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Honeypot Hybrid Lash review & classic lash comparison

August 21, 2019

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Lash extensions are (mostly) three things: gorgeous, expensive, and a major time-saver. I’m not typically a super high-maintenance person, despite this blog. However, since trying out my first set of hybrid lashes, I find it a struggle to travel without them. While classic lash sets have always been a nice-t0-have for me, Honeypot hybrid lashes are a must. There’s quite literally nothing better than rolling out of bed and already looking done-up — even if it’s equally nice to take them off at the end of a few weeks and furiously scrub at your eyes!

How hybrid lashes differ from a classic lash set

Alright — I’m not a lash tech, so someone please correct me if I get this wrong! I have, however, spent every appointment that I’ve had with Brandy at Honeypot Lashes in Edmonton asking her questions about her lash technique. (What? I’m ever-curious, and I had to prep for my hybrid lash review!)

Hybrid eyelash extensions — before & after (no other makeup, including brows, foundation, and liner.)

Classic lash extensions are applied in a 1:1 ratio: one classic lash for each natural lash. For someone with naturally full and long lashes, they wouldn’t make a huge impact — just leave you looking fresh and perfect. But for someone with naturally thin, straight lashes, classic lash extensions totally change my look. They give me the lift and volume that I’ve always craved, with little to no upkeep.

Hybrid lashes are a little different. Hybrid lash extensions are a mix between classic and 3D/volume lash extensions, and are priced accordingly. Most lashes will have 2-5 lash extensions per natural lash, in a hyper-natural “fan.” Think individual lash extensions — but without the glue dot at the end. The result is a full, fanned out effect that looks flawlessly dramatic. They last for longer on my lashes, for a variety of reasons: there’s more of them, each false lash is thinner (about as thick as my natural lashes), and Brandy bundles her lash fans right before application, so the glue wraps all the way around each extension and your lash.

Fresh Honeypot hybrid lash extensions — my Edmonton downtown lash recommendation!

How long classic and hybrid lash extensions last

Expect both classic and hybrid lash sets to last for 2-3 weeks (though they’re purported to last for up to 6-8 weeks). For classic lashes, each individual classic lash extension is thicker than your natural lash. As a result, I find that some of them fall off my lash before my lash comes out naturally. The shortest I’ve ever had a classic set last for was just shy of 2 weeks, which is usually when they start looking thin on me.

The timeline for touch-ups is similar for hybrid lashes, but more lashes stay on for longer. My Honeypot Lashes stay full and perfect for 2-3 weeks, losing volume before they start looking uneven. I’ve literally never had one of Brandy’s Honeypot Edmonton hybrid lashes fall out before my natural lash grew out — it depends entirely on how quickly your natural lashes grow.

Voluminous hybrid lashes, no lash lift — before & after on Asian lashes

Honeypot hybrid lashes review (in downtown Edmonton)

Everyone styles their lash extensions a little differently, but I’ve found that there’s the greatest variation for hybrid lashes. (Edmonton is really into a full 3D caterpillar lash right now, and I hate it.)

I tracked down Brandy through her lash studio’s Instagram handle, @honeypotlashes. Her work is fluttery and precise, and she’s honestly a pleasure to be around. Hybrid lash appointments take around 3 hours, so finding someone who you actually get along with is paramount!

Look at that hybrid lash extension liiiiiiiift

Despite having these lashes in for every vacation I’ve taken this summer, I haven’t taken a ton of blog photos with Brandy’s lashes. They’re all over my Instagram stories, however, and in any of my vacation snaps. (You can really see the lift and fullness that I get out of them at the top of this post!) It’s so easy to roll out of bed with a great set of hybrid lashes. Just slap on some SPF—and maybe some brows—and you look like you have a face on. I’m typically a 30 minute morning person, but I can easily get ready in under 10 with a set of hybrid lashes.

Prices vary by studio, but Honeypot’s hybrid lashes are $150 for a full set. They’ll take about 2 1/2 hours, depending on how many lashes you have to enhance. Fills range from $55-85 (2 weeks vs 4 weeks). And you can book over text, which is a godsend for anyone with phone anxiety!

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I have nothing to disclaim in this post. Honeypot Lashes is run by a super hardworking businesswoman in Edmonton, and I love her location and lashes! I’ve paid for all of my services independently, although she does offer a $10 discount for students.

Tags: /Beauty destinations, Canadian beauty, Company Review, Eyes, Product Photos, Product Review

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Lavido review: Natural, silicone-free skincare for dry skin

August 12, 2019

Rae Chen

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So: I am having a bit of a time. A good time, though—a very, very good time. This post is late because I started it in a car, winding my way up a mountainside headed to a villa just outside of Sorrento. My partner and I spent the last few days in Dublin and Naples, and I couldn’t be more excited to tell you about the products I’ve been testing all season. I wasn’t able to take most of them with me (liquid limits, y’all), but looking at these Lavido review photos reminds me of how lucky I am to be here. Not just to be here; to be at this exact place in my life, where I can enjoy things purely for their aesthetics.

Where did you think you’d end up, 10 years ago?

My best friend brought me these lilacs straight off of her bush. Like most things (and like Lavido products for dry skin), they’re almost perfect: gorgeous and full of life, and mostly spider-free.

