Follow:

    Sephora Collection Holiday 2021 Gift Guide

    sephora collection holiday 2021 review holiday vibes 3

    My Sephora Collection Holiday 2021 package came a little late this year (and then I was super busy), so this is sneaking in just before Christmas—but oooooh, these babies are good. I love a Sephora holiday collection, and 2021’s is no exception. These affordable, brightly-coloured gifts are perfect for makeup lovers who are still putting together their collections, and one item in particular (a post-Christmas advent calendar) is the perfect last-minute gift.

    This isn’t the whole collection by any means, but these are my favourite picks of the year.

    sephora collection holiday 2021 review holiday vibes 4

    Sephora Collection Holiday 2021: “Holiday Vibes”

    For Sephora’s 2021 Holiday collection, we’re talking lipglosses. We’re talking longwearing liquid lipsticks. (I love theirs — they’re not the very best on the market, but they’re really, really nice for the price.) We’re talking silicone-free masks for your hands, face, and feet; super-soft makeup sponges; cinnamon hand creams. We’re talking multi-purpose colour sticks, lip balm ornaments, massive eyeshadow palettes, and really wonderful lipglosses.

    One of the things that makes Sephora Collection’s holiday offerings so great is that they introduce you to a lot of the brand’s fan-favourites. I love their house brand for makeup basics, and their holiday sets are an even better deal. (Especially if you can nab any of the stragglers during Boxing Day sales!)

    sephora collection holiday 2021 review holiday vibes 8

    This year, Sephora’s holiday offerings introduced me to the brand’s Sephora Collection Outrageous Plumping Lip Gloss ($16 CAD). These glosses, included in 01 Universal Volume, 02 XXXL Nude, and 05 Plump It Up Red, are delightfully sheer and minty. They’re lightly sticky, but in that “hot girl from the mid-2000s” kind of way—not so sticky that hot guys won’t want to kiss you.

    With their sheer colour and tingling minty effect, these are a beautiful “my lips but better” colour. If you’re just picking up a gloss on its own and have missed the holiday sets, 05 Plump It Up Red is my favourite! It’s a gorgeous, natural-looking, shimmer-free plum that I just can’t get enough of.

    sephora collection holiday 2021 review holiday vibes 10

    The Sephora Collection Holiday Vibes advent calendar

    The Sephora Collection Holiday 2021 collection features two calendars. One is a traditional calendar that takes you from December 1st to 25th. I always love these ones from Sephora Collection, because Sephora’s contains a ton of great, tiny products that are perfect for travel. They’re usually around $50, and every door contains a great mini gift—unlike Chanel’s viral $1025 CAD advent calendar, which basically just contained stickers.

    Sephora’s traditional advent calendar is great, but their other is genius. Sephora Collection’s Holiday Vibes After Advent Calendar is a post-Christmas advent calendar, and each drop-down box contains two miniature gifts to get you from December 26th to the 31st. You get twelve items in total (all pictured here) for $25 USD, making it the perfect last-minute gift for a Christmas lover that you have yet to check off your list.

    Absolutely flippin’ genius, you guys.

    sephora collection holiday 2021 review holiday vibes 11

    sephora collection holiday 2021 review holiday vibes 13

    This is my last post of the year and I’m already one glass of bubbly into the evening, so I’ll leave you with this one musing: why are we starting our advent calendars on December 1st when we could be using them to get through the after-Christmas slump instead? I mean, that way, they’re giftable, affordable, and honestly—necessary. So many of us are off from work at that time, slogging through thick snow and trying to schedule distanced coffee pickups with friends, only to find that every single local business is closed for the holidays.

    Here’s to more after-advent calendars in 2022. Have a wonderful holiday season!

    Disclaimer: This post contains product samples and affiliate links. 

