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    The best silicone-free deodorant reviews for back-to-school: My favourite summer finds

    mario badescu deodorant review

    Last summer, I tried a silicone-free deodorant that changed everything for me: No Pong. With its creamy texture and shockingly effective (yet silicone- and aluminum-free formula), it completely changed my outlook on natural deodorants. Its formula was creamy, comfortable, and effective, and I immediately set out to find something similar in stick form for better ease of application.

    After months of searching for new options and testing each one, here’s what I’ve been using.

    Why use a silicone-free deodorant?

    I’ve written about my silicone-free product regimen many times before. There’s nothing wrong at all with using silicones, and I actually love how they feel and perform—but, like many others, I happen to be sensitive to them.

    My skin can tolerate a small amount of silicones in a powder-formula product, but stubbornly refuses to work with liquid silicones. Even kissing someone who’s wearing a moisturizer that contains silicones can be enough to give me a rash and subsequent acne breakout, so I do my best to eliminate silicones from my (and my partners’) regimens.

    Deodorants and anti-perspirants are the area that I’ve found it’s most difficult to do that in. There aren’t a lot of options available, and frankly, a lot of the ones that are silicone-free by coincidence just don’t work very well!

    silicone free deodorant review mario badescu

    Mario Badescu: The best silicone-free deodorant

    I love Mario Badescu’s acne products, so it feels like fate that their new Mario Badescu Deodorant ($14 USD at Ulta) is what’s keeping me from breaking out. I can hardly begin to describe just how much I love this deodorant.

    Unlike anything else I’ve ever tried, the Mario Badescu Deodorant is luxurious. It feels like skincare for your underarm, not a preventative product keeping smells at bay. Its packaging is gloriously heavy and well-machined, with a lid that twists on so satisfyingly.

    With a vegan formula that’s free of parabens, baking soda, aluminum, and silicone, this is a great pick for anyone with sensitive skin. It features sage, cucumber, and ginger root oils to combat odour in a base of coconut oil, arrowroot powder, and shea, and it works like a charm.

    I never have to reapply this deodorant throughout the day, and I never have to rub it in. Mario Badescu absolutely nailed the perfect texture with their long-lasting formula, and it smells spa-like and fresh with notes of powder and cucumber. It really is the best silicone-free deodorant. 

    mother dirt probiotic deodorant review

    All natural silicone-free deodorants

    I’ve been testing a few other deodorants as well, to varying degrees of success. For a lot of this, I’ve been using my partner’s pits, which I find are a more conclusive test of how long-wearing a deodorant will be.

    We’ve been going through Native deodorant ($12 USD) left and right. It’s easy to apply and easy to re-order, but I haven’t been happy with it. The formula is a little softer than what I like, and I find that the only reason we buy so much of it is because my partner has to reapply by midday—and really, what’s the point of a deodorant that doesn’t deodorize?

    So, the testing continued.

    Next, I tried Mother Dirt Deodorant ($16 USD), which is a probiotic deodorant with lemongrass. (The probiotic Graydon Skincare Berry Rich changed my life, and I’ve been into probiotic skincare ever since!) It’s fairly effective, and I love its earthy, lemongrass scent. But the Mother Dirt brand is on the pricey side, and I never wanted to apply it. The formula is just a little bit too scratchy; too rough when it goes on.

    silicone free deodorant review

    More options from the drugstore and beyond

    From there, I looked toward a budget option from Schmidt’s. Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant (about $10 CAD) comes in a whole range of scents, and they’re so easy to find. I tried the baking soda-free Sensitive formula and gave my partner a Signature stick to try, and I found that they were more effective than Native deodorants—but the scents (while nice) are so strong.

    Each Schmidt’s formula is Leaping Bunny, EcoCert, and vegan certified, but for me, their formula was too creamy. I found myself having to rub it in, which defeats the point of switching from a tub or jar. However, with a wide range of scents (the Hemp Seed Oil and Rose smells just like rosewater) and affordable price point, they’re a good, portable option!

    schmidts vegan deodorant review

    Finally, I have to take a moment to talk about my two standbys. I still love Lovetica deodorant, but I can only ever find it on Amazon, and it’s often out of stock. I wanted something more reliable, even though I really felt like it was the best for invisible protection.

    And, if you’re really in a bind and you need to grab a stick of silicone-free deodorant between dropping the kids off at school and making it to a packed day of in-person meetings, look no further than Adidas Cotton Tech Absorbent-Deo. It’s available at most drugstores, and while it is far from chic, it is unexpectedly silicone- and aluminum-free!

    Disclaimer: This post contains review samples and affiliate links, which help keep theNotice running. 

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    Womanizer Premium Eco review, comparison

    womanizer premium eco review air pulse stimulator

    The product: Womanizer Premium Eco

    You know I love a Womanizer product. While the name doesn’t exactly rock my world, the brand’s products do. From their classic Womanizer Pro 40 to their exquisite Womanizer Premium, their first-to-the-market air pulse clitoral stimulation technology was so good when it launched that it’s something almost every major pleasure brand now offers. So, when Womanizer offered me a Womanizer Premium Eco to try around Earth Day 2021, I was psyched.

    The Premium Eco sounds, on paper, like everything I could ever want. It’s made from more sustainable materials and has more or less the same shape and functions as the Premium, which I love.

    Make sure you read my Womanizer Premium review, too! These two toys operate the same way, so that’s where you’ll find info about charging, battery life, and sensation.

    womanizer premium eco size comparison

    What makes the Womanizer Premium Eco special?

    The Premium Eco offers 12 intensity levels, two stimulator heads of different sizes, Smart Silence technology, a non-plastic Biolene body, and a USB-rechargeable battery. The replaceable battery is estimated to last about 300 charges.

