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The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Boosting Moisturizer review, photos

April 20, 2016

9 Comments

The product: The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Boosting Moisturizer for Dull, Tired, Grumpy Skin

Five years ago, finding a silicone-free moisturizer was tough. And, while it’s certainly not impossible anymore (thanks to the natural beauty movement, there are a whole ton more options nowadays), I find that a lot of the newer ‘cone-free brands are a little out of my budget.

Widely-available natural companies like Odacité or Pai make some awesome products (aside: I have a review of some Pai coming up!), but not everyone has $50+ to drop on a single bottle of moisturizer — or have the inclination to do so. So, here’s a silicone-free moisturizer from The Body Shop that clocks in at a nice $25 CAD.

The formula: The texture and scent of the Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Boosting Moisturizer are honestly just divine. It smells as bright, cheery, and citrusy as it looks, and it has a bouncy gel texture. The formula absorbs very quickly, and it feels almost watery when it touches the skin.

Despite the fact that this moisturizer didn’t have quite enough “oomph” for my skin, I tested it with my Hydraforce Hydration Detector and got more than decent results. Ten minutes after applying, my skin had gone up from 31% hydrated to 50% hydrated, and it outperformed all of the other moisturizers that I’ve tested so far. (Including, ironically, the Hydraforce ones!)

Best for: Where the Vitamin C Glow Boosting Moisturizer really excels, I find (other than in reminding you to eat your daily dose of vitamin C), is in acting as a little transporter vessel. It’s nice on its own, but it pairs really well with serums, whether it’s layered overtop of them or mixed in before applying.

I think it would be best for normal, dull, or dehydrated skin, but it’s a little heavy, and it’s definitely better for dehydration than dryness.

The verdict?

From the friendly-luxe packaging (you know; really nice and well-made but not breakable) to the citrusy scent, this “glow boosting” moisturizer is a total winner. It’s a great product for dehydrated skin, and really easy to find, too!

It doesn’t make me super glowy, but unlike my favourite DHC and Marcelle silicone-free moisturizers, the Vitamin C Glow Boosting Moisturizer is available outside of Canada/online. It’s also full of antioxidants, nice to use, and affordable, so if you want a ‘cone-free moisturizer that isn’t a hassle or an “investment piece,” definitely give this one a look.

Availability: $30 USD/$25 CAD. Permanent as of Summer 2015.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Moisturizers, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Silicone-free, Silicone-free moisturizers and serums, Skincare, The Body Shop

9 Comments

SkinCeuticals Emollience moisturizer review, photos

March 30, 2016

Rae Chen

4 Comments

The product: SkinCeuticals Emollience Rich, Restorative Moisturizer

I’ve been slowly testing a few SkinCeuticals products since November, and I’ve found a few that I love… and a few that I’m not so crazy about.

The last SkinCeuticals product that I posted about was their Simply Clean cleanser, which I was really fond of. So, I felt that it was only fair to post a review of their Emollience Moisturizer today, especially considering how many requests I’ve gotten recently for more ‘cone-free moisturizer reviews.

Spoiler alert: it made me feel like a sad, dry, completely unloved sponge.

What I liked about Emollience: I feel like starting with the good stuff today, and there’s definitely good stuff to be found here! For starters, the SkinCeuticals-educated staff at Rao Dermatology were super understanding about my sensitivity to silicones (which many brands are NOT cool about), and they made it easy for me to find products in the range that I could use.

Plus, Emollience is pumped up with sea algae, grape seed oil, and rose hip seed oil to hydrate skin in cold or dry climates, which sounds great. In theory.

What I didn’t like about Emollience: While all of that sounds great in practice, the mostly-water-and-sorbitol Emollience formula just didn’t work for me. It feels awesome going on and absorbs really quickly, but I found that it absorbed into my skin TOO quickly — it was basically gone within seconds.

Within 5 minutes of applying this, my skin feels absolutely parched. The effect is bearable if I mix in a really hydrating oil or serum, but even with extended use, my skin’s hydration levels didn’t normalize. I even tested Emollience with my nifty new Hydration Detector to see if maybe it was just a perceived feeling, but nope: my skin only went up 1% in hydration right after applying Emollience, which isn’t even outside of a good margin of error.

