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

March 3, 2016

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

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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

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A-Derma Epitheliale AH, Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer, and more | New 27/02/16

February 27, 2016

Rae Chen

2 Comments

Happy Saturday, folks! I know I’ve been dragging my feet when it comes to posting this month (I messed up my abdominal muscles and man, it is really hard to blog lying down), but here’s a little “New This Week” instalment to keep you going for a while!

It’s been a couple of months since the last time I did one of these, if I’m not mistaken — did you miss ’em?

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”1429647″]

And two products that have come across my desk recently that I (cry) can’t use because of silicones…

I was super excited for both the A-Derma Epitheliale A.H. Ultra-Repairing Cream, which is designed to accelerate skin repair and reduce the formation of scars (something that I desperately need), and the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer, which brightens under-eye circles and comes in both correcting and concealing shades, so I’m really bummed that I won’t be able to review them for you guys!

I’ve heard amazing things about the new Ultra HD Concealer from a few of my fellow bloggers, but I’m afraid I haven’t heard much about the A-Derma Epitheliale. Have any of you guys tried it? Or, if not…

What’s your favourite product to prevent (or reduce!) scarring?

Tags: /New This Week (& etc), Shopping

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Lise Watier Baiser Satin, Basier Velours reviews, swatches, photos | Matte liquid lipsticks you need

February 25, 2016

Rae Chen

13 Comments

The products: Lise Watier Baiser Velours in Party Kiss, Love Kiss, and Passion Kiss; Lise Watier Baiser Satin in Candy Kiss, Bombshell Kiss, and Red Hot Kiss

When the Baiser Velours Velvet Liquid Lipsticks launched last year, I couldn’t have been more excited. Between the gorgeous matte-and-shiny tubes and the absolute siren of a model that they photographed for the campaign, the Baiser Velours lipsticks sounded like they were going to be my next big lipstick love.

They fell short of my expectations (and fell to the bottom of my to-review pile), but then the Baiser Satins came out… and everything changed.

The Baiser Velours formula ($28 CAD)

The Lise Watier Baiser Velours formula is pigmented and extremely matte, with a dry, transfer-free finish (on glass), but I just couldn’t make myself fall in love with them.

Now, don’t get me wrong: they look AWESOME freshly applied. They’re the perfect “Instagram” lip; matte and opaque and incredibly sexy. But that transfer-free promise goes totally to the wind the second you put your lips to good use (with casual, daytime-television-friendly make-outs; get your minds out of the gutter), and the formula starts getting pretty uncomfortable after about two hours.

What really kills me about the Baiser Velours formula, though, is the way that it gets messy. After 2-3 hours of making sure I don’t kiss any wayward strangers lest we both end up looking like bad horror movie extras, the inner rim of my lips does that thing that you see sometimes with lipglosses — you know, that thing where the product decides that it can’t handle the moisture and gets white and gooey and really gross.

Lise Watier Baiser Velours lipstick swatches in Love Kiss, Party Kiss, and Passion Kiss (not fully dried down).

Lise Watier “Love Kiss” Baiser Velours on (your) left sides of lip in both pictures / “Bombshell Kiss” Baiser Satin on right side

So, well, these ones get a big “skip” from me, on account of the fact that I’d prefer if people didn’t think I had rabies. They’re awesome and sexy both inside and out, but the formula just doesn’t hold up!

The Lise Watier Baiser Velours ingredients: view

Cyclopentasiloxane, Trimethylsiloxyphenyl Dimethicone, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Isododecane, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Triacontanyl PVP, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Methoxy PEG-17/Methoxy PEG-11/HDI Isocyanurate Trimer Cosspolymer, Fragrance, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate.

+/- Titanium Dioxide, Red 6 Lake, Red 7 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, CI 77491, CI 77492, Iron Oxides, Red 28, Blue 1 Lake.

The new Baiser Satin formula ($28 CAD)

And then (and then!) this happened. Lise Waiter launched the Baiser Satin range, which is a satin-finish update on the award-winning Baiser Velours formula.

In reality, though? The Satins are totally less “slightly different flanker product” and more “OH GOD, HOW LOVELY.” They’re packaged in gorgeous, shiny tubes with window openings to reveal the colour of each shade, and their satin finish is absolutley perfect. It’s not as dry to the touch as the Velours formula, but it still looks quite matte — I’d say it’s in between a matte and a cream, with zero shimmer and a really comfortable hold.

