Category Archives: Skincare

The Body Shop – Honey Bronze Collection (Review, Swatches & Look)

July 27, 2015Makeup, Reviews, Reviews, Skincare, SwatchesThe Body ShopChelle

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The Body Shop launched (somewhat) recently several additions to their already popular Honey Bronze lineup (made famous by their Honey Bronzer I believe). With these new additions they’re staying true to the golden goddess look that I’m looking for when when it gets sunny outside. Except, you know, without the added sun damage that comes along with looking tanned!

The Body Shop - Honey Bronze Highlighting Domes — The Body Shop – Honey Bronze Highlighting Domes

These were the absolute highlight (GET IT?!) of the collection to me. They’re labelled as the Honey Bronze Highlighting Domes, but they come in three colours that are very clearly suited towards traditional bronzer, blush and highlighter shades.

Shade 3 is the bronzer of the group. It has a red tint on top of the usual golden shade of a bronzer. I appreciate this because I like that edge of “I got slightly burned” without actually being in pain. (I realize that sounds like an odd description, but a bit of red in a bronzing shade is far more believable that outright orange.)
Shade 3 is a pink blush shade with a hint of golden sheen. This is STUNNING on the cheeks. I could wear this shade every day and be perfectly happy.
Shade 1 is a traditional champagne highlight shade.

As I was shooting my photos, Nemo wanted a cuddle. And I wasn’t going to say no to that face!

Annnnd back to the Highlighting Domes. Although the packaging is quite bulky, it makes them look absolutely adorable. The product inside each of them is just incredible. Each dome has the same consistency: they’re a hard cream-like formula with a faint sheen. Since they do have that harder consistency, I use a firm brush to pick up the product and blend them into the skin.

I really can’t rave about Highlighting Domes enough. I love the finished look on my skin. The bronzer looks natural, the highlighter is doing its shiny thang and the blush… oh my god the blush. I can’t get over that blush shade. I love, love, LOVE how that looks on my face and I swear it’ll match any eye look I come up with too. LOVE!

Also part of the collection is the Tinted Face Gel. I was excited, but a little bit nervous, to try this one out. I’ve never really done any kind of self tanning before (aside from actually laying out IN the sun) so this was a whole new world to me.

The gel is really, really dark when you first squeeze it out of the tube. Frighteningly so. Thankfully it spreads out to be a far more subtle shade once it’s blended into the skin.

The Body Shop Tinted Face Gel - Before and After — The Body Shop Tinted Face Gel – Before and After

But… I’m not sold on it. In the above shot, I applied it directly to my face and rubbed it in like a moisturizer. It applied evenly and didn’t streak. However, now that I’m sitting here writing about it, I’m feeling kind of stupid – maybe I should’ve mixed it with my foundation and applied it to my face that way? Perhaps that’d give me a more natural look? I’m too distracted by the fact that my face looks like a completely different colour from my neck. Alright people, how do YOU wear tinted face gels? Give me your advice!

During the summer I often end up with a fairly annoying sock and shin pad tan lines from running and soccer, and they look pretty darn stupid when I’m wearing a dress and have bright white feet or shins. While my tan lines haven’t been extreme this year, I’d still really like to be able to add some colour to my legs while also covering up my usual mishmash of tan lines. The Tinted Leg Mist could be a possible solution to this.

On the left side, I’ve applied several coats of the Tinted Leg Mist. On the right, nothing at all. The difference is subtle, but it is definitely there. I like how natural it is – it really does look like I’d gotten a tan and not like I’d covered myself in self tanner. I will say though, I’m not sure how well this will hold up if you’re sitting down. I would recommend this on nights when you know you’re going to be standing up a lot – at bars, dancing, or an event with a lot of mingling. I don’t feel like this would sweat off, but it does feel like you could rub it off on furniture, etc.

Nemo was all up in these products!

Final Thoughts

The Highlighting Domes knocked it completely out of the park for me! I love how they applied to my skin – all three shades worked well together to create beautiful glowing face makeup. I’m curious to see if The Body Shop will release more shades in this formula – I think it’d be a win for a lot of people.

The Tinted Face Gel was too far off the beaten path for me – although I am going to try mixing it with a foundation the next time I try it to see if I get better results.