The verdict?

As much as I love SkinCeuticals as a brand, I cannot recommend Emollience to anyone else with dry skin. From the other reviews I’ve read, it sounds like it’s both not hydrating enough for dry skin & too pore-clogging for oily skin, and from my own experiences, I’d have to agree.

Even on the SkinCeuticals site, the people who love Emollience seem to be those with combination skin–not the targeted audience of “normal to dry skin.” Skip this one & save your pennies for the brand’s treatment products!

Availability: $60 USD though dermatologist’s offices & online at SkinCeuticals, depending on where you live. (See the SkinCeuticals site to find in-person locations!)

Tags: /Indie brands, Moisturizers, Product Photos, Product Review, Silicone-free, Silicone-free moisturizers and serums, Skincare, Skinceuticals

4 Comments

Marcelle Rouge Vitality reviews, swatches: Rose Classique, Angel’s Blush, Royal Berry

March 28, 2016

Rae Chen

8 Comments

The products: Marcelle Rouge Vitality Lipsticks in Rose Classique, Angel’s Blush, and Royal Berry

Happy Easter Monday, folks! I’ve been having the CRAZIEST Easter weekend this year, so my apologies for the lack of posts recently. It’s, uh, kind of graphic but I’m gonna share it, so skip down below the next image for the review.

My partner cut the tip of his finger off at work (which I have many opinions about; he was working on four hours of sleep following three 13-hour days when he had his accident), so that–that was a bit of a rocky start. It wasn’t just a little sliver or anything, either; it was a big ‘ol horror movie chunk. Then, on our way to Easter dinner, we got rear-ended just off of Jasper Ave in heavy traffic.

Thankfully, we left with as many limbs as we started out with, although not with as many car parts. So drive safe out there, kiddos! And go tell your families that you love them and stuff.

Marcelle Rose Classique, Angel’s Blush, and Royal Berry Rouge Vitality lipsticks

The formula: Marcelle’s Rouge Vitality Lipsticks have been my saving grace all month long. Whenever I’m having a rough day, I whip one out and put it on to cheer myself up.

See, the Rouge Vitality Lipsticks and I share a special bond. They’re my favourite lipstick formula ever, thick and carnauba wax-y and unscented with medium to opaque pigmentation. Unlike most lipsticks, they never slide around on my lips or apply unevenly, and they’re never drying. In fact, the formula is enriched with castor seed oil, aloe, and vitamins A, C, and E to slow down damage caused by free radicals, so they’re actually good for your lips!

Sure, they’re not as buttery as a trendy Bite or Guerlain lipstick, but they’re a really awesome–and often overlooked–lipstick formula. I thought they were being slowly discontinued in favour of the Marcelle Rouge Xpression line, but these three brand-new shades give me hope!

Marcelle Angel’s Blush Rouge Vitality Lipstick review

Marcelle Rouge Vitality Angel’s Blush lipstick swatch, review

The shades: Including these three, the Rouge Vitality line now offers 12 matte and shimmering shades. I really like their mattes, but they’re more of a soft matte, if you ask me — they go on creamy and settle into the lips with a soft, comfortable matte finish. The matte formula is actually my favourite thing about these lipsticks, because it sinks into the lips slowly, meaning you have no awkward fading, feathering, or drying out of the lip area.

I love the shade of 480 Rose Classique (a really pretty, cool pink), but it has a finely-milled shimmer finish, which can sometimes catch on my lips if they’re really dry. So, instead, I’ve been wearing 330 Angel’s Blush a lot — it’s that cream/matte finish in a warm, medium-toned pinky-nude shade.

Finally, there’s 200 Royal Berry, which is the darkest shade of the three. It’s more of a brick red on me, but I betcha it would be the perfect berry shade on someone with a warmer skintone. If you find that most berry shades pull outright purple on you, then definitely give this one a try!

Marcelle Rouge Vitality Rose Classique, Royal Berry swatches

Marcelle Rouge Vitality Rose Classique Lipstick review

The verdict?