While the Baiser Velours have that totally dry (and dry to the touch) papery finish, the Satins feel more like a gloss and look like a non-MAC matte lipstick bullet: matte, but like, soft matte. I can get a comfortable five hours of wear out of them with no liner, lip balm, or lip primer, and they’re totally more “expression friendly” than the Velours.

Sure, the Satins don’t lock down immediately, but they do:

Offer even more pigmentation than the Baiser Velours lipsticks in a single swipe,
Feel super comfortable everywhere & wear well on the inner rim of the lip, and
Facilitate a wrinkle-free transition from wild grinning to sudden withering glares.

The Lise Watier Baiser Satin ingredients: view

Polybutene, Diisostearyl Malate, Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxyphenyl Dimethicone, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Silica, Dimethyl Silylate, Isododecane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Methoxy PEG-17/Methoxy PEG-11/Hdi Isocyanurate Trimer Crosspolymer, Parfum.

+/- Titanium Dioxide, Red 7 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Iron Oxides, Blue 1 Lake, Red 6, Red 28 Lake.

The verdict?

I feel bad dragging a product as pretty as the Lise Watier Baiser Velours lipsticks through the mud, but my dear readers — it had to be done. The Baiser Velours line is what you’ll want to go with for a paper-finish, opaque matte lip, but for everyone ~~whose logic functions are still working~~ else: the Lise Watier Baiser Satin lipsticks are totally the way to go.

The Baiser Satins are 9/10ths as sexy as their matte counterparts, but they make up for that extra 10% by wearing for twice as long, not crinkling after you smile, and not going goopy AT ALL on the outer or inner edges of the lip.

Availability: $28 CAD at LiseWatier.com (US & Canada) and in-store at Shopper’s Drug Mart, London Drugs, and the Hudson’s Bay Beauty Underground! Lise Watier is a cruelty-free Canadian brand.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Canadian beauty, Grouped reviews, Lips, Lise Watier, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Spring/Summer 2016

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True All You Need Is Me, Lilly & Lola Hydrate Your Skin reviews

February 22, 2016

Rae Chen

9 Comments

The products: True Organic of Sweden All You Need is Me, Lilly & Lola Hydrate Your Skin with Coconut Oil

One of the things that I’ve been hearing a lot from other beauty bloggers recently is that nothing seems to be new anymore. Brands latch onto a popular, trendy product, and they all just sort of churn out replicas of it — look at something as simple as gel liner, for instance (created by Bobbi Brown herself), or even those great little cushion-type compacts.

These launches from True and Lilly & Lola are different from the rest of the bunch. Sure, they’re not literally one of a kind, but they’re products that most non-beauty fiends probably haven’t even heard of — and in this day and age, that’s a feat in & of itself!

All You Need Is Me ($35 USD/$42 CAD)

True Organic of Sweden is a cool, cruelty-free company based out of Stockholm that uses all natural and organic ingredients. They make all of their products in Sweden, and I gotta say — I am LOVING their font choices.

All You Need Is Me is one of those all-natural “everything” balms, but it’s less wax-in-a-pot and more petroleum-free-petroleum-jelly. Its matte tube is actually made from sugarcane, NOT plastic, and it contains only castor oil, beeswax, olive oil, shea butter, vitamin E, and blueberry seed oil.

(Yeah. When was the last time you saw an ingredients list so simple that it could comfortably fit into the body text of a review?)

It’s a great substitute for petroleum jelly, but a word to the wise: this cruelty-free, fragrance-free balm has only a six month shelf life. My tube has already started to “grain up” and separate out, which is a bit of a bummer seeing as it comes only half full to begin with!

Heartbreak at first squish

Lilly & Lola ($25.99 CAD)

Speaking of short ingredients lists: have you heard of Lilly & Lola? They’re a skincare brand that recently got picked up by The Detox Market (my faves!), and they make ALL of their products only out of coconut oil.

I didn’t really see why a bottle of fractionated coconut oil should cost $25 at first, but then I did a little bit of reading. The thing about natural ingredients is that the quality of your ingredient is going to depend on the plant, its freshness, and the type of extraction being used; turns out, it’s the same for coconut oil. When factories further process virgin coconut oil (solid at room temperature) to produce a coconut oil liquid, the final product can vary quite a lot!

