's hand crafted and made with real leather. I actually use it to separate my subway tokens from my wallet. So adorable!

Kimchi Blue Kissing Swans Zip-Around Wallet: I purchased this online from Urban Outfitters about a month ago, and unfortunately it is sold out now! I love swans, so when I saw this I had to get it. It's got all the space you need and is made of incredibly smooth vegan leather. I'll be using this until it completely wears out.

H&M Leopard Print Scarf: I've been wearing this scarf non stop this month, as it seems to go with everything! I've even been wearing it with my winter coat (which may have to change, as it's not the warmest scarf). It's inexpensive, I believe I got it for $14.99 and is quite durable. I will likely be getting all of my winter accessories from H&M as well!

Back when it was warm enough to sit outside!

AND MY LAST OCTOBER FAVOURITE...

Chloe!!! Seeing as we just got Chloe this month, she is for sure an October favourite! She has settled in quickly, has grown and is such a pleasant little kitten. Her and Kenya love each other so much! Perfect addition to our little family.

THAT'S ALL! xx

Everyday Cleansing/Moisturizing Routine!

          For whatever reason, girls are incredibly interested in what other girls use in their pre-getting ready routine, the stage before you do your hair and makeup and figure out what you're going to wearing for the day. I suppose this is because it's such critical part of the daily routine, and people just want to know what works. And seeing as I haven't done anything of note lately that would be of any interest to blog about, I will show you what I have been using!         

Even though I do switch up my shampoo and face wash a couple times a week, this is what I grab on a regular basis. I try to only shampoo and condition my hair every other day, as it is bleached and can be quite dry. I would have to say that all of Bed Head's Products are amazing for putting strength and nutrients back into your hair. The Colour Combat Dumb Blonde Shampoo is no exception, and feeds my bleached hair extremely well! As mentioned numerous times before, I wash my face twice a day with my lovely Biotherm Hydra-Mineral Cleansing Toning Mousse in the Biosource range. Then for my body wash, I use Dove Visible Care Toning Creme Body Wash. I actually like to shave my legs with this as well, as it leaves your skin incredibly soft. You barely even need to moisturize afterwards. This will definitely be a continued favourite, especially for the price.

I try to use a treatment on my hair at least once a week, and leave it on for as long as I have the time to. Lately, I've been using my Bed Head Self Absorbed Mega Nutrient Conditioner and it gets the job done beautifully. You do need to use quite a lot of it, as it's not as thick as it seems, but it's worth it. Also, the citrus scent is amazing!

When I get out of the shower, I moisturize with my Coconut Body Butter by the Body Shop, which is my favourite in their selection. I can't get over how soft it makes your skin feel! However, I'm really not crazy about having to dip my hand into a pot, I find it a little unsanitary. If they come out with this same formula in a squeeze tube, I will be a happy, happy person.

After brushing my teeth, the last part of this routine is applying my L'Oreal Paris Ideal Moisture Radiant Tone Day/Night Cream! Although it could be a tiny bit more moisturizing, this has worked well for me so far, and I have been applying it both morning and night.

GOODNIGHT!! xx

High End Drugstore Products: Why You Don't End Up Spending More

                As you may have been able to tell from my previous posts, I am a big fan of drugstore products. I buy almost all of my hair and skin care products from Shoppers Drug Mart on a regular basis. It wasn't until a couple years ago that I ventured over to the "high end" section of hair care, and it was only this year that I discovered high end skin care. Now when I say high end, I mean anything that is over a certain price point. In Shopper's, they generally have these products separated into different sections. However, drug store high end is still only high end to a degree, as they try to keep these products below a certain price point as well. I think I only started checking out these products when I left home, as I was always discouraged from spending too much on anything. 

Having said that, there's something I've noticed since I began to purchase these products. I'm actually not spending more money. The large majority of drugstore users shop at these stores for deals and affordable products. Nothing wrong with that. Spending much more than $10.00 at a time on pretty much anything is a no no, and that's just how it is. And these products generally work perfectly fine, they do what they're supposed to. This year, I started to want to REALLY take care of my skin, and transform it from just okay to really nice, clear and radiant. Many will just say to cut out this and that, don't drink caffeine or diet pop, drink lots and lots of water, blah blah. I'm a student, realistically none of that is going to happen right now and I'm good with that! I have watched all kinds of beauty tutorials and reviews on YouTube for years now. As there are a multitude of beauty gurus out there, you can always find someone with your same hair or skin type. This has lead to me getting it right almost every time I've purchased a product that they've recommended. 

Countless reviews on YouTube have led to me purchasing my beloved Bioderma Sensibio H2O for the first time. I have never seen or heard a bad review on this stuff, and that's coming from girls of all skin types. Great, great stuff! Having said that, this cleansing water is more expensive than what I would typically buy. I had never tried a cleansing water before Bioderma, and would never really have thought to. However, from the first day I started using it, I noticed that it did amazing things for my skin. My skin felt softer, produced less oil and looked more clear. It also eliminated the need for another drug store product I was using on top of my makeup remover, to get a similar softening effect. I haven't repurchased this other product since. Interesting.