Marcelle’s Rouge Vitality lipstick formula isn’t for everyone, but I love it. It’s classic and stiff, with a soft matte finish that wears incredibly evenly and never dries out my lips.

I would looooove to see more cool-toned matte shades in the range, but hey — I thought that the Rouge Vitality line was going to disappear entirely, so I’ll take what I can get! Angel’s Blush hasn’t left my handbag in weeks, and I’m really enjoying the shimmery Rose Classique, too.

Are any of you guys Rouge Vitality lipstick fans?

Availability: $10.95 CAD at Marcelle.com (US/Canadian shipping) and in drugstores & mass-market retailers across Canada. Permanent.

Keep reading!

Tags: /Canadian beauty, Indie brands, Lips, Marcelle, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Silicone-free, Spring/Summer 2016

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Jurlique Rose Moisture Plus serum, Antioxidant Cleansing Mousse reviews, photos

March 14, 2016

Rae Chen

11 Comments

The products: Jurlique Herbal Recovery Antioxidant Cleansing Mousse & Rose Moisture Plus Daily Moisture Balancing Serum

I like to think that I can admit my mistakes gracefully. I have no idea if this is true or not, but if it is, then the Jurlique skincare range is a great example of it.

I thought that Jurlique was just another well-marketed beauty brand, but I was definitely off-base in my assumptions. The two Jurlique products that I’ve been testing came in recycled, sustainably sourced paper cartons, feature natural and organic ingredients, and are stamped with expiry dates — March 2017 for the mousse and August 2016 for the serum, instead of that vague “6 months” crap that most brands will feed you.

There are plenty of natural and sustainable brands nowadays, but Jurlique has been doing the eco-conscious thing since way before it was cool. The brand celebrates its 30th anniversary this year (Happy Birthday, Jurlique!)

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Antioxidant Cleansing Mousse review

Jurlique Antioxidant Cleansing Mousse ($34 USD)

The Jurlique Antioxidant Cleansing Mousse is described as a “lightly whipped foaming mousse,” and I have to agree! Jurlique’s mousse cleanser isn’t like any other that I’ve tried — it’s enriched with jojoba, grape seed, safflower, and rose hip oils, and it actually feels whipped and lush rather than just foamy.

It’s the most hydrating mousse/foaming cleanser that I’ve tried, but it’s not perfect. Even though I like the formula, it’s still more stripping than a cleansing milk, so it’ll work better for oily and normal skin types than dry or sensitive ones. I think it would be awesome in helping to balance out a combination complexion, though, or a dehydrated/oily skin type!

Jurlique Rose Moisture Plus Daily Moisture Balancing Serum review

Jurlique Rose Moisture Plus Serum ($50 USD)

I’ve also been using the Jurlique Rose Moisture Plus Serum over the past few months, but while it helps maintain my skin’s moisture levels, it doesn’t get rid of my persistent dryness the way that a few of my other serums do.

I really like its silky texture and natural rose scent, but at $50, I just couldn’t recommend it to someone with chronically dry skin. If you have mild dry skin, then yes, this is a gorgeous silicone-free serum, but be warned: I found it to be only about as hydrating as Hylamide SubQ, SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel, and the super-popular Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Serum.

(Which, granted, a lot of people describe as super hydrating, so it really depends where you’re measuring from!)

The verdict?

Jurlique products are definitely a splurge, but I think you get what you pay for with the line. The packaging, delivery, and formulas are exquisite, and I was actually surprised that these products didn’t cost more — $50 for a luxury serum is arguably pretty well-priced.

I didn’t find the Jurlique Rose Moisture Plus Serum hydrating enough for my skin type, but I loved the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Antioxidant Cleansing Mousse. It’s gentler on the skin than most foaming cleansers, and though it gets used up pretty quickly, it feels whipped (not foamy), which is quite the treat!

Availability: Jurlique.com. Jurlique is actually running a really cool new promo right now, where they will give you a $15 USD credit toward ANY purchase before March 15th if you sign up for their newsletter!

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Cleansing, Grouped reviews, Indie brands, Jurlique, Moisturizers, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Silicone-free, Silicone-free moisturizers and serums, Skincare

11 Comments

Elizabeth Arden Eclipse Sunset Bronze Highlighter review, swatches, photos | The prettiest spring launch! THE PRETTIEST!