Lilly & Lolo, for instance, makes three products right now from different blends of fractionated coconut oil. This one is described on their site as a “coconut oil barrier” with a lightweight texture and a quick, 2-3 minute absorption time, but the brand’s Renew Your Face and Renew Your Hair oil treatments (which also contain 100% coconut oil) have a heavier texture and will sink into your hair and face over the course of the night.

I personally don’t like the feeling of coconut oil on my skin (it feels too “dry” for me), so I wasn’t big on this one. It leaves my skin feeling very silky, though, so check it out if you want a scent-free coconut oil moisturizer that sprays on and stays liquid at room temp!

(Note: pictured here is Lilly & Lola’s 25ml bottle. The one available at The Detox Market TO is double the size!)

What’s the coolest skincare product you’ve tried this year?

Tags: /Grouped reviews, Indie brands, Moisturizers, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Silicone-free, Skincare, Travel

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Amaterasu Brunette Liquid Brow Liner swatches, review, photos (formerly Geisha Ink)

February 20, 2016

Rae Chen

13 Comments

The product: Amaterasu Liquid Brow Liner in Brunette

Okay, so I know I keep finding new brow things to love, but I ACTUALLY MEAN IT this time; I promise.

Amaterasu (pronounced AH-mah-tay-RA-su, after the Japanese Sun Goddess; formerly Geisha Ink) is a Canadian company created Sara Au Yeong that makes just the most amazing liquid brow liner. It’s the perfect combination of my other two liquid brow loves: the great shade match of the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Color, but with the fast application of the Marcelle Eyebrow Pen.

Look at that gorgeous tip!

Amaterasu Beauty Liquid Brow Liner in Brunette swatched in indirect sunlight

The formula: Huh. I kind of blew this one in the intro, eh?

The Amaterasu Liquid Brow Liner formula is really lovely, with great pigmentation (more than the Stila) and amazing wear — think power brows from 7AM to midnight, with face-down physio and a nap in between. It’s easy to apply even on scarred areas of skin, and it takes a few seconds to set, so it can be smudged gently with a q-tip or fingertip for a softer brow look.

Before & after with the Amaterasu Liquid Brow Liner! (Plus concealer, lashes, a touch of Maybelline 24H Color Tattoo eyeshadow pencil in Pink Parfait, and the new Annabelle Blue Spark liquid liner.)

Marcelle Eyebrow Pen Universal Dark, Stila Stay All Day in Medium, Amaterasu Brunette

The shade: I’m always wary of trying “brunette” brow shades, but Amatetasu’s Brunette knocks it right out of the park. It’s the shade that Geisha Ink/Amaterasu founder Sara Au Yeong wears daily (after many rounds of sending samples back to the lab and saying, “It’s still too red,”) so when I say that it is PERFECT for Asian brows, I mean it! It’s not too light, too warm, or too red.

The plum blossom can be found on all the new Amaterasu packaging!

The packaging: The Amaterasu packaging is great, too, with a tight seal and a long, calligraphy-style tip. The brush makes it easy to get just the right amount of product, and I never find that I need to go over an area twice (like I often need to with my Stila liner).

It’s also nice and soft, so if you have extremely sensitive skin, this could be what you’ve been waiting for!

The verdict?

If you passed on the Marcelle pen that I love, and you (wisely) passed on the Stila pen that I adore, then you MUST give this a try. The Amaterasu Brow Liner is the perfect brow product for Asian brows with no caveats or exceptions, and the crazy-long-wearing formula and packaging are worth the price even if you don’t struggle to find brow products in the right shade for you.

Plus, it’s a Canadian company (made in Japan) founded by an incredibly badass business woman & makeup artist, so you know your pennies are going to a great group of folks instead of some nameless corporation! ;)

Availability: $23.20 USD/$29 CAD at Amaterasu.ca and at all of these places in Canada, the US, and worldwide. (Use code SHIP30 for free shipping over $30 CAD!)

Tags: /4. Makeup looks, Amaterasu, Canadian beauty, Eyebrows, Eyes, Green Beaver, Indie brands, Makeup looks: colour, Makeup looks: neutral, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Silicone-free

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Marcelle Ultra Gentle Moisturizing Cream review, photos

February 17, 2016

Rae Chen

10 Comments

The product: Marcelle Ultra Gentle Moisturizing Cream

UPDATE 22/02/17: As of December 2016, this moisturizer is being sold with an updated formula. The new formula is stiffer and much less hydrating, and I can no longer recommend this product for those with dry skin.