    When you’re purchasing sex toys, it’s hard to ever make a truly eco-conscious choice, because doing so would often sacrifice your ability to keep a toy clean and hygienic. The widely-accepted best option right now is to purchase silicone toys with a rechargeable battery, which reduces replacement waste but still creates product waste. Once a vibrator battery wears out after a few years, users have to throw out the entire toy — and body-safe silicone takes 50-500 years to break down in a landfill (source).

    womanizer premium eco recyclable replacable

    Image c/o Womanizer

    Like air pulse technology, replaceable batteries could be another major innovation from Womanizer if they catch on. You could own the same Eco body for decades, replacing only the battery when you have to, and the toy’s Biolene (a bio-based, recyclable plastic alternative made from renewable materials) body could be safely disposed of at the very end of its life cycle.

    Let’s say that your vibrator has to be replaced every two years, which is pretty average. If you start at age 20 and go up to 90, that’s 35 toys within your lifespan — and that’s if you only own one vibrator at a time!

    womanizer premium eco controls magnetic charger

    The Womanizer Premium Eco vs the Womanizer Premium and Womanizer Pro 40

    The Premium Eco lacks the Womanizer Premium’s Autopilot mode and IPX7 waterproofing. Instead, it offers 12 levels of consistent intensity and an IPX4 splashproof rating.

    Let’s talk about Autopilot first.

    I don’t love sex toy patterns, but I love Autopilot. If you haven’t used a Womanizer toy with Autopilot before, let the brand really sell you on it:

    “When [Autopilot™ is] switched on, the toy takes the lead. The 12 intensity levels vary at random, so you never know what comes next. You simply choose your mode (Soft, Medium or Intense) – and then give up control.

    For someone who hates patterns and is cripplingly indecisive, Autopilot is perfection itself. It delivers consistent stimulation so you’re not left hanging, but varies that stimulation within the boundaries that you set. I see it as getting to take the backseat for once, but still maintaining creative control.

    So, I’m a little disappointed that the brand took Autopilot off the menu for the Premium Eco. The two products are the same price, and honestly? Waste aside, I’d choose the original over the Eco for this feature alone! 

    womanizer premium eco review air pulse stimulator replaceable head

    Why I only buy waterproof sex toys

    The other side of this equation is simple: hygiene and maintenance. While the Premium Eco delivers a delicious sensory experience and breathtakingly quiet intensity, it just isn’t working as well with my lifestyle.

    I get that you have to give up waterproofing if you’re going to have a replaceable battery. I do. But… well, it bums me out regardless. I want to be able to sanitize my sex toys between uses, and the Premium Eco’s splash-proof body with all of its nooks and crannies can’t allow that.

    Being able to wash (not wipe!) your toys is extremely important if you’re sharing toys with partners. It’s essential if you want to use a toy after you’ve had something like a yeast infection. And even just month to month, it’s necessary if you, for instance, get a little period blood inside of a toy — if you can’t wash the inside of the tip, you won’t be able to fully get that blood out.

    womanizer premium eco silicone tip

    The inside of this ring & the lip around its inner edge need to be submersed to be thoroughly cleaned (at left: the smaller Premium head option)

    My verdict on the Womanizer Premium Eco?

    I really liked the Womanizer Premium Eco, and I love the intent behind it — but right now, I would still recommend the silicone-covered Womanizer Premium over the Premium Eco.

    If you want to prioritize waste reduction and you are the only person who will ever use your Premium, then go for the Eco. It starts at a gentle, silent (Smart Silence, at that!) level and builds to an intense crescendo, and is amazing for people who find vibrators too numbing. I’ve reached out to the brand to find out how to order a replacement battery, and I’ll update this post with that info soon.

    If you want to be able to wash your toy fully, however, I recommend the Premium in the silicone finish. It has a more luxurious texture overall, includes my beloved Autopilot, and is waterproof-submersible. That makes it bathtub-friendly and, importantly, washable!

    Availability: The Womanizer Eco is $199 USD/$219 CAD from Womanizer, who kindly sent these toys in for review. The Womanizer Premium 2, which is my preferred toy is also $199 USD/$219 CAD.

    P.S. Try the Womanizer Pro 40 for a mid-budget option (also available at Lovehoney). Or, try the Satisfyer Pro Penguin for a budget-friendly, super cute, gender-friendly toy.

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    HAVN Life non-magic mushrooms and smooth skin: theNotice’s Father’s Day Gift Guide 2021

    fathers day 2021 gift picks

    I didn’t think I’d be putting together a Father’s Day gift guide for 2021 that involved (non-psychedelic) HAVN Life shrooms and the in-shower facial of my dreams, but what can I say? Sometimes life comes at you fast.

    Get this for your husband/boyfriend/lover/self

    There are few things that the men in my life have loved more than the Aveeno Positively Radiant 60 Second In-Shower Facial ($13 CAD). Maybe my Mini Egg chocolate chip cookies, and definitely my tagliatelle carbonara, and perhaps something unspeakable that I may or may not do in the bedroom, but that’s it. This exfoliating mask isn’t marketed towards men, but in my opinion, it’s one of the single best products out there for skincare-lazy, heteronormative cis men.

    aveeno positively radiant in shower facial review

    The 60 Second In-Shower Facial is exactly what it sounds like. You slap it on for about a minute in the shower and rinse off for insanely soft, supple skin. It’s breathtakingly easy to use, simple enough that it won’t threaten anyone’s toxic masculinity, and a hundred times more effective than St. Ives. It does more in sixty seconds than some facials do in an hour, so you get to enjoy a partner with amazing skin—and they get to keep lording their three-minute showers over you.

    This silicone-free chemical exfoliator is super cheap (at time of publishing, it was on sale for $8.99 CAD at Shopper’s) and uses a mild glycolic acid for gentle, incredible exfoliation. I’ve switched to it since running out of both my Cane + Austin Glycolic Acid Scrub and Paula’s Choice RESIST Foam, and I have to say: it gives me smoother skin than either one, despite being a 1/3 of the price.