March 3, 2016

Rae Chen

9 Comments

The product: Elizabeth Arden Sunset Bronze Prismatic Highlighter in Eclipse 01

I’ve really been feeling the whole “glistening golden glow” thing this season, but somehow, I didn’t have a single product in my collection that really fit the bill — until Eclipse came along.

It’s part of the Elizabeth Arden Sunset Bronze Summer 2016 collection, which is all about sunset hues and the bronzey look that the golden hour gives you.

Elizabeth Arden Sunset Bronze Prismatic Highlighter swatch (blended / heavy)

The shade: You guys. This is gorgeous.

The Sunset Bronze Prismatic Highlighter only comes in one shade, Eclipse, but it’s a stunning golden bronze colour. Ultra-fine mica and titanium dioxide shimmer gives a sparkly gold finish to a light copper base colour, and the stick texture blends out easily to a translucent shimmer finish that makes my cheekbones GLOW in natural sunlight.

Patting it into the skin offers a more intense sheen, and it reminds me of the Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector ($38 USD/$46 CAD) when patted — but with more controllable shimmer placement. (Am I the only one who didn’t really like Champagne Pop? Becca highlighters are so pretty, but kind of get everywhere on me.)

Elizabeth Arden Sunset Bronze Prismatic Highlighter in Eclipse, swatched (blended / heavy)

The formula & packaging: Elizabeth Arden’s Prismatic Highlighter formula contains silicones, but it is gorgeously creamy — and doesn’t seem to breaking me out in this concentration (yet). The texture is melty-smooth without being slippery, and it comes amped up with vitamin E, zinc PCA, and aloe vera leaf extract to nourish your skin.

Elizabeth Arden Sunset Bronze Prismatic Highlighter swatch (top), Clinique Chubby Stick in Hefty Highlight (bottom)

The only other highlighting stick that I use regularly is the Clinque Chubby Stick highlighter ($21 USD/$24 CAD), but the two are like night and day. The Elizabeth Arden stick is softer, creamier, stouter, and easier to blend, while the Clinique stick is firmer and disappears into the skin.

Both are stunning in their own way, but one is a cool-toned illuminator while the other is warm, intense highlighter. (In other words, you totally need both!)

The verdict?

Elizabeth Arden is one of those brands that can sometimes feel dated, but they absolutely killed it with their Sunset Bronze 2016 collection. The entire launch is tightly edited and beautifully packaged, and the Sunset Bronze Prismatic Highlighter is honestly the crown jewel of the whole production.

My only reservation about this highlighter is that it won’t be going into the permanent Elizabeth Arden line, so snap it up while you can!

Availability: $28.50 USD/$34.50 CAD. Limited edition at select Hudson’s Bay, London Drugs, and Shopper’s Drug Mart locations as of February 2016.

More pictures! »

Tags: /Cheeks, Elizabeth Arden, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Spring/Summer 2016

9 Comments

Tatcha Camellia Beauty Oil & Cleansing Oil review, photos | Tsubaki oil for normal/oily skin types

March 1, 2016

Rae Chen

10 Comments

The products: Tatcha Gold Camellia Beauty Oil & Pure One-Step Camellia Cleansing Oil

Happy Tuesday, folks! I’ve got a couple Tatcha camellia oil products to share with you today, because the line has finally been picked up by Canadian Sephora stores & can be easily acquired, no firstborn/evil witch promises needed.

The Tatcha line features a lot of Camellia japonica flower oil, which is sometimes called Japanese tea oil or tsubaki oil. It’s an ingredient that’s used frequently in skincare thanks to its oleic acid triglyceride content (85%, just like human sebum), and it contains lots of skin-friendly antioxidants!

Tatcha One-Step Camellia Cleansing Oil ($48 USD/$58 CAD)

I started testing with the brand’s One-Step Camellia Cleansing Oil, which is a dual-purpose makeup remover & cleanser from Tatcha’s Pure product range. It’s one of the brand’s bestselling products, and it’s easy to see why: it’s a naturally fragranced, mineral oil-free cleansing oil that washes away with no residue.