Oh Biotherm....how I love you. I just started using this product, and I'm obsessed! This is the Hydra-Mineral Cleanser Foaming Mousse by Biosource for normal to combination skin. I noticed a difference in my skin after using this product twice. I have to say, through all my years of buying Clean and Clear, Garnier, L'Oreal and even Neutrogena, there has never been a time where I've noticed such an amazing difference, especially in such a short period of time. I actually bought this product on a whim, as I have not seen it mentioned in a YouTube video yet on my usual subscription channels. This cleanser eliminated the need for a toner, as well as cutting down my use of Bioderma to only once a day.

Last but not least, another recent purchase, my Bed Head Self Absorbed Conditioner. After using this product for the FIRST TIME, my hair was so lovely, full of moisture and frizz free that it eliminated the need for any other product I would normally spray or scrunch into my hair after it was dry. It also did the job better!

All 3 of these products are in the "high end" category of the hair or skincare section of the drugstore, and all three have eliminated the need for at least one other product for me. The prices are not outrageous, they are all $20 or under. Don't get me wrong, there are so many great drugstore products that cost less than this. However, if you're going to end up spending the same amount anyway for 1 versus 2 or 3 products, do some research on what would really work for you. You may be surprised how much better your skin or hair gets from one amazing product.

TIME TO HAVE A NAP! xx

Mini Drugstore Haul!

        It's official.....fall is here, and winter is creeping up right around the corner. And both my skin and hair know it. This is the time of year where the products I use during the spring and summer officially stop working, and I need to put them aside and double up on moisture. I've witnessed the first dry patches of the season on my face, and I am not happy. It was definitely time for a trip to the drugstore.

I've actually never tried any of these products before, and they range from somewhat high end to the very cheapest you can get. 

I am really looking forward to trying the Biosource Hydra-Mineral Cleanser Toning Mousse I purchased from Biotherm, because I've never tried a product like it. This one is for normal to combination skin and has 150 ml of product. It's supposed to have a 70 mineral complex and balances your skin with zinc. It says that it will tone without drying out your skin, and that within 7 days your skin will radiate with a healthy glow. I nearly bought the same cleanser in the pink tube instead, which is the dry skin version. However, the sales girl told me that even though I'm getting dry skin now, it doesn't mean I have a dry skin type, and should stick to the cleanser for combination skin. I hope she's right, as I really need hydration right now! It seems to come out almost like a light clay mask, which is interesting for a cleanser. It spreads smoothly and feels nice on the skin.

Next, I needed to pick up something heavier than my Neutrogena Natural's Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer, as I'm currently not using any sort of a night cream. So instead of picking up the corresponding night cream, I chose the L'Oreal Paris Ideal Moisture Radiant Tone Day/Night Cream for all skin types. I'm a little concerned that this one may not be heavy enough for my skin right now. However, I decided to try it because it's meant to smooth the texture of your skin and reduce imperfections. Texture is something that I seem to have an issue with, especially on my forehead and around my nose where my pores are large. I also don't like the feeling of anything too heavy on my face, so I wasn't sure if I wanted to go for a full on night cream. So, we'll see if this works for me. I think I only like the smell of L'Oreal's face creams because they remind me of my mom. Otherwise, they don't do much for me! Anyway, it was on sale, so let's try it out and see if I like it!

There are SO many bloggers who go on and on about Wet and Wild, and how amazing it is for the price. There have actually been quite a few comparisons to brands like Urban Decay in terms of eyes shadows. I decided to just pick up a new top coat, so I got the Wet and Wild Wild Shine Clear Nail Protector for under $2.00. What I was most excited to see, was the collection that Wet and Wild created with Fergie, called Fergie Nail Colour. I've heard good things about it, so I chose the colour Gold Album. I've been wanting a gold nail polish for a while as I don't have any. Even though I love my Butter London, I don't necessarily think the more expensive the nail polish, the better it is. It would be great for me price-wise if I could get into these!

Lastly, I purchased Bed Head's Self Absorbed Mega Nutrient Conditioner. Lately I've only been buying products that are specifically for colour treated hair, but on the back it does mention that it's great for out of shape, chemically treated hair. My hair isn't as out of shape as it used to be, but it still definitely needs the extra hydration. It's meant to add body and shine, as well as work out tangles and feed dry ends. You can use this as a regular conditioner, or as a treatment that you leave on for about 3-5 minutes. I've only ever seen this conditioner in this size (250 ml) so hopefully a little goes a long way. It has a refreshing, citrus-like scent to it. I have high hopes for this product!

HAVE A GREAT NIGHT! xx