Category Archives: Skincare

Skincare Saturday: Rodial Bee Venom Collection

October 1, 2016Reviews, SkincareRodialChelle

Rodial Bee Venom Collection

Just in time for the holiday season, Rodial is releasing a few luxury skincare gift sets this month! I’ve been trying out their Bee Venom Collection because it sounded the most intriguing. I’ve never ever had something like bee venom in my skincare before!

The Rodial Bee Venom Collection was created to “rejuvenate the skin for a youthful looking complexion. Bee venom works in synergy with a unique complex of plant stem cells to help visibly improve skin tone and elasticity and plump out appearance of lines and wrinkles.” The “melittin peptide bee venom plumps and firms wrinkle appearance stem cells help improve skin elasticity biomimetic growth factors smooth skin surface appearance marine collagen helps reduce look of lines and wrinkles marimoist® provides immediate and sustained hydration”.

It comes with a Bee Venom Moisturiser (50 ml), Bee Venom Super Serum (30 ml), and Bee Venom Eye (25 ml). The whole kit comes in one large box with all three products inside. The two moisturizers are boxed individually within the larger box. The entire line cautions that if you are allergic to bee stings you should avoid using this line of skincare. All three products can be used daily.

The Bee Venom Moisturiser is an “extreme performance cream for mature skin with melittin peptide, stem cells, biomimetic growth factors and vitamin c”. It’s a medium thickness cream that smooths onto my skin really easily. It’s hydrating, but not overly thick which is an enormous blessing since I’m really over moisturizers that just won’t sink into my skin!

The Bee Venom Eye cream seems to be a thicker formulation of the moisturizer, although it does contain bee venom further down on the ingredient list. Although I don’t personally feel like I need a separate eye cream (I’m not especially dry in that area), I do like the ritual of applying a thick cream to that area and gently rubbing it in.

The item I’ve enjoyed the most out of this set was the Super Serum and sadly it’s the smallest product! Ack! I’ve been applying this before my moisturizer and it seems to work well under ANY brand as far as I can tell. It’s not too thick, not too thin and sinks in within a few minutes of application.

I was trying to pin point the scent of these products, and I realized it was kind of hard to do since two of the products smell the same, but the serum definitely doesn’t! The serum smells more like a floral perfume to me, whereas the moisturizers smell faintly alcoholic to me. Weird thing to say, but I can’t really pinpoint any other scent!

The Rodial Bee Venom Collection can be purchased at Murale and Shoppers Drug Mart for $180 CAD.

The products featured in this post were sent to me for review.

Skincare Saturday: Live Clean Body Washes

September 24, 2016Reviews, SkincareLive CleanChelle

Live Clean Body Washes

You know what’s really, really nice? When you’re introduced to a product, love it, and then discover that it doesn’t break the bank at all! And that’s exactly what’s happened with these gorgeous Live Clean body washes – they’ rich and foamy, the bottles are ENORMOUS (seriously – there’s 500ml per bottle!) and they’re on well.ca for just under $8 CAD each!

Live Clean introduced their line of body washes to the world six years ago. The brand is entirely vegan with no animal products (or even by-products) in their formulations. They’re also eco-friendly and are committed to having as little environmental impact as possible. They’re also completely void of SLS/sulfates, phthalates, petrolatum, silicone, dyes, parabens, DEA and phosphates!

The top three favourites that the team at Live Clean love the most are:

Coconut Milk: I love this one because it has a glorious rich and creamy scent that veers on the less tropical side of things for a coconut scent. It’s more of a warm coconut scent than a beach vibe (if you know what I mean) and I quite enjoy that different take on a coconut scent!
Fresh Water: I’m all over any kind of aquatic scents so I knew I was going to love this just by looking at the blue water logo on the front of the bottle. And sure enough – I’m in love!
Exotic Nectar: This is the scent that really made me fall in love with Live Clean. I was over at Julie‘s place and got a whiff of these and I was totally stunned by the scent. Their main scent is argan oil and I am NOT a fan of that smell at all – but there’s something about the way this scent is blended that is extremely pleasing to me.

And, lastly, brand new to Live Clean‘s range is their Vanilla Oatmeal scent. I personally smell a lot more of the oatmeal side of things with a hint of vanilla. While the three scents I mentioned above are more summer scents in my mind (although I’ll gladly use them year ’round!), this Vanilla Oatmeal one is the kind of warm, inviting scent I want to be using during the cooler months.

You can find a wide range of Live Clean‘s body washes on well.ca, but they’re also sold at Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart, London Drugs and Amazon!

So what about you? Have you tried Live Clean products before?

The products featured in this post were sent to me for consideration.

Skincare Saturday: Zoella Soak Opera & Fizz Bar

September 17, 2016Reviews, SkincareZoella BeautyChelle

Zoella Beauty Soak Opera and Fizz Bar

Although I’ve never been a regular viewer of Zoella (I really don’t think I’m her target audience since I’m over the age of 30), it’s incredible to look at the stats that this woman possesses:

14 million YouTube subscribers with 49 million views per month.
All of her social media following is well into the millions with Facebook being the lowest at 2.6 million likes and Instagram being the highest with 7.2 million followers.

So needless to say, it’s not surprising that she would come out with her own range of bodycare. When I look at the line of products and the way they’re packaged, it has a very young girl appeal with a hint of grandma elegance. I didn’t even know that was a thing, but that’s the best way I can think to describe these items!

Zoella‘s Soak Opera (*love* the name) is a bath soak and shower cream filled with vitamin E, shea butter and aloe extracts to soften and condition your skin. I used this as body wash and found that it lathered up well and did the whole “make me clean” thing just fine. As a bubble bath, it gave me a few bubbles, but not as much as I would want (which is like… a LOT.). What intrigued me the most about this, aside from the clever name, is the fact that the product is scented completely unlike what I had expected. Based on her audience, I was really expecting this product to be sugary sweet, almost like some kind of confection. Instead, it’s a more adult (verging on grandmotherly, seriously) flowery fragrance that I was really not keen on at first sniff. But then I kept smelling it, and using it, and I found my nose was actually quite into the scent, even though it was something I’ve never gravitated towards before. Perhaps it’s because amidst the intense floral potpourri scent, there’s also an edge of freshness that keeps my nose rejuvenated.

I also think the price point is incredibly fair. At a suggested retail price of $12 CAD for 490 ml, you’re getting almost double what a place like The Body Shop would give you for almost an identical price tag.

You’ll find a slightly stronger potpourri scent in Zoella‘s Fizz Bar. This block of bath fizzers can be broken down into eight individual cubes, or use however many you’d like to toss into your bath. I opted to throw in two cubes per bath because I was really liking the scent of her products by the time I got around to testing this Fizz Bar!

The Fizz Bar didn’t go up in smoke as soon as I dumped it into my bath – it was more of a slow release product. I didn’t find it did anything especially amazing to my bath – more of a scented bath really for when you want to spend a bit more time lounging and watching YouTube. The price tag for this one is around $10, which, I’ll repeat, keeps her beauty line in a really reasonable price range.

Zoella Beauty products are sold in select stores in Canada including Londong Drugs, Pharmasave, Lawtons, Familiprix, IDA, Guardian, Brunet and Uniprix. To see a full listing of product available in Canada, please check out FarleyCo’s web site.

 The products featured in this post were sent to me for review.

Aveeno Pure Renewal Shampoo + Conditioner & Purifying Body Wash

September 10, 2016Hair, Reviews, SkincareAveenoChelle

Aveeno Pure Renewal Shampoo + Conditioner and Purifying Body Wash in Sea Kelp + Nourishing Oatmeal

I’ve been a fan of Aveeno skincare for so long that I’m honestly starting to wonder if I’m ever going to find a dud product by them. (And nope, this isn’t a post where I find a bad apple either!) As we dive into the cooler months, I’m all for trying out new products, so I was more than happy to test out some new-to-me Aveeno products!

The Aveeno Pure Renewal Shampoo and Conditioner are sulfate-free (and yet the shampoo still lathers up which I really appreciate) and are infused with seaweed extract. The seaweed extract is there to help cleanse your hair without over-drying it. And as far as shampoos and conditioners go, I was happy with this which is really all I’m looking for in my shampoo and conditioner. My number one complaint with any hair product is that if it weighs it down, I’m not going to like it, and this definitely did not do that. My hair was smooth and soft after use and it didn’t feel weighed down. I also enjoy the clean, fresh, slightly green scent of both products.

AND… I love the shape of the bottle. I can turn them upsidedown without having to worry about them toppling over in the shower. I know it’s a small detail, but that makes me a really, really happy camper when I’m in shower!

Thumbs up for both of these!

Aveeno Purifying Body Wash with Sea Kelp + Nourishing Oatmeal

The Aveeno Purifying Body Wash with sea kelp and nourishing oatmeal is yet another body wash to add to my list of favourites that Aveeno creates (their Skin Relief is my number one favourite body wash EVER). The intent with this particular body wash is that it combines ingredients from the land and sea to flush away impurities. Like the Pure Renewal shampoo and conditioner, this body wash has a faintly green aquatic scent that is definitely unisex. The scent is refreshing in the morning when I’m trying to wake myself up from the previous night’s slumber!

So there we have it… Aveeno has once again failed to produce a less than stellar product! Seriously guys… I’ve been in love with this brand for so long that I really don’t think I’ll ever find a bad product by them! 😉

The products featured in this post were sent to me for consideration.

Skincare Saturday: Introduction to Dr. Roebuck’s

September 3, 2016Reviews, SkincareDr. Roebuck'sChelle

Dr. Roebuck's

For the uninitiated (and I’m right there with you because I’d never tried this brand before!), Dr. Roebuck’s is an Australian brand that focuses on 100% natural and effective skincare. Their products are intended for sensitive skin, promise to contain “no nasties, no fillers” and are organic. They use essential oils to scent their products instead of using perfumes, and are completely cruelty-free.

The company dates back to 1978 when Dr. Roebuck created his original PURE formula to treat the Ezcema of his newborn identical twin daughters, Zoe and Kim. Those two daughters are now at the head of the company that their father created. Dr. Roebuck’s products can be found on the shelves of Priceline (an Australian health and beauty retailer very similar to Canada’s Shoppers Drug Mart), Shoppers Drug Mart and Murale.

I got to try out a whole whack of their products, so let’s get started!

Dr. Roebuck’s FACE

They say: FACE is a unique active formula including active ingredients (Vitamin E, Macadamia Oil and Rosehip Oil) that rehydrates the skin and reduces wrinkles. Dr Roebuck’s prescribes FACE as an everyday facial skincare remedy and can be used under makeup to protect the skin from drying out.
I say: This moisturizer is really, really watery in the container, so be careful when you’re opening the lid because you’re likely to slosh it everywhere! I found this moisturizer to be extremely hydrating… but to the point where it’s too much for daily use since your skin is left feeling quite tacky afterwards. I’ve opted to use this at night as a moisturizing overnight mask and I really like it for that. My skin feels plump and hydrated after us and I’m really looking forward to using this in the winter as my skin dries out.

Dr. Roebuck’s POLISH

They say: A unique two in one formula that offers a mask and exfoliant in one. This deep cleansing and purifying, non-abrasive facial scrub and mask gently removes dead skin cells leaving the skin revitalised and beautifully radiant.
I say: This is a gentle mask/scrub since the granules used for exfoliation are quite large. It feels kind of like a massage for your face, actually. The scent is slightly pepperminty, but I felt no cooling effect on the skin (which is good is you’re super sensitive to that!). I really enjoyed this scrub as it left my skin feeling exceptionally clean and smooth.

Dr. Roebuck’s Natural Cleansing Wipes

They say: Hydrating antioxidant wipes that come infused with active ingredients to purify the skin and removes all traces of makeup, impurities and excess oil.
I say: 100% no to all of the above. I can’t even tell if it does purify my skin because it DOES NOT TAKE MY MAKEUP OFF. And because of that claim, that it “removes all traces of makeup”, I am so, so disappointed. I could not get my eye makeup off with this. So much so that I was left scrubbing my eyes with PAPER TOWEL in my office trying to get my makeup off before going to the gym. The wipes aren’t saturated with enough product and they felt kind of rough. I was left with dark rings around my eyes from all of the scrubbing and in the end had to resort to a Wet One wipe from a coworker to get the rest of my makeup off. Hard pass on this one.

First up, all of their serums are “infused with a powerful base: [their] exclusive “CNYouthMolecule”. A blend of Carnosine, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E to restore and boost your skin. [Their] exclusive base increases skin collagen production, improves the appearance of sun damage, reduces the density of deep wrinkles, and increases skin hydration.” With all of that upfront, here are the two serums I tried out:

Dr. Roebuck’s Ultimate Hydrating Serum

They say: The Ultimate Hydrating Serum also includes creatine (stimulates collagen and cell regeneration), ubiquinone (reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, prevents or reduces damage to tissues and stimulates collagen production), Vitamin B3 (firms and reduces signs of aging, reduces hyperpigmentation and prevents moisture loss) and, finally, aloe vera (moisturizing, soothing and anti-aging properties while protecting the skin).
I say: This one was a winner in my book! I was amazed at how often I found myself reaching for this one – almost nightly, actually. This was hydrating enough that I often felt I didn’t need an additional moisturizer. I also really liked to apply this right after I’d taken my makeup off because it really helped to rehydrate my skin after foundation felt like it had dried it out (anyone else feel like that after they take their foundation off?).

Dr. Roebuck’s Reverse Aging Serum

They say: The Reverse Aging Serum also includes creatine (stimulates collagen and cell regeneration), gratuline in-tense (soothes deep wrinkles and helps with facial contouring), Vitamin B3 (firms and reduces signs of aging, reduces hyperpigmentation and prevents moisture loss), evening primrose oil (reduces fine lines and lightens dark circles around the eyes), borage seed oil (helps restore skin moisture and promotes elasticity) and, lastly, aloe vera (moisturizing, soothing and anti-aging properties while protecting the skin).
I say: I liked it, but I didn’t see much change in the effects of my skin after three weeks of use. I found myself reaching for the Ultimate Hydrating Serum more often than this one, but that may be because I’m 33 and not 53 years old, so your mileage may vary if you’re older than me.

A quick note on these dropper-style bottles: I found that the dropper didn’t do its job very well. The product was a bit on the thick and goopy side and didn’t seem to get sucked up into the dropper with any kind of regularity. It didn’t feel thick once it was applied to my face (and in fact, it soaked in quite quickly), but you’re probably going to end up tipping the bottle over to get product out and/or wiping the dropper on your hand instead of actually using it the way you’re supposed to. It didn’t matter to me, but I thought it was worth noting.

All of the above products are brand new by Dr. Roebuck’s and will be launching on September 15, 2016. Let me know if there’s anything piqued your interest, or, if you’ve tried this brand before, let me know what did and did not work for you!

The products featured in this post were sent to me for consideration.