I’ve actually tried Tatcha’s cleansing oil a couple of times, and I wasn’t a big fan of it in the past. I found out why this time around, though: I wasn’t using enough of it with my trial size, and I kept testing it out at my boyfriend’s apartment (which is dry like a high-tech science experiment and totally confounds my product testing results.)

Now that I’m actually using enough Tatcha cleansing oil, I really like it. One pump removes all of my makeup, including eyeliner, and it leaves my skin feeling soft and clean.

I like a little more hydration from my daily cleanser, but this oil is super gentle, non-stripping, and non-greasy. It’s better for sensitive or dry skin than Shu Uemura or L’Occitane cleansing oils, and it smells way better than DHC’s Cleansing Oil (which I would otherwise slightly prefer.)

Overall, Tatcha’s cleansing oil is an awesome all-rounder. It’s a little pricey for a cleansing oil at $9.41 USD/oz, but it’s a formula that will work well for oily and dry skin, and it’s a great option for those with sensitive complexions.

Tatcha One-Step Camellia Cleansing Oil ingredients: view

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Rice Bran Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquicaprylate, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Water, Algae Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alcohol, Natural Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol.

Tatcha Camellia Beauty Oil ($95 USD/$114 CAD)

I’ve also been carrying around the Tatcha Camellia Beauty Oil, which is scented with natural bamboo and green tea fragrances. (It smells quite a bit like a Shu Uemura cleansing oil, actually!) It’s a light, dry oil for the face, hair, and body, but I reserve it for face use only — my body has done nothing to deserve a $114 oil.

Like Tatcha’s Cleansing Oil, this serum/moisturizer is formulated around camellia oil and is appropriate for all skin types. I like a serum that’s a little thicker than this, but this oil blend is just moisturizing enough for my dry skin while still being lightweight enough for my boyfriend’s slightly oily skin, which is pretty cool. (Boyfriend actually says it’s the best-feeling oil he’s ever tried, so score one for Tatcha!)

The Tatcha Camellia Beauty Oil is also formulated with olive-derived squalane, licorice root extract, and 24-karat gold flakes, making it great for regulating sebum production, calming down inflammation, and generally being super luxe. It’s also available in a 10 ml travel size, but the travel size is $33 — I’d say go for the full size and just enjoy how stately and luxurious the packaging is!

Tatcha Camellia Beauty Oil ingredients: view

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Squalane (Olive Origin), Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Natural Fragrance, Polyglyceryl-10 Pentaisostearate, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Macadamia, Rice Germ Oil, Water, Tocopherol, Licorice Extract, Rice Bran Oil Extract, Rice Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Alcohol, Glycerin, Algae Extract, Gold, Phenoxyethanol.

The verdict?

I really liked both of these products (they’re definitely going into my regular skincare rotation), but at the price… they’re not must-haves for me. My dehydrated skin was left wanting, which I think it slightly inappropriate for products that are this expensive.

If I had to pick a word to describe Tatcha’s brand identity and product ethos, though, I would go with “exquisite.” These products are beautiful right from the boxes to the ingredients, and I personally think that they outperform most department store brands at a similar price point.

I have yet to find anything in the line for super dry skin, but if you want to spoil your normal to oily skin, then give these two a try!

Availability: Tatcha.com and Sephora (US and Canada). Each full-sized Tatcha product purchased funds one day of school for a girl through the brand’s Beautiful Faces, Beautiful Futures partnership with Room to Read.

Tags: /Cleansing oils, Grouped reviews, Lips, Moisturizers, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Silicone-free, Silicone-free moisturizers and serums, Skincare, Tatcha

10 Comments

SkinCeuticals Simply Clean cleanser review, photos

February 1, 2016

Rae Chen

3 Comments

The product: SkinCeuticals Simply Clean Pore-Refining Gel Cleanser

The thing about SkinCeuticals’ Simply Clean cleanser is that it shouldn’t work for me… but it does. It’s everything that my skin usually hates, from the texture (gel instead of milk) to the target audience (oily instead of dry and sensitive).