    I recommend the Aveeno Positively Radiant 60 Second In-Shower Facial ($13 CAD) for everyone, but I specifically love it for treating keratosis pilaris and rough, dehydrated Alberta complexions!

    skincare for men 2021 silicone free

    More men’s skincare to round out a regimen

    Maybe the cis men I’ve dated have just been too heteronormative, but rough foreheads have tended to come with one other issue: Man Stank™. It happens to many of us, across all genders, but it’s definitely a particular issue only for some.

    To treat Man Stank™, I recommend a three-pronged approach: ball-friendly stick or cream deodorant, an intimate wash, and a fresh-smelling moisturizer. I’ve been testing all three of these products on myself this June, and so far, I like them.

    clarins men energizing gel 2021

    The Clarins Men Energizing Gel ($35 USD) has a bright, woody fragrance that’s very Clarins-y, with super cool packaging and the world’s handsomest spokesmodel. (He’s a famous football player, a baker’s son, and a medical doctor. Like, what?!) I love the Energizing Gel for a lightweight moisturizer that literally can’t spill in your gym bag, and I can personally attest that it somehow manages to hydrate my dehydrated skin overnight.

    Lavido’s tea tree enriched Intimately Yours Wash ($24 USD) is great for all genitals and problem areas (that includes the underarm), and I’ve been testing the dry-touch Mother Dirt probiotic deodorant to pair—I really like that it’s silicone-free, so it won’t break me out.

    Find heaven with HAVN Life mushrooms & good posture

    These last two Father’s Day picks are… a little unusual. You know that guy in your life who’s always a little amped up on coffee and somehow finds a way to see god in a computer and occasionally just bursts through the front doors and announces that you’re going to Italy? These picks are for that guy.

    havn life review rhodiola relief mind mushroom

    For his physical work setup, we have a foam footrest from ErgoFoam that offers four levels of support. Its removable bottom and upside-down/rightside-up design gives you plenty of options to get the height just right. I’m also toying with the idea of a split keyboard (well, one for each of us, really), but that sounds like a 2022 thing to me!

    Then, for his work frame of mind, we have a couple of very cool new supplements from HAVN Life. HAVN Life has two sides: a supplement branch that produces non-psychedelic, vegan mushroom capsules, and a side that’s building research and product lines in the psychedelic space for therapeutic use. As someone who’s always been very interested in therapist-guided psychedelics for mental health wellbeing, I’m so excited to see where the company goes!

    Right now, we’re testing Mind Mushroom (for immunity and energy balance) and Rhodiola Relief (for mental fatigue and stress relief). Each bottle contains a 20-90 day supply, depending on your desired dose, and runs at about $50 CAD.

    What’s on the menu for your dad this Father’s Day?

    Disclaimer: The products mentioned in this post were supplied by PR for editorial consideration only. (Thrilled to have somehow ended up in a field where people send me non-psychedelic mushrooms???) This post contains affiliate links.

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    Guerlain Abeille Royale Serum review: The Eye R Repair Serum you *need*

    guerlain eye serum review abeille royale serum

    The product: Guerlain Abeille Royale Eye R Repair Serum

    I’ve waffled around eye creams for a long time. It’s a tricky situation: you really want something that works, but many doctors and derms don’t actually agree that any of them can possibly work. An eye cream, even one as good as the one featured in this Guerlain Abeille Royale Serum review, can’t do what fillers and eye lifts can—even one that’s $155 CAD.

    Regardless, I swear that some of my eye creams and serum do work. Sure, maybe they can’t do as much as injectables and lifts can, but as I rapidly approach thirty… I’ll take every little bit of help I can get.

    guerlain abeille royale anti aging eye lifting serum

    Guerlain Abeille Royale Serum review: The promise

    Guerlain loves its bees — and I love that it does. The brand’s main charitable focus centres on making sure the world will have bees for years to come, and it’s a symbiotic relationship that I can get behind. From donations to the Ouessant Island Brittany Black Bee Conservatory (ACANB) to something that, I kid you not, is called Bee School, they’re committed to their apiculturist roots.

    The world needs bees, and luckily for us, so does Guerlain. 

    The Guerlain Abeille Royale Eye R Repair Serum uses amino acid-rich Black Bee honey paired with royal jelly to nourish and tighten the thin skin under your eyes, with the promise of a brighter, less puffy eye area. It features a silicone-free formula that’s composed of 94% natural/naturally-derived ingredients, and comes with a beautiful Gold Drop applicator.

    guerlain abeille royale serum review shimmer

    What made me love the Guerlain Abeille Royale Serum

    Okay: the formula is good, the texture is amazing, and the scent is heavenly. 

    But none of that is why I love the Guerlain Abeille Royale Eye R Repair Serum so much.

    What takes this eye serum to the next level is ✨the shimmer✨. The shimmer on this product is unreal. I’ve tried dozens of shimmery eye creams, and likely hundreds more tinted moisturizers, luminizers, and shimmery bases… but this tops them all. 

    The effect truly cannot be photographed, and I will not try. You’re just going to have to trust me on this. I like to apply this on no-makeup days, pressing it all around my eye area and upper cheekbones, or I’ll do a double dose when I’m wearing concealer: eye serum, moisturizer, let them sink in; then, concealer/foundation, powder, and a sparing layer of eye cream to finish the look.

    guerlain abeille royale gold drop applicator serum review

    The Guerlain Abeille Royale Serum review verdict?

    I could not be more pleased to be doing a Guerlain Abeille Royale review, because it introduced me to my new favourite way to make my eyes look bright: simply make my cheekbones look so ungodly high and glowy that no one noticed my dark circles. 

    My verdict on this one? Get it. If you can afford it as a treat, it makes a phenomenal addition to your skincare and makeup regimen.

    (If you cannot afford it as a treat, the Good Molecules Yerba Mate Eye Gel is also very good. You’ll have to supply your own glow for that one, however, as well as your own cheekbones.)

    Availability: $155 CAD/$130 USD at Nordstrom, Sephora, and Selfridges. Permanent.

    Disclaimer: The product(s) mentioned in this review were supplied by the brand. This post contains affiliate links and a whole lot of cheekbone-lifting goodness. 

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    Last-minute Mother’s Day gift ideas in quarantine

    last minute mothers day gift ideas 2021

    Reader, I am so relieved that this will be my last major holiday in quarantine. Here in Canada, everyone will be eligible for their first Covid-19 vaccination before the end of the month—and their second likely by the end of summer. I’ve nabbed a few last-minute Mother’s Day gift ideas from the products I’ve been loving and the products that I have earmarked for my mom, but man, am I glad that this is likely going to be our last distanced Mother’s Day.

    We’ll be celebrating a little late to make sure we can fit in a safe, distanced visit, and I doubt we’ll be the only ones.

    mothers day 2021 2

    Luxurious body butters and grapefruit vibes

    I’ve gifted my mom a lot of beauty products over the years, but there’s only one that I can remember her actually loving: a rich, sensuous body butter from Lise Watier. It had the most amazing scent, and Watier’s gorgeous gold packaging made it an extra-special treat. It was the first of many last-minute Mother’s Day gift ideas I had, and would have made a way better gift than what my mom requested.

    (MOM. Why are you this weird.)

    That body butter is no longer offered. This year, I’m loving the lightly moisturizing Lavido Thera-Intensive Body Cream instead. At $60 USD, it’s equally pricy, but it has that same, fresh butter feeling that I love from a high-end body butter. Each scoop of the product carves off of the rest of the jar like something precious, and its aromatic blend of tea tree and lavender is soothing and low-maintenance.

    To pair, I’ve included Anecdote Candles’ Quarter-Life Crisis. It’s sold as having notes of grapefruit and mint, but to me, it smells like pink grapefruit (my mom’s favourite)! The two products are the perfect combo to use during a night to yourself, or for a mom in your life to use during a night that they’re having to themselves—perhaps with the splash-proof new Womanizer Premium Eco ($219 CAD).

    mothers day 2021 3

    Last-minute Mother’s Day gift ideas for beauty lovers

    I’ve also tagged in a few products that I’m currently testing and loving for the spring. Guerlain’s Abeille Royale Anti-Ageing Lifting Eye Serum ($155 CAD) is bonkers gorgeous. With a lightweight, shimmery, silicone-free formula, it makes my face absolutely GLOW.

    I apply generously (two drops are more than enough) and press the product in to my eye area and (importantly!) my cheekbones. The perfect shimmer gives the entire area a lifted look, and I lowkey can’t see past my cheekbones well enough to even get to my under eye circles.

    mothers day 2021 8

    I’ve paired my Abeille Royale serum with Guerlain’s KissKiss Shine Bloom Lipstick Balm ($49 CAD). This one is 258 My Kiss Glow, which adjusts after application. It was a sample, but I think I’m going to have to pop into a Shopper’s for 119 Floral Nude when I’m out. The sheer formula is right up my mom and my’s alley.

    The final skincare/makeup product on my radar for last-minute Mother’s Day gift ideas? Some Sun-è-Serum Drops from Ava Isa ($50 CAD). This gorgeous bottle has one of the strangest sunscreen formulas I’ve ever tried—a lightweight, dry-touch, SPF 35 mineral sunscreen. It comes out of a dropper bottle, and so far, I’m really enjoying using it overtop of my moisturizer. (Whether or not this shake-before-applying formula will be truly transparent on my mom’s darker skintone is yet to be determined.)

    Shopping my stash for last-minute Mother’s Day gift ideas: The hair edition

    My entire matrilineal line suffers from the same problem: we have really thin hair. (Except my sister, for some reason???) Each strand is average to coarse, but our follicles are dotted around our heads like a poppyseeds on a budget breakfast muffin.

    We also suffer from a problem of our own making. All of us, despite our chronically thin hair (and my sudden quarantine hair loss), refuse to put effort into styling it. At most, we’ll do some quick flatiron curls or a simple blowout. For the most part, however, we’re wash-and-wear folks.

    mothers day 2021 9

    I’ve been loving L’Oreal’s Wonder Water for getting my hair back into healthy, shiny condition, and I can’t wait to try the new L’Oreal Wonder Water Dream Lengths. It’s an in-shower rinse, like the original, and will hopefully be even better suited to my long hair.

    This month, I’ve been using the K18 Leave-in Molecular Repair Hair Mask, which I’ll hopefully be able to get my mom hooked on too. It. Is. Incredible. You don’t have to use a lot, but it makes your hair feel thick and strong. It’s like Olaplex that you don’t have to wait for. You get the best of both worlds (which I, unfortunately, didn’t get from both of my parents): effective results and a quick application that doesn’t require any styling or extra maintenance.

    Disclaimer: This post contains product samples and affiliate links.

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    JAW PAIN: Medical Botox for TMD Experience & Review

    how to get your medical botox covered by insurance

    I’m not a doctor, but I have pretty awful TMJ/TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder) — aka jaw pain. I’ve had it for most of my life, but in the past year, it’s gotten pretty bad. Here’s my full treatment story on getting Botox for TMD, from my pre-appointment paperwork to my 10 month results.

    (Please imagine in the necessary disclaimers here, and consult a professional wherever appropriate!)

    What got me interested in medical Botox

    I first heard about medical Botox in my teens. My mother’s coworker had gotten into a really bad car accident, and developed intense migraines shortly thereafter. He was off work for almost a year, and when he came back, he just couldn’t get through the day anymore. He had to stay in the dark at all times, missing big events in his kids’ lives and getting his screen time down to two hours a day. Eventually, his doctor recommended medical Botox — and it was the first treatment to offer any relief.

    Much later on, my friend Sarah Wu wrote about getting Botox injections to treat her chronic tooth grinding. I had lived with really terrible TMD for 15 years at that point, so my interest was piqued. Maybe there was something out there that could let me open my mouth without hearing a huge clunk; maybe I could go more than three weeks without excruciatingly painful physiotherapy!

    tmd botox relaxed before

    Relaxed and smizing, pre-Botox

    TMD options to try before Botox

    I started looking at my local Botox for TMD options in the spring of 2020, back when time still somewhat made sense. Pandemic closures meant that I couldn’t get to my TMD-specialized physical therapist on a regular basis, and after a few months without physio, I started experiencing blistering daily headaches.

    Ever since my jaw started acting up in my teens, I’ve tried everything from MRIs to custom splints. However, IMS (Intramuscular Stimulation, or Trigger Point Dry Needling) was the only thing that had ever actually helped my jaw. It works to release and loosen up my muscles, decreasing how “clunky” my jaw is upon opening. When I can get to it at least once a month, I largely don’t experience jaw-related headaches or jaw locking episodes. I get needled once a month, do some at-home exercises and stretching every day, and I’m more or less good to go.

    If you can find a specialist in your city, IMS for TMD is absolutely the first thing that I’d recommend for jaw pain. (Try asking your dentist for a physiotherapist recommendation, or searching terms including: jaw IMS, TMD dry needling, and TMJ physiotherapy.) It’s much cheaper and less invasive than Botox, and it’s a great place to start. Even if it doesn’t fix you up right away, a good IMS specialist can help you figure out how to target a future Botox treatment, which is invaluable.

    tmd botox relaxed after

    Relaxed and smizing, post-Botox by two weeks. 

    How I found my medical Botox specialist

    Okay: let’s go back to early 2020. The first few weeks of living with my jaw in a physio-free pandemic world were fine. I was eating lots of soft snacks and working on relaxing my jaw manually. However, by month two, I could barely open my mouth to eat. I was getting pulsing headaches every single day, and it was hard to make it through basic conversations. Just like my mom’s old colleague, it was hard for me to sit in the sun or stare at my computer screen.

    I called my GP for a telehealth appointment, and he recommended that I look for a dentist to ask about Botox. I started looking right away.

    tmd botox smiling before and after labels

    TMD Botox before & after. This was after my first session, so my muscles haven’t weakened yet. In these photos, what I notice most is my disappearing dimples, followed by my much slimmer jaw. I’ve also noticed that my chin creases move around and switch sides based on how much Botox is in my system, which was a surprise! Similarly surprising is that the lines around my nose and mouth are much, much deeper with Botox than without. 

    By June, I had found a dentist that was willing to prescribe Botox and inject it where I needed it, instead of (as many dentists will do) just in the superficial masseters, which are favoured for their clenching and grinding involvement.

    Does insurance cover Botox in Canada?: My experience

    Before we discuss my results, let’s talk about coverage. This is the toughest part of this review for me to write, because Botox is prohibitively expensive for most people. Here in Alberta, Canada, it’s about $1000 CAD for the Botox itself, plus a $250 injection fee at the dental office.

    Right now, I’m lucky. I had to fill out a Drug Special Authorization Request/Prior Authorization Request and petition my insurance companies to provide coverage, but one of them is covering my drug cost in full. It took weeks to get authorized, however, and insurance companies in Canada are just as stubborn as the ones in the US when it comes to denying coverage based on technicalities. (My secondary health plan denied my coverage simply because I ran out of room and listed two previous treatments on the same line of the form.)

    Whether or not you have coverage, if you’re at a point where you’re seeking medical intervention for your jaw problems, Botox is likely the most expensive of your options. In my case, it costs $1000 a year with coverage. Montly physiotherapy comes to around $400 per year with my extended healthcare coverage. However, I’ll age out of my current insurance plan soon, at which point I can expect to pay around $5k per year for Botox, compared to $1140 for physio at $95 per session.

    A quick note on coverage

    For those outside of Canada: We do have universal healthcare here, which is amazing! However, Canada’s universal healthcare plan doesn’t cover prescriptions, specialists, or dental work. Unless you can get a private plan (usually through your workplace) that’ll cover it, a lot of people are left paying for things like physiotherapy, mental health care, and medications out of pocket.

    tmd botox after 6 months review

    Two weeks after my second set of injections. This is the most paralyzed my face has ever been — drastically different from my “normal”!

    TMD Botox results: The month of injections

    I had my first Botox session for my migraines in July of 2020. My dentist informed me that I’d see maximum results in 14 days, and would likely need to come back every 3-4 months for the first few years. After 2 years, she said, most patients are able to go down to every 4-6 months.

    Each session takes about half an hour. Most of it is paperwork, and the injections themselves are quick and painless. If you’ve ever gotten a flu shot, this is much, much less noticeable. You barely even feel the tiny needles going in!

    My results are almost immediate after every session. Within a week, my headaches lessen. They went from daily occurrences to monthly flukes after just one session of Botox: suddenly, I could exist again without blistering pain! I could even have a few potato chips or a slice of bacon as an occasional treat!

    My primary Botox side effect was that my dentist injected too much Botox intra-orally during my first session, which made me unable to successfully swallow fluids for two months. (We corrected this in later sessions.) Additionally, I lose my dimples for about two months after every fresh Botox session — which is emotionally weird, but functionally great.

    All told, I’m overwhelmed by how effective Botox has been for my TMD headaches.