The Tinted Leg Mist is very cool, but it’s kind of a take it or leave it product. If you’re in the market for a leg mist, this might be your jam. Unfortunately I can’t compare the longevity of it to anything else on the market as I’ve not tried anything else. But, I do love the natural looking colour it added to my legs.

If nothing else, you need to check out those Highlighting Domes. Serious winners in my book.

This review features press samples sent for consideration.

The Body Shop’s Virgin Mojito

July 10, 2015Reviews, SkincareThe Body ShopChelle

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Raise a hand if The Body Shop was your first introduction to bath products as a young teen? They sure were for me. I have fantastic memories of picking up soaps and shower gels and thinking I was the absolute coolest person alive because I was buying “adult” products with my baby-sitting money. (Oceanus was my scent back in the day, White Musk was my best friend’s – oh the memories.) Satsuma, to this day – verging on twenty years later, is still a staple of mine.

Good grief is this ever a lot of pre-amble to tell you there’s a new collection out! Say hello to Virgin Mojito (which my friends and I pondered as to why it was called “Virgin Mojito” and not just “Mojito”… we came to the conclusion that The Body Shop didn’t want anyone trying to drink this thinking it was full of alcohol. But I digress.) Virgin Mojito is described as “refreshingly fragranced with a twist of zesty lime and the scent of fresh mint”. I get more lime out of this scent than mint (although there’s definitely still mint in there) which made me a happy camper since I have a penchant for citrus. Virgin Mojito is the kind of scent you want to wear in the summer – it’s not heavy and it doesn’t have that overly perfumed scent to it. It’s a “clean” sort of scent and one that’s easy to wear because it’s not too intense. Put simply, Virgin Mojito is refreshing.

The Body Shop Virgin Mojito – Body Butter and Body Sorbet

The products I’m most familiar with in any lineup are the Body Butter and the Body Sorbet. The Body Butter has the usual consistency – it’s thick, moisturizing and feels wonderfully luxurious. The Body Sorbet, which I think less people are familiar with, is the fun one to use. It has a frothy, half-whipped gel-like feeling. It’s more of a lightweight moisturizer which makes it quick and easy to use since it absorbs into the skin quickly. Body Sorbets are total winners in my book.

The Body Shop – Virgin Mojito Body Scrub

The Body Scrub is new to me. This particular scrub is a gelatinous goo (it’s fun!) that has smaller beads suspended within the goop. This will exfoliate your skin, but it’s not a super intense sandpaper-y feel like some scrubs. I’m a morning shower person (unlike Jenn – if you have no idea what I’m talking about, please go read this post and prepare to laugh) so the scent of Virgin Mojito mixed with a nice scrub in the mornings? Completely energizing.

The Body Shop – Virgin Mojito Body Splash and Shower Gel

The Body Splash is another new product to me. It’s not overly perfumed, so it won’t last a super long time, but it’s got enough of a kick to it that it’s great for splashing on yourself if you’re headed out to the beach and don’t want to smell like sunscreen. Or after I play soccer and am going to head out for food afterwards.

The Shower Gel is your typical shower gel that lathers easily and scents your skin for a little while after your shower. I’ve used The Body Shop‘s shower gels for about two decades now and they never fail me.

So if mojitos are your favourite drink, or you like the scent of lime and mint, or you really just need something new to try for the summer, I’d say you can’t go wrong with Virgin Mojito. This scent is limited edition, so once the summer runs out it’ll be gone – snatch it up quick!

This review features press samples sent for consideration.

Review: Jealous Body’s New Scrubs

July 4, 2015Reviews, SkincareJealous BodyChelle

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Back in March, I tried out a scrub by the Canadian company Jealous Body. Their Coconut + Coffee scrub was incredible – it left my skin feeling super moisturized and gave me a huge lift in the morning since it made my whole bathroom smell like coffee!

Now, Jealous Body is back with four new scrubs that target a variety of different skin types. If you were on the fence about the coconut one, you may find something else you’re looking for in the new ones.

Jealous Body: Grapeseed + Macadamia and Cocoa + Almond

I received the Grapeseed + Macadamia and the Cocoa + Almond scrubs to try out. Each scrub comes in a water resistant bag, and, for those worried, it’s fully waterproof on the inside since it’s lined with plastic and has the most intense ziploc seal I’ve ever encountered in my life – that shit means business. Each bag contain 200g of product and lasts me about 4-5 showers.