(Would I still be considered a Spider-Man if my superpower was being a beacon for spiders? Like, no superhuman strength or webbing or anything; just an incredible ability to be found by all spiders in a five mile radius so they can come bite me.)

We had a conversation in the pool yesterday night that opened my eyes wide: where did you think you were going to be ten years ago? Because I absolutely didn’t think I’d be in Italy, still blogging, and in a supportive relationship. If you’d have asked me at 17, I would have told you that I fully expected to be housebound, in crazy amounts of pain, and prematurely retired against my will.

While I’m not healthy, per se, I’m certainly doing better than I thought I’d be. I have around four good hours each day, with which I can choose to work, cook, go to classes, or see a friend. I’m often overwhelmed (who’d have thought that you have to eat food every day?), but things have certainly been—and been expected to be—far worse.

Lavido dry skin moisturizer reviews: Age Away Night Cream, Renewal Neck Cream, and Ultra-Daily Facial Moisture

I can still take pleasure in little luxuries, like the creaminess of Lavido’s Ultra-Daily Facial Moisture ($45 USD) and ultra-hydrating Night Cream ($49 USD). I like the Night Cream the best out of everything here: it’s rich and smooth, but doesn’t sit too heavy on the skin. It’s great when used with something like the Lavido Replenishing Facial Serum, but if I skip a few sessions of the serum, my dry skin holds up. The formula features capric/caprylic triglyceride—one of my favourites—and a bevy of essential oils.

The only odd one of this bunch is the Lavido Renewal Neck Cream ($79 USD), which is a little thick. It has a stiff, whipped texture that’s reminiscent of a few old L’Occitane whipped shea products that I still keep. I like it, but in comparison to the luxe texture of the brand’s silicone-free night cream for dry skin, it’s not quite the same. I’d say skip it — what your neck needs is SPF, not aloe and pomegranate seed oil!

Lavido Hydrating Facial Cleanser & Toner review

Okay: I’m going to try to keep this section very short (as I’ve spent the least time using these products), but things tend to get away from me.

The Lavido Hydrating Facial Cleanser ($29 USD) is indeed quite hydrating, but I find that it’s not much of a makeup remover. It doesn’t promise to be, but as a lazy skincare user, I can’t use a creamy cleanser that’s just going to smear my eyeliner. It’s full of Vitamin A and cold-pressed sesame seed oil, which makes it really nourishing.

Lavido Replenishing Facial Serum

I don’t say this often, but… Lavido’s Replenishing Facial Serum ($59 USD) is a little bit too much for my extremely dry skin. It’s so crazy rich and hydrating that I feel greasy even when I wake up in the morning, and I have to be careful not to apply more than one or two drops at a time.

Lavido’s entire brand message is all about soothing dry skin with plenty of organic essential oils and naturally-derived active ingredients, and you can really tell in this serum. It’s thick and indulgent, despite the lack of things like mineral oils and silicones in the line. The entire range of products, in fact, is cruelty-free, with a little subset of the brand being specifically catered to celiacs.

I’ve tested this brand on and off for about three months now, but I’ll be looping back this winter to see if the serum fares any better. It’s definitely suited for someone with dry skin, but it’s beyond even my level of dryness this season!

The Lavido review verdict?

I’ve really, really enjoyed trying out this line. The products are beautifully composed and designed, and the brand’s detailing is really quaint. They’re clear about what they do and don’t use, and the packaging that they’ve chosen feels like something from a way more expensive brand. (The pump on their $24 toner is otherworldly!)

There are plenty of natural brands out there, but this one is particularly broad. Check them out if you’re looking for silicone-free skincare for dry skin.

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Disclaimer: These products were gifted by PR for editorial consideration. They sent far more than I had asked for, and were very generous with their time!

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

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We-Vibe Moxie review: Smartphone toys for the app age

July 30, 2019

Rae Chen

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The concept behind the We-Vibe Moxie

I love a toy that does something new — or something old, but previously unachievable. The We-Vibe Moxie is a slick rendition of a classic idea: one of the last remaining holy grails of sex toys. Many brands have tried to make a good panty vibe, and as far as I’ve heard, none have succeeded. They’re all too big, too buzzy, or too loud.

The Moxie isn’t perfect (it’s not truly silent, and the app control is atrocious), but it’s really good. Coated in silky silicone, it’s completely waterproof and rechargeable. Using your phone or the remote, you get about 2 metres of distance for control; using the app over wifi, your partner can theoretically control the device from anywhere in the world.

What makes the Moxie special is that it fits in any item using a triple magnet set. There’s one in the device, one for placement, and one to hold it on the outside. It’s small enough to fit in that little double-lining portion that underwear often has, and slim enough to be worn in a thong. The body of the toy is a little thick, but in a good way; I find that it lets me cross my legs for extra pressure.

We–Vibe’s app control: Struggles and snuggles

As much as I love We–Vibe toys… their app control struggles when you really just want to snuggle. It’s easy to connect the Moxie to your phone (just hold down the power button for five seconds and tell the app to pair), but significantly more difficult to “connect lover.”

(Why couldn’t you have just said “partner,” We–Vibe? Why’d you have to make it weird?)

The Moxie works flawlessly with its remote, just like the We–Vibe Sync ($229 CAD) does. The app control, however, is patchy at best. It takes my partner and I, on average, about 15 minutes to get our phones paired — and then the connection inevitably drops within the next 10 minutes.