But despite all that stuff, Simply Clean works wonders on my skin. I’m not sure how, but if I had to guess, I’d say probably magic. Maybe a crossroads deal; maybe a regular, ritualistic sacrifice. There are probably goats involved or something.

The formula: SkinCeuticals’ products are all formulated with the philosophy of “prevention, protection, and correction,” (AKA science! Science! Science!) and their cleansers are no exception. Simply Clean is formulated with a hydroxy acid blend to gently exfoliate dead skin cells, smoothing out rough texture and removing excess oils.

It’s made for people with oily/combination skin and great for those with acne, but it was recommended as part of my skincare regimen because some of my pores can get a little clogged. My skin specialist told me that it (unlike the brand’s Purifying Cleanser) would help gently lift the dead skin cells from my skin without requiring more treatment products or physical exfoliation, which my super-dry skin often needs help with.

The results: My skin burns in response to a good 70% of the non-milk cleansers that I try, but this one caused no reaction, even after weeks of testing. It still delivers a totally makeup-free, squeaky-clean result, and I’ve been really happy with it so far.

I feel like I’ve seen less surprise breakouts and milia since I started using Simply Clean every night, and even though it isn’t the line’s gentlest cleanser, it’s really non-reactive. It’s my only squeaky-clean cleanser that I can comfortably use, and that’s honestly such a novelty for me that I look forward to using this stuff every night!

(Yeah, the Friday nights around here are really wild.)

The verdict?

Simply Clean is a simple, no-nonsense cleanser that will gently exfoliate while cleansing and removing makeup. It’s best for oilier skin types, but it works well for anyone with clogged pores — yes, even us dry-skinned folk.

I’d skip it if you want conditioning agents in your cleanser, or if you have sensitive skin that isn’t clogged (in which case, the SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser would probably suit your skin better.) Overall, however, I am very, very impressed with this little dude! I know that cleansers are kind of boring, but this one performs so well that it’s my favourite product from the line — and the SkinCeuticals range is far from underwhelming.

(Reviews of SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel, Emollience Moisturizer, and Serum 10 upcoming.)

Availability: $34 USD/$39.50 CAD though dermatologist’s offices (see the SkinCeuticals site to find the one closest to you). Available online at SkinCeuticals, DermStore, SkinStore, and SkinCareRX!

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Cleansing, Extremely dry skin, Indie brands, Product Photos, Product Review, Silicone-free, Skincare, Skinceuticals

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Fountain The Super Green, Hyaluronic Molecule review & photos

January 27, 2016

Rae Chen

8 Comments

The products: Deciem Fountain 02 The Hyaluronic Molecule, 03 The Super Green Molecule

One of my resolutions for 2016 was to cover more indie brands & weird beauty finds, so today, I thought I’d talk about Deciem’s super-cool liquid supplements.

Beauty drinks aren’t a big thing here in North America, but they’re all over the place in Asia. You can take everything from collagen to sheep placenta (yes, really) in capsule, liquid, or even jelly form, and they’re all designed to make you prettier/plumper/smoother/etc. from the inside out.

Deciem’s Fountain range contains everything from Vitamin B12 to resveratrol, and all of the supplements are sweetened with xylitol, so you don’t have to worry about adding sugary syrups to your morning juice or water! (I push Xyla candy like they’re drugs. Cheap drugs. Drugs that are good for your teeth).

The Hyaluronic Molecule ($38 CAD)

The first “molecule” that I tried was the brand’s Hyaluronic Molecule, and honestly, it was a weird experience. It’s really thick and viscous, like slime or phlegm or (according to my cousin) semen, which is a texture that you don’t want to see in a product ever.

Texture aside (once diluted with a full glass of water or juice, you honestly don’t notice it at all), this stuff is pretty darn cool. It contains the only water-soluble, bioavailable hyaluronic acid supplement on the market, and it contains a lot of it: 130mg per serving, which is actually why it’s so goopy.

“With tequila” is probably not how the Fountain supplements were designed to be taken.

The Hyaluronic Molecule is also vegan-friendly and cruelty-free, and it’s said to make your skin softer and smoother, keep your joints mobile, and (again: yes, really) keep your eyes lubricated. Like any other supplement, though, I can’t say for sure if it’s really working, but I do like it. I know that it should be working, and I like the subtle ginger flavour, and that’s enough for me.