Happy Wednesday, beauty fiends! I missed Monday’s post due to some fibro/RA stuff, but I’m back swinging today.

One of my big goals for 2016 is to update my silicone-free moisturizers list, but I wanted to do it right this time — which is to say, I want to do it with reviews. Here is the first of what I’m sure will be many ‘cone-free moisturizer reviews during 2016! I usually start testing about one new product every 2 weeks, so please stick with me while I work to get through them all. ;)

The packaging: The first thing that really hit me about this product was how much I loooove the packaging. It’s super simple, but it has a really “finished” feeling to it. It comes in a flattened tube and looks perfectly clinical sitting on my countertop, and it holds its own next to stuff like SkinCeuticals without breaking the bank.

What I really love about the packaging, though, is that it’s lightweight and hygienic, making it great for travel without giving you any less product than traditional/chunky packaging would.

The formula: The Ultra Gentle formula launched last August (no, this isn’t just a travel-ready version of Marcelle’s Moisture Cream), and it’s designed to reduce irritation in atopic skin by making sure the skin is properly hydrated throughout. It’s also paraben-, oil-, and perfume-free, making it great for those with intolerant skin!

As for how this silicone-free moisturizer performs? I really like it. It has a no-nonsense formula that absorbs quickly and leaves the skin feeling nourished and noticeably soft, and it’s a great rendition of what the perfect “lotion” should be. I’m reminded of Bioderma Tolerance+ when I use this, despite the price difference and extra moisture!

Marcelle labels their Ultra Gentle cream as suitable for those with normal to dry skin, which I would definitely agree with. For my extra-dry skin, all I need to do is add a drop or two of serum or oil, and this is perfect.

The verdict?

If you’re on the market for a great, simple moisturizing lotion, look no farther than the Marcelle Ultra Gentle Moisturizing Cream. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s silicone-free, packaged in a hygienic tube, absorbs quickly, and leaves dry skin feeling soft and quenched.

~~This moisturizer is best for those with dry or moderately dehydrated skin, but would be awesome for anyone with intolerant/sensitive skin or mild eczema, too!~~

UPDATE 22/02/17: As of December 2016, this moisturizer is being sold with an updated formula. The new formula is stiffer and much less hydrating, and I can no longer recommend this product for those with dry skin.

Availability: $18.95 CAD at Marcelle.com (US & Canadian shipping) and in drugstores and mass market retailers across Canada. (When you buy in person, don’t let the tube size fool you — it looks small due to the no-nonsense packaging, but contains the industry “standard” 1.7 oz of product!)

Tags: /Marcelle, Moisturizers, Product Photos, Product Review, Silicone-free, Silicone-free moisturizers and serums, Skincare

10 Comments

Liberator Hipster review, photos | Supportive furniture that’ll blow your (ahem) socks off

February 13, 2016

Rae Chen

24 Comments

The product: Liberator Hipster in Velvish Merlot

Happy Valentine’s Day Weekend, folks! I have something super special cued up for you guys today: a review of the Liberator Hipster.

I’ve had my eye on a Liberator for a while, and ~~unlike the photos for this post,~~ it did not disappoint. I’m going to be spending my weekend in an awesome cabin under the stars, but for all of you at home… here’s a thing that you should totally look into owning.

(The first batch of images for this post came out looking way too dirty, so please enjoy this super-clean photo session featuring Tuna-kitty!)

What’s this “Liberator” stuff? For those of you who aren’t weirdly nerdy about sex, Liberator is a line that basically makes ~~furniture for banging~~ supportive sex furniture. Their pieces let you mount toys, protect from spills, and support your body, and they’re awesome for getting the angle juuuust right.

Because of a combination of fibromyalgia, a retroverted uterus, and really bad TMJ, I usually end up having to add supportive pillows and blankets during sex. I thought the Liberator would be a lot like that, and it is, but saying that is sort of like comparing hospital pudding to fresh crème brûlée.

Outdoor kitty is wondering where all the food is and oh, hey, did someone say crème brûlée?

The Liberator Hipster: Liberator furniture is always shipped compressed, so my Hipster arrived in a small, discreet box no bigger than your average makeup press package. (Thank you, Liberator!) I then had to open up the eco-compressed packaging and allow air to rush back into the cushion’s high-density foam, which was… I mean, it was awesome and totally OCD-satisfying and you should see it for yourself.