I don’t know a lot, but I do know this one thing: there are very few mood-killers as effective as a rogue vibrator. We’re talking mood-killing at as-of-yet-undiscovered heights. For two tetchy, techie people, introducing the Moxie into the bedroom can go two ways:

You use the remote control and you’re off to the races immediately, or:
You get the device paired with your phone in 30 seconds. It takes an additional 10 to pair your app with your partner’s. As you bicker about how terrible all of the patterns other than “heartbeat” are, your phones remain paired. They say they’re connected, but the app control drops. The Moxie continues to buzz away in your pants, wild and untameable. You cannot turn it off without reaching down and applying pressure to the area. The We-Vibe Moxie, with a nigh-irresponsible joy de vivre, buzzes its way out the side of your underwear and onto the floor. You should have put it in that little double-layered portion of your thong (a classic rookie move.)

How strong & rumbly is the We-Vibe Moxie?

Okay. With all of that said, the We-Vibe Moxie is a really cool toy. Am I frustrated by the We-Connect app? Constantly. But is the concept good? Unfortunately for my indecisive brain: also yes.

The We-Vibe Moxie is strong, but not rumbly the way that the We-Vibe Tango is. It’s a dead ringer for the We-Vibe Sync: the two share the same silicone, colour, charging mechanism, app, and motor. On low, the Moxie is just quiet enough to hide underneath the whirring of my laptop fan; on high, it never gets so loud that you could hear it in a club.

The Moxie is about the size of three of my tiny fingers bundled up together; I’d say about two fingers, on someone who isn’t essentially child-sized. If I hold it in my hand and use it like a bullet vie, it’s surprisingly easy to have an orgasm — as long as the app isn’t involved. It’s tougher hands-free, but my body is stubborn; according to statistics, yours likely won’t take as long.

The verdict on the We-Vibe Moxie

I know I don’t typically include a verdict in sponsored posts, but I couldn’t help myself! This isn’t your typical sponsored post: I went asking after the We-Vibe Moxie, and the folks at Luxury Vibrators generously humoured me.

The We-Vibe Moxie isn’t a perfect toy — but if you want to try a panty vibe, I absolutely think it should be this one. It’s rumblier than anything else that’s currently on the market, with a small, discreet silhouette. As far as “couples’ toys” go, I found the Moxie to be far more comfortable and pleasurable than the We-Vibe Sync, with a smaller price tag and a longer battery life. While it differs in that it isn’t designed to be used during intercourse, I like the change; there’s no pinching or weird placement with this one, and its lack of an inner motor isn’t as numbing.

UPDATE March 26th, 2020: We-Vibe’s We-Connect app has been updated, and now works flawlessly with the Moxie. Go ahead & purchase!!

Availability: $169 CAD at We-Vibe.

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This post is sponsored by LuxuryVibrators.ca, who I love working with. You can see some of my freelance work for them on their YouTube channel, where I do bite-sized sex toy review videos! They always ship discreetly, and are so lovely to work with.

Tags: /Product Photos, Product Review, Sex, We Vibe

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Leather vs latex: How to bring kink wear into the everyday

July 22, 2019

Rae Chen

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$How to wear kink every day$

Longtime readers of theNotice will know: I’m a bit of a leather fiend. I love the buttery smell; the detailed hand stitching; the soft flexibility of a material that breaks down in a way that customizes each piece to your body over the span of years. I love how secure a good leather piece feels. But when it comes to a question of leather vs latex, I find myself split.

I wear a lot of natural textiles, like linen and silk, with little leather accents. Some of them are new and some are thrifted; others were just a quick, practical find. But as I branch out, I’ve been slowly adding more pieces of latex into my collection.

This little gem from Honour Latex sticks out to me as an oddly wearable, affordable item to start with. After all, there isn’t really a contest between leather vs latex in my head — why not just go with both?

Like leather, latex is an intimate material; structured and durable. Both have their own associations as kink wear, particularly in the BDSM community (they are, perhaps, the epitome of dressing for the job that you want), but from a purely aesthetic standpoint, they have a feeling. It’s close-quartered and raw, with a pressure to perform. Leather and latex are the law degree of the fashion world. Both will make people take you seriously — but are they ever going to be hard to pull off.

$BDSM wear for everyday fashion tips$

Why wear leather vs latex?

With leather and latex more than anything else, you have to embody the items in order to wear them well. They’re unforgiving. If you slouch in cotton, you look relaxed; if you slouch in latex, everything pinches. (If you slouch in leather that you haven’t broken in yet… well, let’s just say “chafing” and leave it at that.)

In terms of wear and care when it comes to leather vs latex, you have to truly love latex in order to manage it. We’re talking a full rinse and powder every time you take a piece off, with a rub-down using silicone-based lube to shine it up. That means you’re risking silicone stains on every surface you sit on, and you still have to deal with the massive amounts of sweat that you’re going to produce while wearing it.

But latex, I think, is forgiving in other ways. Well-made pieces are incredibly durable — when I purchased my first waspie and asked about its durability, the artisan who made it looked me in the eye and said, “honey, I could pick you up by that thing and throw you across the room if I really wanted to. Trust me, you couldn’t tear it if you tried.” It’s not as comforting or easy to clean as leather, but it’s also crazy strong and impossible to stain.