    Share:

    The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA Moisturizer review and more: 2021 Winter favourites & gift ideas

    the ordinary natural moisturizing factors ha review feature

    2021 has slipped through my fingers like a precious beauty essence, but I couldn’t let it end without sharing a few of my favourite gift ideas of the year. I’ve struggled to get amped for the holidays in the pandemic (like a lot of people I know), and these are coming in late. It’s never too late, however, to nab something nice, like the breathtakingly-affordable The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA Moisturizer.

    These products are a really lovely treat for yourself, as well as a fantastic bundle of things to pick up in-store or order for late delivery. Let’s start with a Clarins Calm-Essentiel review, then talk about two additional silicone-free moisturizers that I’m really loving right now… including The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA.

    A lot of my holiday gatherings have been postponed until 2022. (Tentatively also labelled as “whenever we collectively feel like we have enough information about Omicron’s spread to keep ourselves safe” and “whenever all of our friends and family have gotten their booster shots.)

    As a result, my holiday planning this year is… chill. My family is doing a day of over-the-top snacks and desserts instead of a gift exchange. After that, the gift exchanges that are still on the table look like they’re slated for closer to January or February.

    So: let’s go get ready (late).

    clarins calm essentiel review

    Clarins Calm-Essentiel review

    Clarins absolutely kills me with their skincare launches. You know I adore their makeup line, but their skincare line is not all silicone-free. Launch after launch of theirs will come out looking absolutely beautiful, but it’s only every now and again that I can use the products.

    These Calm-Essentiel items thankfully fit into that category.

    Like the rest of the Clarins line, these products smell amazing. Both the Clarins Calm-Essentiel Soothing Emulsion ($52 CAD) and Clarins Calm-Essentiel Restoring Treatment Oil ($68 CAD) work wonders on my extremely dry skin, taking away the bite of the dry winter air within minutes. They feel somehow simple on my skin, providing gentle moisture as soon as they’re applied.

    I fell in love with the Guerlain SOS Serum during a facial a few years ago, but I could never get myself to bite the bullet and pay the $120 CAD-ish price tag. This Clarins Soothing Emulsion reminds me a lot of it, at half the price (and after something like a half-decade of inflation). It has a thiner moisturizer’s texture (not too wet), but makes my skin feel comfortable in the same way.

    I love the packaging, formula, and scent of these, and the fact that they do actually seem to calm the skin is the cherry on top.

    korres donkey milk moisturizer review

    Korres Donkey Milk review

    Clarins’ new moisturizers weren’t the only products I fell in love with this year. I also fell head over heels for the Korres Donkey Milk Moisturizer ($37.30 USD). It’s a rich, glossy face cream that sinks into dry skin beautifully, and unlike a lot of other products, I don’t need to layer it with an additional hydrating serum or face mist.

    This donkey milk moisturizer smells comforting in a way that I quite enjoy. However, it’s fairly strongly scented. The scent makes me crave using either this moisturizer or its matching cleanser; both work to gently exfoliate your skin, like other milk-based skincare products do.

    I’ve used this product on and off since the spring, and I’ve loved it every time. Its finish is a little greasy, but in the exact way that I really enjoy—I’m almost out of it, and already sad that I won’t get to hear the click-clack of an expensive glass jar at my fingertips each morning and night.

    the ordinary natural moisturizing factors ha moisturizer review and uses

    The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA Moisturizer review

    On the other end of the spectrum is this gorgeous The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA Moisturizer ($5.80 CAD) by Deciem. It doesn’t offer enough hydration for my face, but its super-smooth, scent-free, vegan, cruelty-free formula made me fall in love immediately.

    Deciem offers 23% off every November with the exception of Black Friday, so I seized my opportunity and stocked up on Natural Moisturizing Factors. I’ve been using the large tubes as hand creams around my apartment (they sink in SO quickly), and I have a stash of small ones that I plan to give out to future potential relationships. Being super sensitive to silicones can make dating new people tough, but at $5 a tube, The Ordinary makes it easy to make sure anyone with long-term potential has a moisturizer on hand that I’m not allergic to.