The Hipster is awesome, though. It’s 33″ x 24″ and comes with a waterproof, machine-washable cover, and it features two curves for support and lift. I even found a “hidden” Liberator Ramp in it to help justify the price — just flip it over and you get all the lift without any of the curve.

I’m totally in love with the Hipster because it makes having sex way easier on my muscles and joints, but my boyfriend was the unexpected #1 fan: he’s kind of obsessed with it. The taller curve takes a lot of the work out of his glutes, and the angle lets him get (in his words) “deeper than I’ve ever gone before.” Thanks for that overshare, boyfriend.

Plus, the firmness of the material means that we have to do very little adjusting mid-coitus*, which is always a bonus!

Tuna checking out the Hipster’s hidden Ramp and wondering why there still isn’t any food

The best ways to use the Liberator Hipster: Figuring out which Hipster positions did and didn’t work for A and I was kind of a clusterfuck, and also some of the most fun I’ve ever had in the bedroom. Girl-on-top didn’t work for us AT ALL (I still don’t know where my legs were supposed to be going), but doggy-style with the Hipster is like–askdfghrrrrngh.

I thought this post could use some hilarious sex position names and bad stick figure drawings, so I give you now: four of our favourite ways to use the Hipster.

How to use the Hipster! (In blue and grey, to symbolize the “presently wielding dick” and “presently receiving dick” partners.)

A really likes position #1 because it feels really intimate, so I (of course) have decided that it is the Worst of the Worst (of the best). It’s honestly pretty nice, but I object to all unintentional closeness and must therefore mock it until one of us dies.

My favourite position is #3, though, which takes away all of the “It feels like I’m being repeatedly stabbed in the uterus,” and “I’m too short for this oh god ouch ouch ouch,” aspects of doggy style and magically turns the position into one of the easiest, most comfortable positions ever.

Our very favourite way to use the Hipster, though, is #4: The Boob Rejoicer. I swear, this alone is worth buying a Hipster for. It allows for crazy deep penetration, and more importantly, it makes my boobs look awesome — or so I’m told. The Boob Rejoicer is so good that we rarely make it past the 5-10 minute mark, and it’s a position that I don’t think you (or your squishy pillows) could even halfway dupe without a Liberator.

The verdict (and other Liberator options)

I can’t remember the last time that I said this about a brand, but I honestly think that everybody (yes, everybody!) needs to own at least one Liberator piece. They’re a must-have for couples with fatigue issues, and they seriously level up pretty much everything in the bedroom.

The Hipster and insanely popular Wedge/Ramp Combo are awesome, but Liberator stuff can be enormous (and doesn’t come cheap). The Wedge and Decor Heart Wedge are more affordable options, and the Flip Ramp daylights as a space-saving ottoman.

So go fourth, dear readers! Make sex stuff easier on your poor little bodies, and think of me fondly when your glutes aren’t sore after your next marathon session.

Availability: $160 USD at Liberator.com, where everything is presently 20% off with code KISSME. You can also buy Liberator products from my fave folks over at SheVibe, where the Hipster is on for $149.99!

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Product Photos, Product Review, Sex, Steals and Deals, Tunakitten

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Milestones, Makeovers, and the Matrix Color Lounge app | WIN a $250 gift basket from Matrix Canada!

February 10, 2016

Rae Chen

94 Comments

*sponsored post

Happy Wednesday, folks! I’m writing this at one in the morning, and I just noticed the coolest thing while moderating a few late-night comments: theNotice passed 20 000 comments this week!

(Yes, really, twenty THOUSAND. For all of you wondering why it’s been three years and I still haven’t managed to switch over to Disqus successfully… well, that’s why. The importer keeps panicking and crying and breaking.)

So, to everyone who’s ever left a comment, thank you. Thank you so, so much. You guys are the bread and butter of theNotice, and I’m so happy to be able to share each and every day with you!

But back to the topic at hand: the new Matrix Color Lounge. You know those makeover websites that you used to be able to go to to put fake blush and blonde wigs on your picture? Well, the Color Lounge is like that, but it’s the next generation of makeover apps.

It uses colour filters to let you try on a new colour on your actual hair, and gives you the option of adding things like highlights, ombré, and colour blocking to your new look, too. I gave the Color Lounge a go to try on grey, violet, and red hair, and I was really happy with my results — it lets you highlight what is and isn’t your hair, and even works on dark hair.