$Northbound Leather, Honour latex dress review$

How to pick a great latex piece: Budget finds at Honour Latex

The one thing that I’ve learned from Honour Latex’s Silver Zip Latex Dress is that latex is (somehow) more wearable than I ever thought it would be. While I wouldn’t feel comfortable waltzing into a family restaurant in this dress, I think it would look right at home in a club or on the dance floor — without making anyone feel uncomfortable, which is really important to me. Consent over everything!

However, when you’re buying latex, you do really get what you pay for. This piece from Honour retails for £74.99. It’s comfortable and easy to put on, but it did arrive smelling strongly of latex. (I washed it with lukewarm water a few times when it arrived. It needed to air out in my closet for another 5 months before the smell went away). The elastic nature of the material means that it fits snugly, but the basic panel design bunches up around my hips, chest, and shoulders. Though this piece is sized to an XS frame, the shoulder straps are still about 1 – 1 1/2″ too long on me, and wobble around a bit.

That being said? The zipper closure on this is awesome. Its scoop neck design gives me cleavage that I’ve only ever dreamed of having before, and this is honestly so easy to get on and off. The length is just right, too — short in a way that’s flattering on a petite frame, but not super revealing.

$Asian hair with balayage before after$

Comfortable, high-quality latex at Northbound Leather

In contrast, I have a latex waspie from Northbound Leather (in Toronto) that I absolutely adore. Their short-frame corsets are around $198 CAD — so you’re getting about 1/3 of the material as compared to Honour Latex, for a little under double the price. (You won’t be able to find the style I have online, but you can call or email to order it with no extra charge!) The entire experience is different: my Northbound waspie has no scent at all, and the latex is significantly thinner. Somehow, however, it seems more durable. The seams are more tightly glued, and each panel is contoured to emphasize your features.

All of this goes to say one thing: if you’re picking a latex piece, you should suit it to your budget. I feel like there’s a huge difference in quality between my items from each brand, but honestly? I’m can’t justify spending $500 on a latex dress from Northbound. With my lifestyle, I simply wouldn’t be able to give it enough love!

$Subversive fashion looks - latex vs leather$

Easy tips for bringing fetish wear into the everyday

I love kink in small amounts. I’m not a lifestyle kinkster, but like a lot of people in the blogging world, I’m pretty open about things. For me, latex and leather are a great way to subvert stereotypical fashion guidelines in an exploratory fashion. They serve as a physical reminder of the open, inclusive way that I want to frame my life. This dress in particular is a piece in my wardrobe that feels pointedly playful.

At the same time, irregular textiles are a really interesting way to connect to your body. Because these feel so different than what my skin and muscles have acclimated to, wearing them brings my attention into my body. It makes me hyper-aware of my pain levels, sensations, and existence in space. If you love somatic experiences like float tanks, I think you’d find new materials to be an interesting sensation, too.

To make latex more wearable as a non-kink piece, I like giving myself a one-item-per-outfit limit. Latex boots and gloves may be gorgeous, but they’re not really “me.” Above and beyond that, I never shine my latex pieces, either. Keeping them clean and almost imperceptibly powdered means that I can wear them without fear of a silicone reaction, and the brushed finish makes each a little more forgiving.

Leather is a little easier to wear as an accessory, perhaps because it’s been done well for so many more years. A little leather collar or set of cuffs are classy ways to express your kink in a way that’s super subtle — if, like me, that’s your thing.

$Latex vs leather fashion post$

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This dress from Honour Latex was a gift from the brand.

Tags: /Fashion, Indie brands, Product Photos, Sex

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Sultry summer reds: A Guerlain & The Organic Skin Co. makeup look

July 9, 2019

Rae Chen

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It’s been a hot minute since my last makeup look (or post, honestly), but I had to put something together for my new faves: the Guerlain L’Essentiel foundation and The Organic Skin Co.’s… everything. (And the Sleek Makeup Highlighting Elixir Drops, of course. That GLOW!) This look is a little outside of my wheelhouse, but I love it.

I remember reading an interview with Bobbi Brown about red eyeshadow years ago. She was emphasizing that you can wear red eyeshadow pretty easily — you just have to apply it correctly. Creating a line of separation between your eyeshadow and your cornea is essential. In other words? Wear as much red as you want, but add some black liner or lashes so that it the colour doesn’t “bleed” into your eye.

Build this house with The Organic Skin Co. & Guerlain

This almond-shaped, red-lidded look feels a little K-pop to me. You know the look: blotted lips; red lids; impossibly perfect skin. As someone who’s used to wearing light coverage foundations and nothing more, the Guerlain L’Essentiel formula always makes me feel just that. It’s a super-smooth venture into skin that’s so clear that I barely recognize it (and it completely trounces my Asian flush.)

I’ve got quite a few products on my lids in this look. As a base, The Organic Skin Co.’s The Eyes Have It cream eyeshadows in Silhouette and Silk Purse provide tons of colour. They’re such a solid foundation — they hold up without creasing for hours, and are so pigmented that the colour bleeds through everything else. They’re like a great pair of trousers, or a really well-rounded education: not the first thing you see, but the thing that the rest of you is built upon.