(If ginger isn’t your thing, Deciem also make a Fountain 10X Hyaluronic Molecule ($60 CAD), which is Jasmine Silver Tea flavoured!)

The Super Green Molecule ($28 CAD)

I’m currently taking The Super Green Molecule on days that I don’t eat my veggies (which, for the record, is totally not recommended by Deciem/Fountain), and I am loving this one.

The Super Green Molecule is very liquidy, very green, and kiwi flavoured. The deep green colour of this stuff makes me feel so healthy when I take it, and I know it’s no substitute for actual vegetables, but it’s better than nothing, okay? I mean, a single teaspoon of this stuff contains as much chlorophyll as SIX bowls of dark, organic leafy greens.

This Fountain ~~of Youth~~ supplement is also enriched with vitamins and minerals from sea kelp, and all of that colour comes from alfalfa-derived sodium copper chlorophyllin, which is a readily bioavailable form of chlorophyll that green gurus love for its ability to control body odour, help your body process out toxins, fight off yeast infections, and promote healthy iron levels.

Plus, I mean, The Super Green is super tasty.

The verdict?

You can never be sure what you’re actually getting when it comes to holistic products, but if I had to pick a cosmetic company that I trusted not to trick me into eating ants, it would be Deciem. They didn’t cut corners on these guys one bit, and it really shows: The Hyaluronic Molecule is literally full of so much bioavailable hyaluronic acid that it’s noticeably thick, and The Super Green Molecule is full of so much chlorophyllin that it’ll stain your tongue if you don’t dilute it first.

I’m not recommending these as a food or drug, but as a cosmetic adjunct to your routine, they’re quite nice. I say start with The Super Green Molecule and go from there!

Availability: $28 CAD & up at Fountain.co, which uses Deciem’s universal shopping cart (so you can buy your Hylamide at the same time!) and ships for FREE worldwide.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Canadian beauty, Extremely dry skin, Grouped reviews, Indie brands, Other, Product Photos, Product Review, Skincare, The Ordinary

8 Comments

Pür Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup SPF 15 review, swatches, photos | Porcelain vs Fair

December 28, 2015

Rae Chen

16 Comments

Pür Minerals 4-in-1 in Fair

The product: Pür Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Borad Spectrum SPF 15 foundation in Porcelain

Note: These images look a little off in Chrome. To get a really good idea of what these foundation shades look like, please view this post in a different browser!

According to my editorial calendar, I’m supposed to be writing about my 2015 favourites right now. And I am, technically, but my favourites roundup is going to have to wait just one more day, because this stuff? This stuff is too good for me to not blog about for even just one more minute.

The newly-reformulated Pür Minerals 4-in-1 foundation is, to put it simply, my favourite product of the year.

Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup SPF 15 in Porcelain

The formula: I’ve never found a powder foundation that has been just right for me before, so Pür Mineral’s 4-in-1 is kind of like my unicorn product. It kicks up a lot of dust when you pick up product, which is my only complaint about the formula, but it’s lovely — it has just the right amount of medium coverage, and its skin-like satin finish both looks and feels like you’re wearing almost nothing at all.

Pür Minerals’ 4-in-1 foundation is the kind of product that’s so good that it seems almost boring, but where it differs from other powder foundations is where it really shines. (Jayne went through a whopping three pans of the original 4-in-1, which I think really says something about how great it is!!)

I tried both Porcelain and Fair for this review, and weirdly enough, the formula is different for Porcelain vs. the rest of the line. Both formulas wear very well, in my opinion, but I did find that Fair oxidized a bit on me after about an hour!

Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup SPF 15 in Porcelain

Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup SPF 15 in Porcelain (L) and Fair (R)

What makes the 4-in-1 so special: My #1 pet peeve with foundations of any kind is that they can apply just fine, but then feel almost gritty by midday–sort of like a sunscreen, you know? Where they look fine, but if you touch your face with your hands, it feels dirty.

The Pür powder foundation feels velvety from application to removal, though, and the range runs really light — Porcelain is a perfect match for my skintone (I can even use a dense brush with it to apply as concealer), meaning it runs lighter than even the Make Up For Ever foundation range.

