February 17, 2016

This week I'm obsessed with... Physicians Formula Bronze Booster 2-in-1 Glow-Boosting Bronzer + Highlighter

Having a blah day and need to perk yourself up? Bronzer on it's own will usually do that but throw in a highlighter enhanced with 24K gold and that's a party on your face my friends!

Physicians Formula Bronze Booster 2-in-1 Glow-Boosting Bronzer + Highlighter - $19.99 - in Light to Medium and Medium to Dark - in an awesome, sparkly gold compact containing 2/3 bronzer - with a high-performance, long-wearing, velvety smooth formula that glides onto the skin delivering a sun kissed glow that lasts up to 24 hours and 1/3 highlighter - with a 24K gold infused formula that applies a veil-like luminosity to the complexion, leaving behind a refined sparkling golden sheen.

It contains exclusive triple-action bronze boosting glow activator technology to provide an instant and lasting bronze glow that easily builds for the desired level of bronzing along with kapi kacchu seeds and phospholipids - to moisturize and help extend the glow; ceratonia siliqua - a carob tree extract that works with skin to naturally enhance a healthy looking bronzed tone; and vitamins C & E - to improve skin's clarity and radiance.

Just keep in mind that a light touch with the bronzer this time of year is what you are going for - just enough to make people wonder (and envy) if you've been someplace warm!

Available now at drug and mass market retailers across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

February 16, 2016

Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft-Matte Hydrating Foundation

Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft-Matte Hydrating Foundation - 30ml - $15.99 - in 12 shades: Warm Porcelain, Porcelain Ivory, Ivory, Classic Ivory, Nude, Creamy Natural, Sandy Beige, Pure Beige, Natural Beige, Honey Beige, Caramel and Coconut - with a unique and refreshing gel-whipped formula ideal for normal to combination skin that offers medium coverage that leaves the complexion perfected and smooth with a velvety, soft-matte finish that stays hydrated for up to 12 hours. 

I have combination skin and the formula worked great on me to begin with - my oily bits were less oily and my normal parts felt comfortable - but I only got about 6 hours wear out of it before it started breaking down in the oily areas and I had to reapply to smooth out those areas - the rest of my skin was fine though so I probably wouldn't recommend this for skin that is oily all over but keep it for skin that is normal to lightly combination.

There is a Dream Velvet Blender applicator also available - I haven't tried it so can't give an opinion but from the pictures it looks to be a beauty blender on a handle - which could make it easier to hold on to.

Available now at drug and mass retailers across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

Essie Spring 2016 Collection - with swatches!

Essie Spring 2016 Collection offers a spring escape to the sunshine state with a collection inspired by Florida and every shade of fun in paradise and reflect the spirit of chic retreats and luxe resorts in Palm Beach.
High Class Affair - amorous blush nude
Shades On - mysterious deep violet
Pool Side Service - refreshing cerulean blue
Lounge Lover - pretty pink peach
Off Tropic - lush grove green
Sunshine State Of Mind - blazing coral tangelo

Available now for $9.99 each at salons, drugstores and other beauty destinations across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

February 15, 2016

Red, tight and uncomfortable skin is banished with Dr Renaud!

Whatever your skin concern - dryness, acne, rosacea, aging - Laboratoire Dr Renaud has a personalized solution to solve the issue. With products that are researched, developed and manufactured in Montreal, they combine the best that science and nature have to offer by creating modern, targeted and - most importantly - effective solutions for the spa as well as at-home products.

I recently visited Sandy at Panorea Skin + Spa in Toronto to see what Dr Renaud would recommend for my skin. She decided to give me a Rosa-C Professional Treatment which is great sensitive skin, prone to redness which offers skin relief of discomfort and tightness; a decrease in irritation and sensations of warmth; immediate overall comfort and a radiant complexion. It's an especially great treatment for those who suffer from rosacea which I don't, but was having a sensitive skin day so Sandy thought it would really benefit my skin. I should have taken a before and after pictures because it was really impressive how just the one facial, without doing anything else took all of the redness out of my skin and left it clear and glowing!

As well, I have been trying out some of the at-home products - and while I am impressed with all of them, there are a few that I am loving in particular including the DermaPure Gentle Cleansing Foam, the Loose Powder SPF 50 Sunscreen - and:
Dr Renaud Tolerance Nourishing and Desensitizing Cream for fragilized skin - 50ml - $63.95 - in a light emulsion formula for normal to combination skin, formulated without any fat substances or rich emulsion formula for dry skin with a creamy texture for intensive protection against cold and dehydration - that offers an instant relief and ultimate protection with a 24H nourishing, soothing, desensitizing and  highly-protecting formula specifically created to provide maximum relief and well-being for sensitive, delicate skin. With a paraben and mineral oil free, 100% vegetal complex, supercharged with actives to  protect stem cells, the skin is intensely protected, instantly soothed, visibly stronger and calm.

This has been a skin-saver in the recent cold weather, my skin would normally be a red, flaky mess from the bitter chill and wind. The cream does a nice job in protecting it though so while it is still a little red, I haven't experienced any dry patches or flaking at all!

If you are in the Toronto area, you can get your Dr Renaud facial or product fix at Panorea Skin + Spa located at 416 Bloor Street West - 416-530-0781 - otherwise check out the Dr Renaud website for a spa near you - http://ldrenaud.com/en/.

- Lisamarie -

Mascara Monday - Marcelle Volum'Xtension Magnetic Mascara

Marcelle Volum'Xtension Magnetic Mascara - $12.95 - enhances the appearance of lash length, thickness and volume for dramatic lashes.
With its three different levels of bristles, this flexible polymer brush perfectly plumps and thickens lashes by ensuring that each lash is covered and stretched out to the max!
It separates and defines lashes to give them incredible length and definition for a fuller appearance.
There was absolutely no clumping or flaking but I'm not sold on the thickening aspects of the formula - length and definition is great but it's not super-volumizing so it that's your jam, this formula will not be your first love.

Available at drugstores across Canada and online at www.marcelle.com.

- Lisamarie -

February 13, 2016

Elizabeth Arden Sunset Bronze Summer 2016 Colour Collection

Inspired by the breathtaking summer sunset, and as sick of cold weather as everyone else, Elizabeth Arden introduces the new Sunset Bronze Color Summer 2016 Collection to capture the multicolored warmth, beauty and mystery of dusk and the night to come and bathe the skin in an alluring golden-hour glow any time of day.
Sunset Bronze Prismatic Bronzing Powder in Warm Bronze - $48 - Limited Edition - a silky bronzing powder diffused with golden shimmer for a reflective, sun-kissed glow. The compact houses a prismatic combination of bronzing and highlighting shades formulated with skin-perfecting ingredients including vitamin E and argan oil to help minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles and moisturize. It comes complete with a half-moon brush for easy on-the-go application. Perfect for all-over bronzing or contouring.
Sunset Bronze Prismatic Eye Shadow Palette in Summer Seduction - $50 - Limited Edition -  features five highly pigmented shades to create endless eye looks, from natural to dramatic. With a long-wear formula that provides vibrant lasting color and mica based pearls that allow the shadows to reflect light off the lids for a multidimensional effect.
Sunset Bronze Prismatic Lip Gloss - $25 - Limited Edition - in Midnight Kiss - soft pink, Moonlight Kiss - lavender and Sunset Kiss - champagne - with a conditioning formula containing aloe vera and vitamins A, C and E to soothe, protect and nourish lips with moisture and packed with lustrous pigments and multidimensional pearls to provide a prismatic effect and color-changing capabilities created by light reflecting on the lips.
Sunset Bronze Prismatic Highlighter in Eclipse - $34.50 - Limited Edition - with a creamy, luminous formula that glides effortlessly onto the skin to illuminate cheeks and brow bones. When applied, ultrafine light-reflecting pearls create a multidimensional effect. Added skin-hydrating ingredients like aloe vera, zinc PCA and vitamin E condition the skin, while ultrafine powders and spherical micro powders ensure a smooth, silky product application.

Available now at select Hudson’s Bay, Shoppers Drug Mart and London Drugs stores across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

February 12, 2016

StriVectin Hair - cracking the science of ageless hair with 3 new collections!

You already love StriVectin skin care - get prepared to love their new hair care line - StriVectin Hair just as much! 10 years in the making, the line pioneers the science of ageless hair by tackling the ten most common signs of aging hair including: hair fall & thinning; split ends & breakage; dullness; dryness; brittleness; frizz & porousness; coarseness; flat & lifeless; lackluster & loss of colour; and unruliness.

There are 3 collections, each of which targets a particular concern: restoring, volumizing and colour care - and all of the products include patented NIA-114 technology which works to immediately and cumulatively: nourish and rejuvenate the scalp; revitalize hair from root to tip; and improve hair health, appearance and manageability.

Ultimate Restore Collection - for women with weak or thinning hair who want to restore strength, fullness and resilience from root to tip with a formula that deeply nourishes and revitalizes hair while reducing breakage and rebuilding resilience and strength root to tip for a total transformation of damaged strands for thicker, fuller looking hair. Available in the collection is:

Ultimate Restore Shampoo - 250ml - $25 - gently balances the scalp's pH to comfort and cleanse without stripping hair's natural oils. Formulated with NIA-114 technology,  Kerapepitide Strengthening Complex - a powerful combination of Hydrolyzed Sweet Almond Protein, Soy and Keratin and Lemongrass Extract - to coat hair and protect it from environmental stressors and penetrate into the cortex of the hair fiber to deliver vital nourishment fir improved tensile strength.

Ultimate Restore Conditioner - 250ml - $25 - regulates moisture to minimize breakage and protect against future damage caused by environmental stressors such as heat styling, colouring, UV exposure and chemical treatments. Formulated with NIA-114 technology, Kerapepitide Strengthening Complex - a powerful combination of Hydrolyzed Sweet Almond Protein, Soy and Keratin, Argan Oil, Panthenol and Shea Butter - that hydrates the cuticle and provides moisturization to minimize breakage and split ends to repair weak, brittle hair leaving it softer, shiner and stronger.

Ultimate Restore Deep Repair Mask - 160g - $39 - intensively treats scalp surface to restore essential hydration, repair damage caused by environmental stressors and dramatically improve the condition of overworked strands. Formulated with NIA-114 technology, Fibramend Ceramide complex - a potent blend of ceramides, Sugar Alcohols Lactitol, Xylitol and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein - to reinforce hair follicles and cuticles for improved resilience and strength while deeply nourishing for renewed shine, enhanced manageability and increased softness from root to tip.

Ultimate Restore Densifying Foaming Treatment - 90ml - $44 - rebuilds strength and resilience to minimize hair strand loss and support natural anchoring of hair. Formulated with NIA-114 technology, Vitacycle Optimizing complex - that includes plant bio-technology inspired phyto-extracts Larix Europaea Wood Extract and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Pea Sprout Extract and Polyquaternium-68 - to nourish hair follicles and normalize the scalp, crating the optimal environment for a new hair cycle for hair that is thick, strong and revitalized.

Max Volume Collection - for women with fine or flat hair who are looking for volume and radiance that won't weigh hair down by plumping strands to deliver weightless luster, lift and fullness while amplifying body and bounce. Available in the collection is:

Max Volume Shampoo - 250ml - $23 - gently lathers to cleanse the scalp and hair of excess buildup and impurities. Formulated with NIA-114 technology, Protensile Amplifying Complex - a powerful combination of hydrolyzed soy and vegetable proteins, Panthenol, Silicone Quaternium and Sunflower Seed Extract - to form a film around the hair shaft to protect strands while amplifying overall body and bounce for weightlessly cleansed ahir that appears full, soft and radiant.

Max Volume Conditioner - 250ml - $23 - nourishes and increases strand diameter for improved thickness, manageability and strength without weighing hair down. Formulated with NIA-114 technology, Protensile Amplifying Complex - a powerful combination of hydrolyzed soy and vegetable proteins, Panthenol, Silicone Quaternium and Moisturizing Complex - a combination of wheat proteins and starch - to form a film around the hair shaft to protect strands while amplifying overall body and bounce for weightless and conditioned hair that appears full, soft and radiant.