To celebrate the launch of this app, I’m giving away a big prize package from Matrix Canada (worth $250 — see above!!) The giveaway will run until 11:59 MST on Sunday, February 28th, and is open to all Canadian residents.

You can use the widget below to enter, or (for all of you guys who aren’t in Canada), you can download the Matrix Color Lounge app for free through the App Store or Google Play. Happy colouring!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keep reading! »

Tags: giveaway, sponsored/Giveaway, Hair

94 Comments

LUSH Valentine’s Day 2016 reviews, photos: The Kiss, Prince Charming, Unicorn Horn

February 8, 2016

Rae Chen

16 Comments

The products: LUSH The Kiss Lip Gloss and Lip Scrub, Prince Charming Shower Cream, and Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar

Lush has six pretty-in-pink, limited edition launches out for Valentine’s Day this year, and like they did with their fruity holiday releases, they’ve subverted expectations juuust a little bit with pomegranate and mandarin scented products. (Don’t worry, there are a few rose-scented ones as well, for all of us traditionalists.)

I tried out three of them and photographed one more, but I have to admit: my heart’s just not in it this year.

The Kiss Lip Gloss ($8.95 CAD) and Lip Scrub ($9.95 CAD)

Lush’s product page for The Kiss Lip Gloss leads you to believe that it’ll leave your lips shiny and pink, but while I do actually like this balm, it’s just that: a balm. It’s relatively hydrating and completely transparent, with a sheer, frosty shimmer finish and a scent that reminds me (and the others that I’ve asked) more of bubblegum than citrus. It’s not shiny, and it’s not pigmented, much less glossy and opaque (as it’s swatched on the Lush site.)

The Kiss comes in Lip Scrub format as well, and its twinkling pink sugar bits and edible red hearts had my hopes up high. But, like the last Lush scrub I tried, this one left my skin over-scrubbed and raw, and even though it’s described clearly as a “caster sugar scrub,” it’s half salt sea salt — so when you take Lush’s advice and lick up the excess, you end up with a very literal bitter, salty mouthful of disappointment.

I have loved Lush’s lip products in the past, but these ones just aren’t working for me at all.

The Kiss Lip Gloss swatch (yes, really), The Kiss Lip Scrub, and Prince Charming Shower Cream x2

Prince Charming Shower Cream ($9.95 CAD)

You’re killin’ me, Lush. You guys make some seriously awesome products (I’ve got, like, two measly uses of Gorgeous left and it makes me want to cry), and then there’s… this business.

For a company that prides itself on its natural, eco-friendly image, it’s weird to me that Lush keeps making all of these practically fluorescent Shower Creams. Like Lord of Misrule, Prince Charming can and will stain you and your shower, so watch out.

I get synthetic pomegranate & vanilla notes from this one, and while it does leave my skin feeling lovely and soft, that’s no excuse for staining. It performs more ore less okay under the spray of the shower, but if you apply this to dry skin, it WILL stain you pink with a vengeance.

So stop it, Lush. Seriously. No one else ever even has this problem.

Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar ($7.95 CAD)

It turns out I still hate baths, so I can’t really tell you anything about the Lush Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar except LOOK, YOU GUYS. IT IS A RAINBOW UNICORN HORN AND IT IS COVERED IN GLITTER.

You need. Hell, I need, and I already have one. I wonder if I could tolerate a bath if I could convince boyfriend to sterilize the tub for me beforehand…

(Good for foaming up two baths, or for a single evening of super-plush lavender, ylang ylang, and neroli dreams.)

The verdict?

I loved that LUSH gave us something a little different this year, with pink products that don’t smell like roses, cocoa, or vanilla, but honestly… I’m a fan of the classics.

None of these products really “spoke” to me (well, aside from the unicorn horn, but who doesn’t that speak to), and love the idea of gifting your darling a bar of Roses All the Way Soap, or surprising them with a massage with of Lush’s classic massage bars. (I have Tender is the Night, which by some miracle still hasn’t gone bad, and I LOVE it.) I say skip the Lush Valentine’s Day launches this year, folks, and go with a tried-and-true from the brand instead.

Available: Limited edition at Lush stores and Lush.ca while supplies last!

Tags: /Cleansing, Fall/Winter 2015, Grouped reviews, Lips, LUSH, Product Photos, Product Review, Silicone-free, Skincare

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