    This one is great for normal to oily skin, and mixes well with a serum for dry skin types. Or you can use it the way I do, and moisturize your hands with its smooth goodness 10x a day.

    holiday favourites 2021 anecdote candles review

    Anecdote Candles Holiday 2021 favourites

    As I mentioned up top, I’m just… not in the holiday mood right now, and neither is anyone else that I know. We all seem to be hitting the point of knowing that this pandemic is likely never going to end. It’s like we’re kids realizing that we won’t get our treat: last year, quarantine seemed okay, because it had a purpose. This year, we’re tired, and lonely, and they promised us a normal Christmas that we know is never coming.

    Anecdote Candles Snow Day ($42 USD) is my holiday dream (and solution). Its rich, sweet scent of sugar and sandalwood fills my entire living room even when the candle isn’t lit. Even in a year where the holidays don’t feel festive at all, Snow Day lights my craving for a long winter walk. It makes me hum Christmas carols, online shop for the perfect gifts, and turn my warm-glow lights on throughout my home.

    holiday favourites 2021 anecdote candles

    I received two sets of holiday candles from different companies to review this year, and I was shocked by how much better Anecdote’s are. The trios (the other Anecdote Candles I have right now are Spiked & Spiced, a fruity red wine and cinnamon, and Après Ski, which is spruce and cypress) have a similar scent profile, but they couldn’t be more different. Anecdote’s fruity winter scent is zestier and spicier; their tree fragrance is softer and filled with more longing; their sweet scent is butterier and sugarier. 

    These are really, really good candles—and they’ll get you through the rest of winter after the holidays are over, too.

    slip silk scrunchies 2021 review holiday favourites

    Slip Silk Scrunchies

    The last gift on my list this year is Slip, which makes super-smooth headbands, hair ties, pillow cases, and more to protect your hair and skin while you sleep. You know I love a good scrunchie set, so I gravitated toward Slip’s Mega Scrunchie Set ($49 USD) and Large Slipsilk Scrunchies ($53 CAD at Sephora).

    These soft, silky scrunchies have a beautiful, lustrous finish, and slide smoothly out of my hair when I inevitably tug my hair tie out before an impromptu nap. They’re a great gift for anyone with long hair, and are an especially nice treat for dry, brittle strands.

    Disclaimer: The products mentioned in this post were submitted by PR for editorial consideration only. The Christmas Grinch vibe was supplied 100% by yours truly.

    Share:

    Black Friday/Cyber Monday sex toy sales 2021

    womanizer premium blueberry review

    It’s been a minute since my last post. The past few months have been a whirlwind: I broke up with my last partner, finished moving all of my stuff into my new apartment, and ended up in the hospital with a ruptured ovarian cyst. (Y’all, it was seven centimetres. Worst weekend of my life.) Today isn’t about that, though: today is about the best Black Friday/Cyber Monday sex toy sales of 2021.

    This post is going to be short and sweet, just to push me back into the swing of things. I keep getting emails with the most amazing BFCM deals, and when weighed against all of the questions I get about how to find a great, affordable sex toys, I kind of felt like I had to collate them all for you—sore ovaries or not. Here are this year’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday sex toy sales, only from my very favourite shops. 

    (Before we go too far in, I’d like to say: the breakup was amicable; it was months ago; we’re both doing well; and yes… Fern still comes for visits. You know those breakups that have a low, dull ache because you both still like each other, but it’s also kind of okay because you both knew things weren’t working out? Yeah.)

    This post contains affiliate links. Click here to read my Womanizer Premium review (above) and here to read my We-Vibe Wand review (below). 

    we vibe wand attachments review flutter stroker

    Black Friday/Cyber Monday sex toy sales in Canada

    Come As You Are: 25% off online with code WSRSF3

    • 25% off everything online except binders, gaffs, and books
    • This offer stacks on top of the Cheap Thrills section
    • Free Canadian shipping over $55
    • All profits go to the Native Youth Sexual Health Network. Man… it does not get better or more ethical than CAYA.