Pulled together with Marcelle and Sleek Makeup

Overtop, I have The Organic Skin Co Meet the Press eyeshadows in Silk Purse and Day Dreamer. The eyes and skin are both finished with Marcelle products; my forever-favourites. The brand’s liquid pen liner and translucent loose powder are the black stilettos and sheer stockings of my makeup stash, pulling every look together and turning something that’s just “fine” into something done and polished.

To finish, I have a set of false lashes (faux mink ones from Kiss, as always — I think these are a trimmed pair of Boudoir lashes). On the lips and cheeks, a blotted bit of The Organic Skin Co. Cheeky Lips in Spice. And on the tops of my cheekbones; my nose bridge; my cupid’s bow, Sleek Highlighting Elixir in Poppin’ Bottles.

I’m popping less bottles than before, for now, ironically. It’s a little venture not into sobriety, but more like… into a sober-curious life. I’ve gone though so much San Pellegrino this month that I could build an entire tacky chandelier out of all of the glass.

Tags: /4. Makeup looks, Guerlain, Indie brands, Makeup looks: colour, Product Photos, Silicone-free, The Organic Skin Co

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The Organic Skin Co Cheeky Lips Pods review, swatches: My lips, but perfect

July 2, 2019

Rae Chen

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The products: The Organic Skin Co. “Cheeky Lips Pod” Cream Lip and Cheek Colour in Desert Storm, Lush, Spice, and Velvet

The Organic Skin Co. is one of those brands that has it all. Low-waste packaging, easy-to-transport wood palettes, silicone-free formulas… they’ve absolutely perfected the art of the cream product.

If you’ve been reading theNotice during this slow summer, you’ll know that I love the brand’s cream eyeshadows. They’re one of those rare products that can deliver a full day of crease-free eyeshadow for me, and the only one I’ve found so far that can do it with absolutely no silicones or parabens. But I’ve been wearing their Cheeky Lips formula just as—if not more—often, and it deserves a mention too!

A cream blush to love

These little pods come in low-waste clamshell packaging, and fit neatly into a palette. The clamshells, which are cruelty-free and vegan, are shipped in paper sachets.

The Cheeky Lips pods are creamy with a little bit of stickiness, and they wear for a good long time on me. I don’t find that I need to touch up my cheek colour by the end of the workday, but I do like to add a little bit more lip colour after 4-ish hours (which is standard for my lips.)

The stickiness feels hydrating, and helps dictate how much product to use: as blush, these pods feel completely skin-like once blended in. As lipsticks, these pods feel like lip balm if used as a stain, and a little more like lipstick if applied with intensity.

The Organic Skin Co. Cheeky Lips Pod shades: Desert Storm, Lush, Spice, and Velvet

I was sent four of these to try. I only fell in love with one (Spice), but I’ll be damned if all four of The Organic Skin Co’s Cheeky Lips Pods aren’t phenomenal.

Desert Storm is a unique, yellow-based orange. It’s almost a little muted, which you wouldn’t expect from the pan. I can’t ever see myself pulling off this kind of shade, but orange lip and cheek colours come into style again every five or ten years—and this one is perfect. It’s creamy, pigmented, and really polished.

Lush is, I’m guessing, one of the brand’s most popular shades. A vibrant blue-red, it’s the colour of Snow White’s lips (but in 4K). Blotted, it looks like a matte-finish stain; applied a little more heavily, it’s opaque and a little glossy.

The Organic Skin Co. Cheeky Lips Pods swatches in Desert Storm, Lush, Spice, and Velvet

My favourite of the bunch is Spice, which can only be described as the epitome of a “my lips but better” shade. It’s balanced, mauvey, and medium-opaque, and it adds the perfect amount of colour to the lips or cheeks — but it never looks anything but completely natural. The pigmentation on this is divine: worked into the skin, it’s everything that I wanted Colourpop Zuma to be, and applied more heavily, it looks like a custom-made everyday shade. This colour is the embodiment of what I think it feels like to roll out of bed as Adriana Lima.

Finally, Velvet is a stunner (but it’s not really my jam). It’s bright and punchy, with impressive vibrancy for an organic product. It has a strong blue base, but runs a little more purple than fuchsia.

The Organic Skin Co verdict?

I’ve tried a handful of The Organic Skin Co products now, and I have to say: they continue to impress. I’m just as wild about their lip and cheek creams as I am about their cream eyeshadows. These wear for just as long as a non-organic product, but they’re cleanly made and come in low-waste packaging.

If your colouring is anything like mine, Spice is a shade that I would highly recommend. It’s the perfect colour to sculpt and flush my lips and cheeks!

Availability: $29 CAD at The Green Jungle.

Tags: /4. Makeup looks, Cheeks, Holy Grail, Indie brands, Lips, Makeup looks: colour, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Silicone-free, Spring/Summer 2019, The Organic Skin Co

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The best silicone-free sunscreen: Purito Centella Green Level review

June 18, 2019

Rae Chen

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The product: Purito Centella Green Level Safe Sun SPF 50+ PA+++ and Centella Green Level Buffet Serum

The perfect sunscreen… is this one, right here. You all know that I test products rigorously before reviewing them, and I’ve been using this one so religiously that it’s almost empty. I’m coming up on four or five months of use, and I can solemnly swear that I have never loved a sunscreen as much as I love the Purito Centella Green Level Safe Sun SPF 50+ PA+++. (Oh, and also that I’m up to no good.)