    Where we inject

    My dentist and I do a little bit of Botox in my masseters, platysma muscles, temporalis region, and occipital postural muscles every 3 months. I see the most benefit out of the platysmas, which sit on top of the SCM and flex out like little neck gills when clenched.

    tmd botox neck after

    These are your platysma muscles! It turns out they shouldn’t be strong enough to lift a small child with lol

    TMD Botox results: Six months later

    I’m not a doctor or a dentist, so I can only share my experience with medical Botox for TMD/TMJ. And honestly? I love it.

    I never would have gotten through this pandemic without medical Botox. It’s helped me get back to a normal life, and it’s a huge relief to be able to enjoy my daily diet of soft, jaw-friendly foods. My headaches are back to being very occasional, and relaxing my jaw feels easy. When I catch myself clenching automatically again, I know it’s time to top up my Botox.

    botox results 28 29 year old

    As I write this, I’m about 9 months out from my first session. I’ve had three rounds of Botox so far. My headache-free existence comes with a brand new face shape (the one from my childhood), and while it’s been tough to get used to, I love how much of my life I’ve gotten back.

    I was recently asked by my cousin if my face was somehow getting slimmer. And it is! My jaw muscles, which had gotten so overdeveloped that the lower half of my face has been wider than the top half for the last two years, are going back to their original (non-TMD) state.

    My masseters have lost about a centimetre off of each side of my face when I smile, and I’m thrilled by the idea of my body returning to itself. More than anything else, however… it’s amazing to be able to smile and eat again without pain.

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    How to find a therapist: My story as a queer Chinese person

    how to find a queer friendly therapist

    I talk a lot about being in therapy — but talking about how to find a therapist isn’t something that I’ve written about before on theNotice. While I adore my current therapist, finding her was a struggle. It’s difficult to find a therapist that fits well with you, and adding on layers of marginalization makes that process even more challenging.

    How I worked to find a therapist to fit my needs

    If you’re interested in trying therapy (or a new therapist), I’m sure you’ve already read a ton of articles about finding the right practitioner for your needs. You may have asked a friend for help, or discussed a referral with your doctor.

    So instead of telling you why you might want to see a therapist, or making recommendations about what kind of therapist is best, I’m just going to share what I did to find my therapist. 

    To begin, I hit up the Psychology Today listings in my city and started making a list. I sorted their therapists exhaustively: I wanted someone who could understand the immigrant experience, but as that isn’t something you can filter by, I looked instead for someone who spoke at least one language other than English. They had to be LGBTQ2+ friendly and offer sliding scale rates, even if there weren’t any sliding scale spots open on their roster. And, most importantly, they couldn’t just offer cognitive-behavioural therapy. I was so tired of uninquisitive, checked-out therapists handing me worksheet after worksheet.

    That left me with a list of about 40 therapists, so I further pared the list down by removing anyone who wasn’t trained in at least one of Jungian, attachment-based, or psychodynamic therapy — three styles that I’ve researched, studied, and found work well for me. I then looked up each therapist and removed anyone who didn’t list themselves as trans and sex worker friendly: I’m not letting some TERF or SWERF root around in my brain.

    Finally, I bookmarked each therapist who met all of those requirements and was a minority. And then I called each and every one to request to be added to their waitlist.

    how to find a therapist online

    Why you should always waitlist

    I ended up calling about a dozen therapists, half of whom had waitlists and none of whom had an open spot. Here’s my biggest recommendation for others like me: if you can contact a therapist that sounds like a good fit, leave your name and number. It doesn’t matter if you’re calling a dozen of them. It doesn’t even matter if you’re calling three dozen of them! Most therapists have a waitlist as long as their forearm, and the more lists you can get your name on, the better. You can always decline when they call back with an opening, but because that callback can take months, you should give your future self as many options as possible. 

    When I finally found my current therapist, I was burnt out on the therapy game. I had been seeing one of the other therapists I had been waitlisted for, but I didn’t feel like we were making a lot of progress. When that one broke down in tears partway through my last session (and then charged me $200 for the pleasure of handing her tissues for half an hour), I gave up and took a break from therapy altogether.

    About six months after that, my current therapist called to say that a spot had opened up — and boy, was I glad that I had put my name down so far in advance. Leaving myself so many options gave me the flexibility to find a therapist that isn’t just a good fit, butgreat fit. For once, I look forward to each new therapy session, and I feel like we really are making progress.

    A few more things I look for in each therapy session

    • Introductions should take no more than one session. Anyone who says to expect more than that is scamming you.
    • I can’t work with a therapist who I feel the need to please. If I’m making too many jokes and waiting for laughter, it’s a bad fit for me.
    • I will not, for any reason, give a therapist my professional portfolio. A good therapist should know to treat you like a client, not like a professional acquaintance — even if your fields of study overlap.
    • The right therapist for me will never play to my ego. Acknowledging my progress is healthy, but flattering my every choice is a sign that they’re covering up their own lack of skill.
    • A good therapist knows how to give you breaks & naturally loop back later.
    • A good therapist doesn’t repeat their mistakes.
    • However, a good therapist also doesn’t make a big deal about their mistakes. Your sessions should be about you, not them.
    • If a therapist is only recommending extra reading far beneath your knowledge level, they lack the training and experience that you need. Move on to the next callback on your list!
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    REVIEW: Good Molecules Yerba Mate Caffeine Eye Gel

    good molecules yerba mate caffeine eye gel review

    The product: Good Molecules Yerba Mate Caffeine Eye Gel

    Eye gels are one of those products that I just… don’t usually like. They’re just so finicky: most eye gels come in an unsanitary little pot or an awkward pump that gives you enough product for your whole face, and for the most part, they just don’t really do anything. I am loathe to use an eye cream or an eye gel, but the Good Molecules Yerba Mate Caffeine Eye Gel makes me excited to put my eye gel on in the morning.