    We-Vibe: up to 50% off sitewide (based on product) from Nov 24th-29th, plus an additional 10% off with code EXTRA10

    • We-Vibe Touch for $92
    • We-Vibe Tango for $53
    • We-Vibe Sync for $116
    • Silver Delights Collection (Womanizer Premium + We-Vibe Tango, both in black 😍) for $200
    • We-Vibe Moxie Wearable Panty Vibrator for $100

    Womanizer: up to 50% off sitewide (based on product) from Nov 24th-29th, plus an additional 10% off with code EXTRA10

    • Womanizer Pro40 for $71
    • Womanizer Starlet 2 for $53
    • Womanizer InsideOut for $125 (I prefer this one over the Womanizer Duo, which is also a dual-stimulation toy)
    • Womanizer Premium for $157 (this is one of my all-time faves!)

    We-Vibe Moxie wearable vibrator

    Black Friday/Cyber Monday sex toy in the US

    Peepshow Toys: up to 25% off from Nov 24th-Dec 1st

    • 20% off discount from $10-$324
    • 25% off discount above $325
    • Free US shipping over $70

    SheVibe (my faves!): up to 25% off from Nov 24th-Nov 29th with code BEACH

    • 10% off orders $75+
    • 15% off orders $100+
    • 20% off orders $125+
    • 25% off orders $350+
    • Free US shipping on orders of $68+, after discounts and before tax
    • Excludes Eroscillator

    Spectrum Boutique: up to 25% off top brands from Nov 24-Dec 3rd

    • 20% off Dame Products from Nov 24th-Dec 1st
    • 25% off Fun Factory from Nov 24th-Dec 2nd
    • 20% off We-Vibe from Nov 24th-Dec 1st
    • 20% off Womanizer from Nov 24th-Dec 1st
    • 20% off Lora DiCarlo from Nov 24th-Dec 1st
    • 20% off Love Hamma from Nov 25th-Dec 3rd
    • Also on sale for November: Svakom, Shots, Holographic Bondage, and Blush
    • Free US shipping over $99

    We-Vibe: up to 50% off sitewide (based on product) from Nov 24th-29th, plus an additional 10% off with code EXTRA10

    • We-Vibe Tango for $44
    • We-Vibe Sync for $107
    • Silver Delights Collection (Womanizer Premium + We-Vibe Tango, both in black 😍) for $167
    • We-Vibe Moxie Wearable Panty Vibrator for $92

    Womanizer: up to 50% off sitewide (based on product) from Nov 24th-29th, plus an additional 10% off with code EXTRA10

    • Womanizer Pro40 for $62
    • Womanizer Starlet Snow for $44
    • Womanizer InsideOut for $116 (I prefer this one over the Duo, which is also a dual-stimulation toy)
    • Womanizer Premium for $143 (this is a total steal for one of my all-time favourite toys!)
    Share:

    Clarins ‘Blackberry’ Lip Comfort Oil review, photos, swatches

    clarins lip comfort oil blackberry review photos swatches

    The product: Clarins Lip Comfort Oil in Blackberry

    This, more than anything else, is the product that got me through this pandemic summer. When I started theNotice, the beauty world was all about Clinique Black Honey—Clinique even launched an entire Black Honey collection to celebrate it. But my love for Black Honey slowly waned with its warm, orangey undertones, and I was left wanting more from every consecutive lip product. All I ever seem to crave is a deliciously dark, sheer product that transforms your makeup look, and Clarins’ Lip Comfort Oil in Blackberry ($28 CAD) is it. 

    clarins blackberry lip comfort oil review

    The transformative love of Clarins ‘Blackberry’ Lip Comfort Oil

    Clarins launched their Lip Comfort Oils back in 2015, but somehow, I never managed to try one.