Why the Purito Centella Green Level Safe Sun SPF 50+ PA+++ is so great

It’s hard to find a silicone-free sunscreen—trust me, I know. Even harder, however, is finding one that’s totally weightless and rigorously hydrating. I have extremely dry skin, and I’ve relied on the heavy, comforting Aveeno Fresh Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer SPF 15 ($19.99 CAD) for years.

This one is, well, better. It’s just as moisturizing, but offers even more sun protection. And, somehow, it’s magically weightless: it’s one of the lightest moisturizers in my stash, and is literally imperceptible to the touch once (generously) applied. Hell, the Purito Centella silicone-free sunscreen doesn’t even make me greasy after eight hours.

The best part about Purito’s sunscreen is that it’s cheaper than drugstore prices, usually sitting around $15 depending on the retailer. I’ve never noticed a scent while using it—as I type this, I’m sniffing the tube, and it smells lightly fresh—or any flashback in photos. I’m literally so confident in its lack of a white cast that I wore it to a wedding last week. By choice. I had other, SPF-free moisturizers available; I just didn’t want to use them.

I’d trust it with my skin, my unborn children, and my favourite pair of shoes. It is completely without flaw, as far as I’m concerned!

The Purito Centella silicone-free sunscreen verdict?

For a sunscreen that offers the same price & protection as a tube of Neutrogena but the same texture as a jar of moisturizer, get this one. You won’t regret it.

Availability: ~$15 CAD at Purito, Amazon, and YesStyle.

Purito Centella Green Level Safe Sun SPF 50+ PA+++ ingredients view

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dibutyl Adipate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Silica, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum: Also pretty good!

This was a product that I was really excited about, but honestly? It’s a footnote in my brain, now.

The Purito Buffet Serum is a lightweight, silicone-free hyaluronic acid serum. It comes in super-cute pump packaging (finally; so many hyaluronics use dropper bottles right now, and I’m over it). The formula contains 49% Centella extract, which is a leafy green used in Asian dishes and medicine. It also contains 3% niacinamide, one of my favourite skincare ingredients — it’s really good at fading scars.

Purito’s Centella Green Level Buffet Serum is nothing special, honestly. It’s one of hundreds of excellent hyaluronic acid serums. But this one is a steal at about $16, performing more like a $60 hyaluronic. It’s truly lightweight, with no stickiness or risk of a breakout, and it smells a like fresh green tea (my favourite skincare scent).

The verdict on the Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum?

This one isn’t a must-have, but it’s also excellent. I’m less likely to re-buy it, simply because I’m already swimming in hyaluronic acid serums, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened. It’s the best one I’ve tried for the price, and is really gracefully executed with a side bonus of a little niacinamide.

Plus: these products are silicone-, paraben-, phtalate-, and cruelty-free!

Availability: ~$16 CAD at Purito, Amazon, and YesStyle.

Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum ingredients view

Centella Asiatica Extract, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycereth-26, Carbomer, Arginine, Sclerotium Gum, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Pancratium Maritimum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Ceramide.

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Disclaimer: These products were gifted to me, but I’ve already repurchased the sunscreen on my own! Please note that not all of the Purito (or even all of the Purito Centella Green Level) line is silicone-free, though these two items are. This post contains affiliate links, as well as a high degree of awesomeness.

Tags: /Extremely dry skin, Holy Grail, Moisturizers, Product Photos, Product Review, Silicone-free, Silicone-free moisturizers and serums, Skincare, Sun

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Apple blossoms & Sleek Mono Eyeshadows

June 10, 2019

Rae Chen

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I’m taking the week off—long days, fresh sea air, and dripping with humidity. These photos are from two weeks ago, with a bit of Sleek and The Organic Skin Co. (The Sleek Mono Eyeshadows are stellar, and The Organic Skin Co.’s Cheek and Lip Cream is just perfect in Spice.)

There’s a feeling that sits in the early summer, when the weather just won’t settle. It’s always dry in Edmonton, through the smog of neighbouring forest fires and the provincial heat; rain comes in spurts, and the thermostat clicks on and off all day. Everything sits just off-kilter: queer bubbles in a toxic oil pit, a bright orange shock of colour. A thick sludge covers everything, where bugs crawl in and out of dim sum restaurants and all of the gutless pickup trucks have balls.

In the hot days at the beginning of summer, there’s a bit of relief. An ease brought on by dense lilac bushes and short little apple trees, tiny spiders hiding in the corners of your office. The shift is detailed in these soft textures; caramel highlights.

I am here, apart from you, and I am forever incandescent with rage. With growing sentiment, I cannot sympathize with anyone who isn’t constantly furious here: small, and helpless, and soft-hearted.

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This post contains press samples: Sleek Mono Eyeshadows in Impatient, Always Right, Play Thing, and Queen Complex; Sleek Highlighting Elixir in Poppin’ Bottles; Kiss Faux Mink Eyelashes in Boudoir; Guerlain L’Essentiel Foundation; The Organic Skin Co. Cheek and Lip Cream in Spice. Also, the tree is not mine.