The Grapeseed + Macadamia scrub is best for oily prone skin (great for summer!) and contains:

fresh robusta coffee grounds (stimulate blood flow which help reduce the appearance of cellulite, eczema, stretch marks, age spots, varicose veins, psoriasis and acne)
cold pressed 100% natural grapeseed oil (tightens skin and helps treat acne)
macadamia nut oil (helps with anti aging of your skin and balances oil production)
raw brown sugar & sea salt (exfoliates)
vitamin A, E & minerals (protects and repairs skin)

The Cocoa + Almond scrub is best for all skin types and contains:

fresh robusta coffee grounds (stimulate blood flow which help reduce the appearance of cellulite, eczema, stretch marks, age spots, varicose veins, psoriasis and acne)
cold pressed 100% natural sweet almond oil (relieves dryness and skin irritation and improves your complexion)
macadamia nut oil (helps with anti aging of your skin and balances oil production)
cocoa powder (antioxidants that will repair your skin cells)
raw brown sugar & sea salt (exfoliates)
vitamin A, E, D & minerals (protects and repairs skin)

Although I didn’t try the other ones, there is also an Almond + Coffee scrub (for dry & normal skin) and an Almond + Macadamia scrub (for dry & mature skin).

The application is the same with these scrubs as with the previous ones: Get in the shower, get wet, grab a healthy handful of the scrub and start rubbing it into your skin. Let the product soak into your skin for ten minutes or so, then wash it off.

As with the original scrub, both of the new ones left my skin feeling soft and supple. I don’t notice a difference between the two new ones I received (nor do I notice a scent difference – they both smell of glorious, glorious coffee), but I will say that I found the original Coconut + Coffee scrub to be overall more moisturizing, likely due to the coconut oil. However, both new scrubs are still so moisturizing that I don’t feel the need to moisturize my entire body with a separate product afterwards.

Overall, I feel that these scrubs are incredible, and I’m glad that Jealous Body has expanded their line because it gives customers with specific skin needs a product that will help them target their individual skin concerns. These all natural scrubs are definitely worth checking out, particularly if you love the smell of coffee!

The products featured in this review were provided by PR for consideration.

Event: Get healthy inside & out with Dermalogica

June 27, 2015Events, SkincareChelle

Last week I attended the “Get healthy inside & out with Dermalogica” event at the Gladstone Hotel, and brought along my dear friend Ali (from Ali Does It Herself) who was visiting from Ottawa. As this was a skincare and healthy eating/drinking event, I thought it would suit both our interests.

Alison looks like she’s about to be in heaven.

As with the theme of the evening, the spread set out before us when we got there was a healthy pile of fruits and vegetables that we immediately dove into. Hey, it was dinner time!

Dermalogica Overnight Retinol Repair Presentation

As we sat down to chomp on our food, Charmaine Cooper, Education Manager for Dermalogica Canada, stepped up to the front of the room and gave us a run down on why were here today – to talk about Dermalogica‘s brand new Overnight Retinol Repair cream. We ran through the basics of skincare and I learned a few things I didn’t know before:

80% of how we age is from photoexposure (that is TERRIFYING by the way – make sure you wear sunscreen!)
Your age is roughly equivalent (in days) to how long it takes to notice a difference in your skin after starting a new skincare regimen. For example, I’m 32 years old – if I were to start a new skincare routine tonight, I should expect to see results in 32 days’ time.

The key ingredient in the Overnight Retinol Repair cream is the 0.5% microencapsulated retinol, which I believe is that highest content currently available in a retinol cream. Retinol has “demonstrated to reverse both the signs of intrinsic aging, as well as extrinsic or environmental photo-aging.” It also accelerates cell renewal, stimulates collagen production, improves epidermal thickness and increases elastin biosynthesis. (Umm yes please, I want all of those things on my face and body.)

The point of this being an overnight cream is to work on your skin while you’re sleeping and when your body is at rest. The science behind this is that your body won’t be fighting against the product (or anything for that matter) while you’re sleeping and the retinol can sink in do its job better while your skin works to regenerate and renew itself.