    That was a big mistake. Huge.

    The Clarins ‘Blackberry’ Lip Comfort Oil formula is gorgeous. It’s syrupy and plush, like clingy honey that instantly makes your lips look full and kissable. It wears well for a glossy formula, staying in place without pooling in my lip lines, and feels deliciously luxurious on its large, bouncy applicator.

    clarins blackberry lip comfort oil swatch

    Oddly, the thing that I perhaps love most about these oils is the way the applicator pop!s back into its tube when you’ve finished applying. It’s easy to apply just the right amount (I scrape the tip of the applicator on the edges of the tube before applying), and once it’s on, it stays on. My lips emerge from my KN94 face mask glossy and tinted, and kissably soft — never too sticky.

    I’ve been wearing Blackberry non-stop now for months. Its formula lasts and lasts, and feels comfortable and hydrating when it’s on. But more than anything else, it’s just… it’s so pretty. I’ve worn it to every single date I’ve been on this year, with what I can only describe as “resounding success.”

    clarins lip comfort oil shimmer swatches review photos

    More Clarins Lip Comfort Oil: Shimmers for the fall

    Time in a pandemic kind of slips away from you, doesn’t it? It does from me, at least. I started this review in the summer, while enjoying long, hot days and endless time on the floor with Fern; now, I’m finishing it in my own apartment, alone in the rain. (I don’t even have the same hair colour today as I did when I started this review!)

    Since I began writing this, and taking photos for it, I’ve moved, broken up, and started a new position with a very cool sex ed org. And Clarins has launched an entirely new set of limited edition Clarins Lip Comfort Oil Shimmer lip glosses, with slightly smaller applicators and super-glittery formulas.

    clarins lip comfort oil vs lip comfort oil shimmer

    Swatched in indirect sunlight over my struggling Boston fern: Clarins Lip Comfort Oil Shimmer in 02 Purple Rain (left) and Clarins Lip Comfort Oil in 08 Blackberry (right)

    clarins lip comfort oil shimmer swatches

    Clarins Lip Comfort Oil swatches, review: 08 Blackberry, 02 Purple Rain (Shimmer), and 05 Pretty in Pink (Shimmer)

    These Lip Comfort Oil Shimmers smell fruity and lipsticky, but they’re not the original formula with some glitter lazily crammed into the tube. Instead, they’re altered slightly so that the glitter sits perfectly on the lips. The Clarins Lip Comfort Oil Shimmer formula is less sticky than the original, with a natural-looking frost finish rather than a glossy one.

    These glosses look a little garish when swatched, but on the lips, they’re lovely — and can I say one more time: totally non-sticky!

    clarins lip comfort oil review

    The verdict on Clarins ‘Blackberry’ Lip Comfort Oil 

    I loved all three of these Clarins Lip Comfort Oil and Lip Comfort Oil Shimmers, but Clarins Blackberry Lip Comfort Oil is my holy grail. It’s the gloss I’ve waited my entire life for.

    Clarins’ lip oil formula is hydrating and comfortable; their packaging is playful but elevated; and their 08 Blackberry colour is just… it’s my ideal. This gloss is moody, sexy, and juicy, and I am tearing through it like an absolute fiend.

    Availability: 08 Blackberry Lip Comfort Oil ($28 CAD) is a permanent product available at Clarins counters. 02 Purple Rain and 05 Pretty in Pink Lip Comfort Oil Shimmer Sparkling Oils ($28 CAD each) are new and limited edition at Clarins this fall.

    These lip oils are silicone-free.

    Disclaimer: These products were gifted as samples for editorial consideration only. Features on theNotice are never guaranteed — only given in kind to exceptional products. 

    Share:

    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. 

    Share:

    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.

    Read more

    Share:

    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.

    Share:

    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. 

    Read more

    Share:

    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.

    Share:

    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.

    Share: