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    Summery Summary | part one, skin

    Okay, so maybe, mayyyybe the title for this post existed before the post itself did. What can I say; a good pun’s a good pun! (And this one, well, it was too good to pass up.)

    Anyhow: these are the products that I’m loving right now. For most of them, said love is highly dependent on the fact that it’s summer; for others, I just happen to be loving them while it’s summer.

    Body products I’m loving

    Emjoi Emagine epilator { $99review } and Johnson’s Baby Powder mini { $2 }

    I’ll be honest: when it comes to hair, I have a lot of it. (Well, not so much on my scalp anymore, but… everywhere else, still!) I’ve landed the unfortunate combination of pale skin, dark hair, and chronic fatigue – so shaving everyday isn’t an option, but neither is ignoring hair removal altogether.

    The cherry on top is that after a year of epilating, I can honestly say that I have finer hairs now than I did when I started. It’s a ridiculously boring task, but totally worth it in the end!

    Upper Canada Soap Fruit Frappé Body Lotion in Pear with mangosteen { $12 | review } and Vaseline Cocoa Butter Vitalizing Gel Body Oil $7 }

    When it’s really hot out, I prefer to go with subtle scents that stay close to the skin, and body products do a great job of fitting the bill. The Fruit Frappé has a deliciously fresh, juicy pear fragrance, and the gel-oil has a wonderfully rich (but not too heavy) cocoa fragrance. They both make me want to eat my own arm, of course, but so far I’ve been able to resist. 

    (Keep reading…)

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    Sneak preview: Clinique Lid Smoothies

    Clinique is adding a brand-new Smoothie to their lineup, and (unlike their lip smoothies), this is one that you absolutely cannot afford to miss. I’ve only been testing them for three or four days, but thus far, I’ve been really, really impressed with how well they wear.

    I’m holding out on the review and swatches until I’m completely certain these are as good as I think they are, but  you *need* to start lusting after these, STAT. I’m not sure of the US and international release details, but Canadians will start seeing these on counters next month (that’s just one week from today) and, well: they might just be “all that” –

    … and then some.

    (More photos…)

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    Orange you glad I didn’t say banana? | Marcelle expands its HYDRA-C range

    So, how excited are you for the products being added to Marcelle’s Hydra-C line? Because I think it’s pretty darn exciting!

    My skincare regimen is pretty much solid right now (might do a “what I’m using” post sometime soon, because I’m honestly loving everything sink-side right now) and I’m not sure which, if any, of these will be silicone-free, but all I can say is damn, Marcelle. That’s one hell of an intriguing press release you got goin’ there.

    This August (which is approaching at an alarming rate), Marcelle will be adding four products to their Hydra-C line. All four (erm, and a half) will be paraben and alcohol free, and like the rest of the line, they’re aimed at the 18-28 year old market. They’re priced appropriately for it, too, which is awesome – they range from $12 to $23 each.

    And did I mention, the Hydra-C line is orange? I don’t know why, but I’ve been really into orange recently in relation to skincare. (Erm, the colour, not necessarily the scent.) It just feels so fresh, y’know? *shrugs*

    (The products…)

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    Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balm | 01 Crystal Coral review and swatches

    The product: Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Balm in 01 Crystal Coral

    I left our feature of Crystal Coral until now because I’m convinced it’ll be the most popular of the three Instant Smooth balms – and if I’m wrong, well, shh, just don’t tell me! I’m the sort to leave the best for last, and it was the one you all seemed to be most excited for, so… *shrugs*

    Like Crystal Red (and unlike Crystal), there is actually a tint to Crystal Coral. It’s a really fresh, fun coral, which would probably qualify as orange – that is, if it was opaque rather than super-sheer. As it is, though, this simply imparts a really juicy-looking coral tint. Paired with its fruity, candy-like scent and tasty-looking translucence in the tube, it really does scream summer!

    A few links:

    • Our initial Crystal Lip Balm review for more photos, skin swatches, and a full review,
    • Dedicated reviews for Crystal or Crystal Red, which feature additional photos of all three plus lip swatches of each balm, and finally,
    • The green-on-green FOTD where Crystal Coral made a cameo, in case you want a full-face swatch.

    Okay – that’s all! I know I’ve been treating these balms like a little kid with candy (in more than one way, they look seriously tasty), but I promise this is the last post on them!

    Probably.

    Maybe.

    I think.

    (More photos…)

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    Don’t get Fresh with me, Diane Lai | Fresh body wash review

    I’m going to start this review with a fact: I hate writing negative reviews.

    Even more than that, though, I hate writing negative reviews for companies that I like. It feels a bit like I’m stabbing a friend with a dull, rusty knife in the back, and I alway feel guilty afterwards. At the end of the day, though, that doesn’t matter, so: don’t say I never did anything for you :P

    (Is it just me, or is this week like, negative review week at theNotice? This one, plus the Lancome one from yesterday, and the Benefit one from Monday, and I think I’m doing a semi-negative L’Occitane one on Friday. Gah! Sorry for such a Debbie Downer week.)

    The product: Diane Lai Fresh Daily Body Wash

    Okay, well, let’s start off with the things that I like about Diane Lai, shall we?

    I like the simplicity of the line (just three products so far), I like that they’re all free of parabens, phthalates, and silicones, I like that they’re made in Canada. I like that they’re marketed as being family-friendly, and that they use only BPA-free plastics, and that the products all target dry skin. I quite like the lightweight, lasting hydration of Rejuvenate, and I like that none of the products contain artificial colorants or fragrances.

    But when it comes to Fresh, I really, really, really do not like the scent. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that I hate it. It clings to my skin after I come out of the shower, hangs around my bathroom for the entire day, and just generally gets on my nerves. It’s very grassroots-herbal, which is very much not my cup of tea.