Max Volume Root Lifting Spray - 150ml - $26 - delivers volume from root to tip while priming hair to achieve maximum body and bounce that lasts all day. Formulated with NIA-114 technology, Polymer Plumping Complex and Panthenol - to coat the hair shaft in a non-sticky film to lift from the root while plumping and invigorating the finest strands of hair, imparting weightless, workable hold.

Max Volume Bodifying Radiance Serum - 50ml - $35 - increases radiance and luster without weighing hair down. Formulated with NIA-114 technology, Lumiphyto Complex - containing Hydrolyzed Mullein Flower, Beet Root Extract and Rice Seed Protein - to enhance strand volume and shine on even the finest hair with a non-greasy formula that absorbs quickly and leaves hair soft and radiant with visible lift.

Color Care Collection - for women with colour-treated hair who want to protect colour fade while enhancing vibrancy and addressing damage due to treatments, it fortifies over processed hair to deliver strength, shine and colour vibrancy.

Color Care Shampoo - 250ml - $23 - gently cleanses with a sulfate-free, non-stripping formula while forming a shield around the hair cuticle to defend against colour fade. Formulated with NIA-114 technology, Chromalast Protein Complex - a combination of Artichoke Leaf Extract and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, and Panthenol - to strengthen damaged hair by balancing each strand's moisture level and promoting normal keratinization to nourish, hydrate and cleanse scalp and hair without stripping strands.

Color Care Conditioner - 250ml - $23 - fortifies over processed strands to maintain the integrity of colour treatments. Formulated with NIA-114 technology, Chromalast Protein Complex - a combination of Artichoke Leaf extract and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Beet Root Extract, Conditioning Quaternized Honey, Sunflower Seed Extract and Shea Butter - to soften and hydrate stressed strands while protecting against the fading caused by environmental factors and styling.

Color Care Vibrancy Booster - 125ml - $27 - enlivens natural or coloured tones while infusing hair and scalp with moisture. Formulated with NIA-114 technology, Revitaglaze Complex - comprised of Baobab Seed Protein and Beet Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sunflower Seed Extract and Tamarind Seed Extract - to target signs of damage and smooth the hair shaft while hydrating and strengthening strands for improved condition and luster.

Color Care UV Protective Spray - 90ml - $29 - a lightweight spray that shields hair root and fibers from oxidizing UV rays and environmental stressors damaging to colour's condition. Formulated with NIA-114 technology , Multi-Shield Antioxidant Complex, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Flaxseed Extract, Tamarind Seed Extract, Sugar Alcohols Lactilol and Xylitol - to form a protective, soothing barrier for the scalp while helping to preserve keratin levels for stronger hair strands.

That's a lot of new products and my big question was if I had to stick to just using the products in one collection or if it was okay to mix and match from all three lines - I have coloured hair, which is also fine, and at this time of year, dry - and I was assured that it was absolutely fine to do that and is the way the line is meant to work - like making a personal prescription for your hair! So I prescribed my hair the Color Care Shampoo & Conditioner, Max Volume Root Lifting Spray and Ultimate Restore Deep Repair Mask - to help combat all of my hair concerns and leave it looking soft, shiny and fabulous!

Available now at retailers across Canada including Murale and Shoppers Drug Mart.

- Lisamarie -

Fragrant Friday - The Body Shop Black Musk and Red Musk

Nothing says have a sexy Valentine's Day like musk - and nobody does it  quite like The Body Shop - after all they are the ones who pioneered cruelty-free musk - so enjoy a couple of their steamier versions to help you  turn up the heat:

The Body Shop Black Musk - 60ml EDT - $30, 50ml EDP - $35, 20ml Perfume Oil - $25 - a dark and sensual oriental gourmand musk with notes that include bambinella pear, pink pepper, bergamot, licorice root , heliotrope, ylang ylang, black musk, black vanilla, vetiver and patchouli.

The Body Shop Red Musk - 60ml EDP - $37, 100ml EDP - $45, 30ml Perfume Oil - $24 - an intensely different feminine fragrance with notes of tobacco, pepper and cinnamon and absolutely no flowers, making it a feminine without being girly-girly.

Available now at The Body Shop stores across Canada and online at www.thebodyshop.ca.

- Lisamarie -