    (And in the night. It’s that easy to use!)

    good molecules caffeine eye gel review

    The Good Molecules Yerba Mate Caffeine Eye Gel Packaging

    Good Molecules addresses my two main concerns with their caffeine eye gel. Their yerba mate formula is packaged in a small metal tube, which means that you have control over exactly how much product you’re using. Nothing goes to waste. Because of this, their shockingly cheap product ($6 USD!!!!) lasts and lasts and lasts.

    This tiny tube is easy to open and great for travel and tiny bathroom countertops, and it always makes me want to use it again. I’ve applied a little eye gel twice a day since I started product testing (about a month ago). A month is the longest I’ve ever lasted with an eye cream or gel with perfect consistency — probably by a few weeks!

    good molecules yerba mate caffeine eye gel ingredients

    Good Molecules Caffeine Eye Gel Ingredients & Texture

    The Good Molecules Caffeine Eye Gel excels in its texture and formula — which is listed by ingredient percentage for complete transparency, like every Good Molecules product. Its unscented formula is lightweight and silicone-free, and it isn’t greasy.

    I find that this Good Molecules eye gel takes a few minutes to sink in. After that, it isn’t sticky or oily. I’m prone to flaking under my eyes if my moisturizer isn’t cutting it; this eye gel keeps any flaking at bay. But it doesn’t do too much, either, noticeably de-puffing with regular use and wearing well under eyeliner.

    good molecules review eye cream

    I didn’t have enough yerba mate in the house to make this photo look good.

    The Good Molecules Eye Gel Verdict?

    The Good Molecules Yerba Mate Caffeine Eye Gel didn’t seem to help my dark circles with regular use, but it definitely made my eye area less puffy. (In that eye cream way that’s super noticeable to you, because it’s your face and you see it all the time, but that no one else can quite put their finger on.)

    I loved the tidy packaging and non-greasy formula of this caffeine eye gel, as well as its vegan, silicone-free formula. It’s worth buying! 

    Availability: $6 USD at Good Molecules. Permanent.

    Disclaimer: The eye gel mentioned in this post was submitted for editorial consideration, and linked with an affiliate link. Actually using it every day for a month, though… that’s all me, baby. And it has never happened before. 

    (Because I’m lazy. And because I usually find a reason to skip days.) 

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    Review: Graydon Intimacy Oil vegan body oil

    graydon skincare body moisturizer oil

    The product: Graydon Intimacy Oil

    The first thing that you need to know about Graydon Intimacy Oil is that this isn’t a Province Apothecary-type deal. That is: Intimacy isn’t a personal lubricant. It also isn’t an intimate massage oil, or an intimate moisturizer.

    Instead, the Graydon Skincare Intimacy Oil is a dry oil for the body. It’s kept lightweight by its MCT oil (caprylic/capric triglyceride) base and made richer with hemp seed oil. Blue tansy oil provides the beautiful colour within the bottle, and the formula is softly scented with all-natural extracts and oils.

    graydon skincare intimacy oil

    My first experience with Graydon’s Intimacy Oil

    My first experience with Intimacy Oil was… well, it was underwhelming. The oil wasn’t hydrating enough for Edmonton’s dry climate, and it didn’t soak in quickly enough for my erratic schedule. I was left worrying if it would stain my sheets (nothing is harder than getting body oil stains out of white cotton bedsheets), which isn’t a great look when you pair it with itchy calves and flaking skin.

    However, I was determined to make this oil work for me. I love Graydon Skincare, after all, and I love a good body oil.

    graydon intimacy oil review

    Online skincare consultations for the pandemic age

    It wasn’t until my session with Ingrid, Graydon’s new Holistic Skin Coach, that I gave Intimacy Oil another try. The session was seamless: it’s a simple video chat from the safe distance of your home, and Ingrid keeps each one running smoothly. The sessions are offered as complimentary 15-minute consults or 40-minute deluxe consultations ($40, redeemable in product), and they’re designed to help you choose the right products for you. As Ingrid shared, they’re also a great way to find out how to better use the products you already have.

    graydon skincare intimacy oil silicone free skincare review

    Ingrid recommended that I try layering my Intimacy Oil, which immediately made a difference for me. Instead of putting my oil directly on my shower-damp skin, I first misted my entire body with Face Food and massaged it in. Then, I spritzed Intimacy Oil into my hands (the mister top really just squirts out a light stream) and added it to the mix.

    Finally, I lightly patted my entire body with a towel and added a bit of extra moisturizer to my problem spots. (For me, that’s anything below the knees: shins, ankles, and feet.)

    graydon beauty review

    Trying Graydon Intimacy Oil again

    When I tried the classic Graydon Skincare method of creating a “smoothie” or a superfood meal with their products, Intimacy Oil worked like a charm. My stubborn shins stayed hydrated for the entire day instead of starting to itch at nighttime, and using Face Food made it easier to get them re-hydrated when I needed to.

    graydon intimacy oil ingredients

    Would I buy it again? Well, no — I make a point of not paying for the privilege of doing extra work with anything in my daily routine. But I love that the brand has a pandemic-safe knowledge base that you can access from home, and I love that I’m now going to be able to finish and enjoy both my Face Food and Intimacy Oil without wasting anything!

    (I also loved the skincare smoothie that Ingrid suggested with Berry Rich, and will be trying it as soon as I can: a thick layer of Berry Rich mixed with the brand’s Superfood Serum, left on for 30 minutes before being gently steamed off.)

    Disclaimer: The products mentioned in this post were submitted for editorial consideration only. My Holistic Skin Coach consult was also complimentary, but so are all 15-minute sessions! 

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    Review: Lelo Sila air pulse vibrator

    lelo sila air pulse clitoral toy review

    Review: Lelo Sila Sonic Clitoral Massager

    What makes the Lelo Sila so unique?