    While Soothe and Rejuvenate both feature a light, lavender fragrance, Fresh changes things up by bringing additional extracts into the mix: pine, ginseng, and coneflower (echinacea), to name a few. And, well, it just isn’t doing it for me!

    The verdict?

    With my weird fragrance ticks, Fresh gets a huge “never again!” in my books. But – well, I almost want to say that my review shouldn’t disuade you from giving the product a try (that is, if you can smell it in-store before buying), even though it’s thoroughly negative.

    The reason why is simple: my weird fragrance ticks are just that, mine. Lisamarie (Beauty Crazed) said in her review that “the best part [about Fresh] is the smell,” describing it as that of “an expensive spa,” and Gaby (Gaby’s Beauty Blog) thought that Fresh would be great for sensitive skin because she “didn’t really notice a scent.”

    So, basically – I didn’t like Fresh. I really, really didn’t. But… you just might ;)

    (Ingredients…)

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    A lipstick I could almost love | Lancome The New Pink

    The product: Lancome Color Design lipstick in The New Pink (sheen)

    There are three things that I can’t stand in a lip product: heavy scents, colour that moves around, and chunky glitter. This lipstick does a stellar job of the first two, delivering semi-opaque, slip-free, scent-free colour, but fails the third category miserably. Despite the gorgeous, perfect-for-summer shade (Lancome calls it a “perfect, not-too-bright medium pink,” and I have to agree), the amount of glitter loaded into this lipstick turns me off it completely.

    For those who like a shimmery lip, though, this would be a great product to go with. It’s a very flattering pink, and the formula is divine – lightweight, smooth, and moisturizing. I’d say the coverage is medium but layerable, but the finish is quite glossy for a lipstick )so even if it’s applied opaquely, you’re never going to end up with a really heavy, overly made up lip).

    All in all, I’m left a bit heartbroken by this one. The formula feels great and wears really well, and the colour is gorgeous, but the amount of silver shimmer (which, yes, I can feel on my lips) ruins it for me.

    Lancome Color Design lipsticks come in five finishes (cream, sheen, shimmer, metallic, and matte) and retail for $22 US/$27 CAD, though shades that are often featured as gifts with purchase (like this one) can be easily found for $10 or less online.

    (Ingredients and additional swatches…)

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    Benefit BADgal waterproof eyeliner in Espresso | review and swatches

    The product: Benefit BADgal Waterproof Eyeliner in Espresso

    It’s taken me forever to review this one, and I think that’s because we have a bit of a love/hate relationship going on. Before you read on, I’m going to remind you that (as always,) eyeliners can be very ymmv – that is, “your mileage may vary.” What works for you may not necessarily work for me, and vice-versa!

    The formula: The BADgal waterproof liner formula is smooth enough to easily smoke out, but not so smooth that I’d call it slippery. (Hello, Urban Decay 24/7, I’m looking at  you… and giving you the stink-eye!) For this reason, I do find it tugs a little bit going on; enough to notice but not enough that I think it’s a huge issue. It glides onto the waterline, which definitely gets it points in my books, and you have about fifteen seconds to work with it before it sets (which is plenty of time).

    The wear: As longtime readers may know, I’ve always had problems finding liners that wear well on my lids. Unfortunately, this is no exception.

    I can get a meagre hour or two of wear before I notice migration from the waterline onto the lower lashline, and from the upper lashline to my fold. That’s actually not bad for a pencil liner, when it comes to my monolids – a lot of them don’t even make it to the half-hour mark! I was still left disappointed, though: what good is a gorgeous smudgey eye if it won’t even last ’till lunch?

    (Note: while the liner resisted spritzed-on water within this time frame, it didn’t wear through water + friction. Water-resistant, perhaps, but not waterproof!)

    The packaging: The smudging end of Benefit’s BADgal waterproof liners is plasticky and smooth, rather than slightly rough and spongey. It’s something I haven’t seen on a pencil before, and it makes blending a breeze – even on my sensitive skin! (Smudging out eyeliner usually irritates the heck out of my eyes.) It’s something that I can definitely see myself using, even if it’s to blend out other pencil liners instead.

    The colours: There’s just three shades in this range right now – Charcoal, Espresso (featured here), and Black. All three are smooth, matte shades, without any bells or whistles, and (weirdly enough), I think this is probably the only matte medium-brown liner I’ve ever tried. Most companies either a) make a darker brown or b) sneak in at least a little shimmer or sheen, so don’t miss this one if you’re looking for really minimalistic colour.

    The verdict?

    This BADgal liner is a lovely matte brown, easy to smudge and brilliantly packaged – but it’s not without its flaws.

    All in all, I’d recommend this if you don’t usually have problems with wear and you live in the US (where it’s $20). It does a stellar job of creating a natural “my eyes but better” look in under a minute (and you could quite literally do it with one hand tied behind your back), but while it lasts longer than Urban Decay 24/7 or Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners on my lids, I don’t think it’s worth the $26CAD price tag.

    (Ingredients and more…)

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    A summer lip of the day with Bobbi Brown and Etude House

    Just something I’ve been wearing recently! I love the way the brown tones in Heather Buff tone down the brightness of Berry Red, and the formulas work well together, lasting quite a while but wearing really comfortably.

    Used: Etude House Dear Darling tint in Berry Red (review and swatches) under a sheer layer of Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Colour in Heather Buff (review and swatches; also seen in this LOTD)

    I’M HAVING AN INDECISIVE SUNDAY, OKAY? You can’t make me do trivial things like choose a reasonable number of photos of the same thing or try to properly colour balance these photos.

    I mean, that’s just ridiculous! Ridiculous.

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