Tags: /Eyes, Sleek Makeup, Spring/Summer 2019

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Seven silicone-free eyeshadow formulas (+ swatches!) worth buying

May 30, 2019

Rae Chen

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A recent email from a reader opened my eyes up to a whole new field of silicone-free that I haven’t looked at yet on the blog: silicone-free eyeshadows. I tend to wear an eye primer with silicones, so this hadn’t applied to me until now! (I’d rather clean meticulously and hope for the best than have my eyeshadow crease by lunch.)

With new technology and better products, the need for silicone-y primers is diminishing. I’ve recently started wearing The Organic Skin Co. cream eyeshadows as my eyeshadow base — and they could not be better. I get a solid 9 hours of wear (7 hours crease-free) when I use them, and they’re so easy to blend and apply. Their creamy formula is the perfect texture to make my powder eyeshadows more intense, but unlike every single other cream eyeshadow I’ve ever tried, they actually keep my eyelids free of creasing and fading.

(And I’ve tried a ton of cream eyeshadows that haven’t been ‘cone-free. MAC, Bobbi Brown, Lise Watier… you name it. The Organic Skin Co’s silicone-free cream eyeshadows are the first to really work for my monolids!)

1. The Organic Skin Co. “The Eyes Have It”

Let’s start with the important stuff. The Organic Skin Co.’s eyeshadows are pricey (here’s a US link for you, too!), but they’re worth it. The brand’s The Eyes Have It Cream Eyeshadow Pods ($29 CAD) are blendable and pigmented, with enough oomph to create an intense eyeshadow look and enough stickiness to act as a silicone-free eyeshadow primer that’ll give you all-day wear. Their eyeshadow pods are drier than their lip and cheek pods (always a good sign), and they’re wonderfully intense for a naturally-based product.

From left to right in the swatches, Silhouette is a subtle, medium-sheer grey with fine shimmer. Silk Purse is a sophisticated, salmon pink with medium-opaque shimmer. Day Dreamer has a ruddy, brown cream finish. Finally, Deep Purple pops with electric silver, plum, and pink reflects on a dark grey base.

The Organic Skin Co. eyeshadow swatches

2. The Organic Skin Co. “Meet the Press”

As delicious as their cream formulas are, the brand’s Meet the Press Pressed Eye Shadow Pods ($29 CAD) are (somehow) equally as good. You’ll see two sets of pink and brown swatches in these photos: the first is Orchid and Nutmeg overtop Silk Purse and Day Dreamer; the second is Orchid and Nutmeg on their own, on moisturized skin.

Each of the eyeshadows corresponds well with its cream counterpart, which is either a good or a bad thing depending on your preferences. Orchid maintains the fine, uniform shimmer in Silk Purse, with a little more of a peach hue. Layered, the colour is maintained but intensified, and the wear time increases—these formulas mix to form an almost putty-like wash of colour that even resists being scrubbed at with a tissue, until you introduce a little cleanser or makeup remover to the mix. Nutmeg is a cream finish as well, but runs cooler than Day Dreamer.

I’ve been wearing a mix of Silhouette, Silk Purse, and Deep Purple as a base, with Orchid and Nutmeg overtop. To brighten up the inner corner and ease the red undertones of Silk Purse, I take MAC Blanc Type around the edges and add a bit of ivory shimmer to the inner corners.

3. Clean eyeshadows from The Detox Market

Every eyeshadow from The Detox Market is going to work for someone on a “silicone-free skin diet.” That’s right; you heard me. Every eyeshadow at The Detox Market is silicone-free, from their cult-followed RMS Beauty Eye Polish to their bracingly-expensive Kajer Weis Eye Shadows.

For affordable silicone-free eyeshadow options, I’d recommend going with Alima Pure ($14 USD/$17 CAD). Loose eyeshadows are a bit of a hassle, but Alima is one of the brands that hit it big during the 2010s’ mineral makeup craze and still continued to flourish when it ended. Their eyeshadows are offered in Satin Matte and Shimmer finishes, and are available in Pressed Eyeshadow format elsewhere.

If you’re on the hunt to build a silicone-free eyeshadow empire in your bedroom, mineral makeup companies are a great place to start. Many indie brands will press their eyeshadows with dimethicone, but if you can find a company that uses Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (my favourite ingredient!) instead, you’ll likely be good to go. BareMinerals comes to mind as a mass-market brand that makes truly exquisite silicone-free eyeshadows.

4. & 5. Easy-to-find silicone-free eyeshadows from MAC and Urban Decay

After years of being exhausted by each new MAC collection, the brand has fallen off of my radar. I forget about MAC when I’m writing posts, and haven’t purchased from them in years. But I love their basic eyeshadow and blush formulas… enough to get over their silly domed lids! I still use my last pan of Blanc Type religiously, and loved Full of Joy for years before Milk Makeup launched.

MAC gained its popularity for good reason, and it did so with relatively simple formulas. Their classic MAC Eye Shadow ($17 USD/$19 CAD) lists a silicone-free formula for with matte, satin, and shimmer finishes. For a little more pigment, the brand’s creamy Extra Dimension Eyeshadows ($20 USD/$26 CAD) are similarly silicone-free.

And for anyone who loves a great eyeshadow but isn’t a fan of MAC, there’s always Urban Decay. Like MAC, not all of their eyeshadows are silicone-free, but their singles are. Look to the poker-chip discs of Urban Decay Eyeshadows ($20 USD/$25.50 CAD) for another option that’s easy to find.