(MAC, unfortunately, don’t offer any silicone-free foundations, and mineral lines like Bare Escentuals would need to add another 1-2 light shades before I could find a match.)

Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup SPF 15 swatched: Porcelain, Fair

How I apply: I’ve been applying my 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Powder with the line’s Chisel Foundation Brush, but the brush is a little rough. Application is a breeze, though (I can finish my entire face in under 60 seconds), and if I want a completely invisible finish, all I have to do is spritz my face with one of my MIYU Beauty Essences and let it dry.

Pür Minerals is launching a number of new brushes in March (you heard it here first!) including a really soft-looking powder foundation brush, but I would love to hear your brush recommendations in the meantime!!

Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup SPF 15 in Porcelain, Fair

The verdict?

I’ve never really fallen in love with a foundation before. I’ve liked products (timeBalm and Sensual Skin Enhancer come to mind), but this–this is a whole other level.

The Pür Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup really does make me look like I’ve applied a flawless layer of foundation, concealer, and powder in under a minute (I’ve timed it), and it comes with unnoticeable SPF 15 (thanks to weightless titanium dioxide) and a silicone-, fragrance-, and paraben-free formula.

I wish that this was a little less than $32, of course, but for the perfect shade, formula, and packaging, I’m willing to pay it!

Availability: $28 USD/$32 CAD at Shopper’s Drug Mart (and online at their Beauty Boutique!), Ulta, Beauty.com, and Pür Minerals.

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Tags: /Base, Fall/Winter 2015, Holy Grail, Indie brands, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Pur Minerals, Silicone-free

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Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur & Dries Van Noten review, photos | The Gift Guide

December 16, 2015

Rae Chen

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Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur ($52 USD & up)

Have you ever owned a perfume that was just so gorgeously, inexplicably sexy that it made your eyes roll back a little?

For me, this scent has always been Frederic Malle’s Musc Ravageur, by Maurice Roucel. It’s an “amber oriental,” and ravageur is just the perfect way to describe it — it’s a visceral, punk kind of sexy, with clove and sandalwood on a cedar base shot through with vanilla. The original formulation, if you can find a bottle, opens on the skin with vanilla and gives way to the briefest window of just absolutely filthy musk before settling down.

I picked up a new travel spray of Musc Ravageur this past summer from the Holt’s on Bloor–the two men working the counter were just a joy to talk perfume with–and, as much as my love for this scent still endures, I am sad to report that even the pre-reformulation 2015 bottles of this scent are far less “dirty” than my bottle from 2008. It’s a change that perfumistas will hate, I think, but that most fragrance wearers will very much appreciate.

Even with the reformulation, Musc Ravageur is an absolute treat. I’ve been wearing it probably 4 days out of 7 this winter (which, for me, is like a love declaration written in blood), and it’s still quite a sexy scent. It feels a little more masculine without the animalic notes, but the tenacity is no less breathtaking — I can spray a scarf with this on Monday and still smell faintly like I rule the world on Friday.

Availability: $52 to $270 USD at Neiman Marcus, Barneys, and Holt Renfrew ($245 CAD and up; travel sprays available only in-store).

Dries van Noten par Frederic Malle Eau de Toilette ($56 USD & up)

While I was picking up my new bottle of Musc Ravageur, I was introduced to Dries van Noten by Frederic Malle, an “olfactory portrait” by Bruno Jovanovic that tells the story of Dries’ life in a bottle. (Pictured here is a rather gorgeous sample vial.)

It, too, is described as an oriental by the brand, but Dries is an entirely different beast than Musc Ravageur. It has much more throw than Musc Ravageur, and yet feels more organic: sweet and comforting, like a heavy sweater in a musty old library.

This one takes me back to Toronto in the summer, but I think the opening is a little too sweet for me to buy a full bottle. It develops nicely on the skin, though; soft and sugary with an Indian sandalwood base, and it makes me think of powdered lemon biscuits with tea at midday. Somewhere hot, perhaps — a leafy green rainforest that wraps you up in humid air and puts you softly to bed.