    Honestly? For me, what makes the Lelo Sila so unique is half aesthetics and half design.

    When you by a luxury sex toy (and I fully recommend that you should, if you can afford it), you enter a new class of products. There’s a huge jump in quality between $40-ish toys and $80+ toys. In cheaper vibrators, you’ll typically see buzzier vibrations, lower-quality materials, and a separate battery cost. In more expensive ones, you can expect waterproof bodies covered in velvety silicone, deeper vibrations, and USB rechargeable batteries. 

    I’ll talk more about other air pulse toys in the next section of this Lelo Sila review, but what you really need to know is that, on the whole, these products are all largely the same. There isn’t as much variation in air pulse toys as their is in vibration-based ones—at least, so far.

    lelo sila vs womanizer premium compared to we vibe melt

    What initially drew me to the Lelo Sila is its wide, flat “mouth.” I like the stimulation in most air pulse toys, but my one complaint is always that their opening is too pointed. It can make this type of toy more difficult to use, creating an intense sensation that’s easily broken by tipping your hand a little bit too much. My hope for the Lelo Sila was that its wide mouth would make it easier to balance the toy during use… And its supremely gorgeous design was just the cherry on top. My reluctance to feature Lelo on theNotice was overtaken by my hope that the Sila would be easier to use for disabled bodies; ones with things like nerve pain and joint damage.

    (Ones like mine.)

    whats included with the lelo sila

    Lelo Sila review: What’s in the box?

    What you get from the Lelo Sila

    While I still have my misgivings about Lelo, it’s been four years since my original post. Since then, Lelo has changed their branding to include more queer folx, more models of colour (especially BIPOC), and more bodies of different sizes.

    Perhaps this is all just in the wake of Black Lives Matter (and the dates on their Instagram timeline do seem to suggest this), but I’m glad that sex & wellness brands are finally making an effort. So, before I continue, I’d like to say that yes: they could be doing more, and I hope that they will do more. In this post, however, I’d like to focus on a toy that is marketed as being unique in its category, and therefore one that hopefully helps reach more bodies in the world.

    lelo sila review 8

    The Lelo Sila is small and velvety, with a silicone body and plastic gold plating. Its controls are hard to locate during use, but are beautiful and easy to press. It’s also easy to charge, with a waterproof plug (I think it’s a male coaxial power connector to USB) that won’t pop off in your drawer.

    (It’s so, so beautiful.)

    Lelo created the Sila around the idea of soft, gentle clitoral stimulation that would spread through a person’s entire erogenous area, and I think they hit the nail on the head. The Sila’s wide mouth gives it a gentleness that other air pulse vibrators do not have, and it seems to somehow pair air pulsations with vibrations, spreading the sensation gently across a wider zone. Its two hour charge time lasts for up to two hours, with eight vibration patterns an a 60 Hz rotation frequency.

    lelo sila review 6

    Comparision: The Lelo Sila vs the Womanizer Premium and We-Vibe Melt

    The Lelo Sila is a beautiful toy. I’m happy to report that its wide mouth and restrained motor really do help spread sensations deeper into your body, but I found that they were just a little bit too restrained for me — it was tough to get where I was headed. The Sila was easier to balance and gentler to manage (thank goodness) than the We-Vibe Melt; however, its round shape kind of makes it feel like you’re having a sex with a nautilus shell.

    I get the appeal of a pretty, circular sex toy, but to put it frankly, using the Sila during front-to-front partnered play is impossible. Trying to discern its controls without looking at them is even worse.

    lelo sila review 12

    I can see the Sila being good for others who struggle to balance clitoral air pulse toys, and it seems like an interesting way to bridge the gap between the small and large heads offered on toys like the Womanizer Premium. Its pairing of air pulsations + vibrations means that breaking the seal around your erogenous zone isn’t as big of a deal as it is in other toys, so it could definitely be a help for people with tremors and muscle weakness. (Huzzah!)

    I enjoyed the Lelo Sila, but its bonkers price tag ($269 USD SRP; $169 USD/$225 CAD at SheVibe) means that you’re paying for a premium toy and not necessarily getting the most premium experience. When compared with other air pulse toys, I preferred the Womanizer Premium to the Sila. The Womanizer Premium is more convenient for partnered play, has a wider range of sensations on both ends, and is much, much quieter. 

    lelo sila review 1

    The verdict of this Lelo Sila review

    I had hoped that the Lelo Sila would bring something altogether new to my life: an ergonomically-designed air pulse toy with a wide mouth, a flat base, and a fresh, fibro-friendly experience. It fell short of this dream, but it’s a decent toy nonetheless.

    lelo ad instagram 2020 copy

    Look! At! That! Mainstream! Inclusive! Language!!!

    Writing a Lilo Sila review also gave me the opportunity to touch base with a brand I haven’t been on speaking terms with in years, and I’m happy to be able to say that even Lelo is making changes to the way that they market their brand. While they still have a long way to go when it comes to highlighting a better variety of voices and bodies, this toy (marketed for clitoral use, with no mentions in the copy of “women,” “her pleasure,” etc) has come a long way from the Pinot (marketed “exclusively for bankers” — gag.)

    The winner of this review is not the Sila, though it’s a very decent air pulse toy. Instead, it’s the pleasure industry on the whole. When even the most problematic companies are making an effort to create a better, safer, more inclusive space for their consumers, we all win.

    Availability: Available with discreet shipping for $269 USD at Lelo, who sent this product sample in for review; $219 CAD at PinkCherry.ca (on sale for $175 CAD at time of publication); $169 USD/$225 CAD at SheVibe. Permanent. Available in three colours.

    Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this post were submitted for editorial consideration only, as well as affiliate links that help keep theNotice running. My opinions, salty as they are, are my own!

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