Ali and I playing around with the retinol and buffer creams. Photo Credit: Mauricio Calero

The Overnight Retinol Repair comes with a buffer cream to allow your skin to adapt to the solution. At first you start out with more buffer cream and less retinol, and as your skin adjusts, you start decreasing buffer cream and adding in more retinol.

An introduction to Greenhouse Juice Co. and mixing our own concoctions.

After we finished up the skincare with Dermalogica, we were introduced to Greenhouse Juice Co., a Toronto-based organic cold-pressed juice company that first opened its doors at 5 Macpherson Avenue in January 2014.

I’m not a juicer, or even much of a juice drinker since it’s generally a waste of calories to drink manufactured juice since it has wayyy too much added sugar. However, Greenhouse Juice Co. explained that there aren’t any additives, this was literally taking that fruit or vegetable and turning it into liquid.

After a brief intro to the company, we sampled several of their different offerings. I was intrigued – while there was a sweetness in some drinks, it was all dependent on what fruit had been added in. Overall, most of the juices were just flat out refreshing. There was no added sugar and it just tasted… healthy! Depending on the combination of fruits and/or vegetables, there were some absolutely incredible ones (that I can’t remember the names of now – argh!). I was also introduced to liquid cayenne – something I didn’t even know existed! We mixed a few of our own drinks, although we made the mistake of adding wayyy too much cayenne pepper to one that made both Ali and I feel like our mouths were on fire. In the end, I created a fairly acidic and sour combination of carrots, lemon, pineapple and apple – I loved it though. Anything that makes my mouth pucker is a good thing!

All in all, it was a interesting and informative evening, and the tie in between the skincare and the juicing was a clever way to incorporate healthy living with a good skincare routine. I’m eager to try out the Overnight Retinol Repair and see how it works for me. I’ve yet to see any real difference with any previous skincare treatments from any brand, but maybe this will be the first! Dermalogica‘s Overnight Retinol Repair retails for $110 CAD and is sold at authorized Dermalogica spa, salons and skin centers across Canada, and at Dermalogica.ca.

Review: Marcelle Gentle Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes

April 17, 2015Reviews, SkincareMarcelleChelle

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This isn’t a review where I dissect a product and determine what I like about it so much as it is a rave review about a product I’ve used daily for over a decade. I don’t often mention products that I use daily (except for one post last year called “The Unmentionables“) because really… it just gets boring. No one cares if you use the same cleanser, moisturizer… because that information almost never changes if you’ve found a holy grail product.

And this Marcelle makeup remover is my holy grail.

The Marcelle Gentle Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes has been my makeup remover of choice for going on ten years now. I’ve seen this blue bottle go through several iterations of the cap (it looked like a short, fat pom-pom for a while, then they switched it to a (horrible) flip top that spurted out way too much liquid), but it’s perfect just how it is now. It has a small spout where you can tip the bottle over and apply as much as you like to a cotton pad before swiping it on your eyes.

So why do I love it so much?

Well, it’s a bi-phase makeup remover which means it’s got enough power to remove your waterproof mascara and hard to remove liquid and gel liners. This sucker will take ANYTHING off. Over the years I’ve heard a lot of people complain about some liners and mascara being difficult to remove (I’m looking at you Benefit They’re Real!), but this has managed to obliterate anything and everything I’ve ever applied to my face. As with these bi-phase removers, I do get a bit of a film over my eyes after I’ve removed my makeup. I know this can be disorienting to some people, but after years of using this, I barely even notice it anymore. (I’m only mentioning this since it can be a super important detail to some people, however I do not consider this an issue as I’ve found that all waterproof makeup removers do this.)

It’s formulated for sensitive skin so this never leaves me feeling dry or itchy. And for those who monitor that kind of stuff, this remover is also paraben and perfume free, and suitable for contact lens wearers.

I’ve often tried out both high and low-end makeup removers just to see if there *is* something better out there. There isn’t. I keep coming back to this. It’s typically about $15 CAD at the drugstore, which is getting a bit up there I suppose, but you can always wait for a sale, or when they have a larger bottle promotion that has 33% more in it for the same price as the regular size (which I’ve featured in this post).

If you’re looking for a new makeup remover, I can’t recommend this enough. I will continue to purchase this bottle whenever I run out and I’ve *always* got a backup in my closet. And since Marcelle is a Canadian brand, it gives me that warm fuzzy feeling that I’m supporting something within my own country!