6. Awesome, budget-friendly silicone-free Sephora eyeshadows

As I mentioned, I’m kind of over MAC. Many of their products are truly great, but on the whole… well, I’m just not a big fan of any company that pushes out that many collections a year. After a certain point, the appeal of consumerism just becomes a little farcical.

The Sephora Collection makes a ton of products that I love (their Cream Lip Stains come to mind), and these are no exception. I was one of the first bloggers to try their eyeshadow singles when they relaunched years ago, and I’ve been a fan ever since. Instead of releasing 54 collections every year, Sephora does a big summer push and a big holiday push, but their eyeshadow range stays mostly the same. I last tried this formula around 2016, so make sure to read Christine’s updated reviews before purchasing!

For $10, the Sephora Collection Colorful Eyeshadows ($8 USD/$10 CAD) are stellar. They’re crazy pigmented and very blendable, and they pack a major punch. Their textures are a little more MAC (read: smooth mattes), but their finishes are more Urban Decay (big shimmer).

7. The cream of the silicone-free eyeshadow crop

I’ve never tried anything from the Pat McGrath Labs line. But I do lust after them at a distance, and I’ve read dozens of reviews for each and every product.

While I stay on my eternal makeup no-buy, Pat continues to churn out cult-followed products. One of the many is her EYEdols Eye Shadow formula ($25 USD/$35 CAD). These shadows are rumoured to be gloriously pigmented and buttery, with a foil-like finish on dry skin.

And yes, dear reader. They’re formulated with my fave: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride.

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This post is a reader request, with PR samples from Urban Decay, Sephora, Annabelle, and The Organic Skin Co. Many of these links are affiliate links, which help support theNotice when you use them.

Tags: featured/Eyes, Grouped reviews, Indie brands, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Silicone-free, Silicone-free lists, The Organic Skin Co

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Sleek Highlighting Elixir review, swatches: Poppin’ Bottles, She Got It Glow, SUN.LIT

May 20, 2019

Rae Chen

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The product: Sleek MakeUP Highlighting Elixir in Poppin’ Bottles, She Got It Glow, and SUN.LIT

The Sleek Highlighting Elixir formula

The Sleek Highlighting Elixir Illuminating Drops formula is, to put it simply, very lovely. It’s difficult to find illuminating drops that are silicone-free, but Sleek makes it look easy. These drops are silky and intense, with a liquid-crème formula that feels like nothing once you blend it in.

I like these best as pure highlighters, dabbed onto the back of my hand and then applied sparingly to the face. Each elixir is super intense, not with pigment but with luminosity. One dab of the dropper (not one drop from it) is more than enough for your cheekbones, nose, and cupid’s bow. This is the kind of formula that is super cute in a dropper bottle, but that doesn’t actually necessitate a dropper at all. You need so little product that a spatula, doe-foot, or squeeze-tube would work just as well.

(But the dropper is cute!)

These are also completely non-sticky and non-tacky once blended in. They diffuse gorgeously and light you up so intensely — I feel like I have an Instagram complexion when I wear Poppin’ Bottles, and my glow lasts all day with very minimal transfer. (You won’t end up with glitter covering your entire face unless that’s what you were aiming for!) I’ve wanted to find a ‘cone-free liquid luminizer for ages, and these were well worth the wait.

Sleek Poppin’ Bottles, She Got It Glow, SUN.LIT swatches in indirect sunlight

Sleek Poppin’ Bottles, She Got It Glow, and SUN.LIT swatches & shades

Because these blend out (like any highlighter) to luminous translucence, I think most people will find that they can select a shade to suit their tastes. I, however, love Poppin’ Bottles — in more than one way.

Like my favourite bottle of bubbly, Poppin’ Bottles is big, bold, and effervescent. One bottle will last for ages, and it makes me feel glowy and ready to go out. It never makes me look greasy, but instead highlights my brow bones, cheekbones, and cupid’s bow, thinning out my nose more than contouring ever has. Like any great highlighter, it’s full of dense, finely-milled shimmer and has an almost wet-look finish.

She Got It Glow is similarly glorious, offering a softer pink glow to the high points of your face. It’s more glittery (pink and silver reflects) and less dense. SUN.LIT sits on the opposite end of the spectrum, with a bronze hue and the least shimmer of these three. It’s the most pigmented of the lot by far, and mixes with moisturizer or foundation to glow-up your entire body.

What are Sleek’s Liquid Highlighters a great dupe for?

So many things!

These are a budget-friendly alternative to the often-lauded Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops. They’re a silicone-free alternative to Dermablend’s Glow Creator Drops and L’Oreal’s True Match Lumi Drops.

They’re also so, so, so much better than Benefit High Beam — which I’ll give points to for being a true OG, but let’s be real: that formula is a hot, siliconey mess. (And the packaging still sucks!)

The Sleek Highlighting Elixir verdict?

I wholly and unabashedly adore these. The Sleek Highlighting Elixirs are the perfect liquid highlighter, and come silicone-free and budget-friendly as an added bonus — but I’d love them even if they weren’t. Poppin’ Bottles is the single best highlighter I have ever tried, and it somehow looks both natural and super intense when worn.

Availability: $9 USD/$12ish CAD. Available at Ulta and other drugstores.

Tags: /Cheeks, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Silicone-free, Sleek Makeup, Spring/Summer 2019

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