Category Archives: Reviews

Skincare Saturday: Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Weightless + Ultra Radiance After Sun

July 23, 2016Reviews, SkincareHawaiian TropicChelle

201607_hawaiiantropic1

I’ve been an absolute sucker for Hawaiian Tropic suncare ever since my friend introduced me to the brand a few years back. Why did I become so entranced by it? Well, frankly, it’s entirely because the fact that if you buy the “Ultra Radiance” version of their sunscreens, you get glorious freaking SHIMMER particles in it! Sunscreen isn’t the most fun thing to wear, but we gotta do it so we can:

avoid the painful lobster look,
avoid getting skin cancer, and;
keep our skin looking youthful!

So if we’re going to wear sunscreen, we might as well have a little fun with it!

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Weightless (SPF 30)

New for 2016 is Hawaiian Tropic’s Silk Hydration Weightless which comes in SPF 15, 30 and 50. It’s intended to be a “barely there” sunscreen lotion which has a dual-ribbon formula that combines strong protection from the sun alongside 12 hours of moisturization.

Right off the bat, I can tell you that I love this product. I love that it has a pump top because I’m so DONE with squeezy sunscreen tubes that get soooo gooped up. The pump even does that “push the product up from the bottom thing” so you’re not left trying to bang the open container against your hand when you’re trying to get the remaining drops out. I am more than happy to report that the Silk Hydration Weightless formula smells identical to Hawaiian Tropic‘s regular lineup of sunscreens – yay!

This sunscreen does have a lightweight feel, but since I definitely glob my sunscreen on, it still FEELS like sunscreen to me. This one is water resistant, not waterproof like the original Hawaiian Tropic sunscreens. Not a problem in general, but something to be aware of if you plan to use this on beach or pool days where you may be getting wet. I wore this all over my face and body last weekend for soccer in roughly 30 degree heat and it didn’t sweat off which was a HUGE relief since I’ve used a few sunscreens that have seeped into my eyes while playing and it’s hell on earth when that happens. I also didn’t burn or excessively tan either! Winner!

The other new product I’ve got my hands on is the Ultra Radiance After Sun which is an ultra-conditioning moisturizer that soothes, softens and leaves your skin radiant. The Ultra Radiance formula is the one with the shimmer particles in it which are light reflecting mica minerals – they’re very, VERY subtle in this bottle though. I didn’t feel they were nearly as strong as the ones in the sunscreens I’ve had in the past (which is probably a pro for most people!).

The scent on this one is “Island Mango” which smells just as beachy and summery as you would expect with a name like that! Although it’s labeled as an After Sun, what I learned by looking at the ingredients on the back is that this doesn’t actually contain aloe vera. I checked the other After Suns had in my closet and it honestly seemed to be 50/50 on whether or not the products had aloe in them (was a surprise to me, I always thought After Sun meant that it contained aloe vera!). While this the After Sun is soothing and hydrating, if you’re looking for something that contains aloe, this isn’t the one for you.

I’ve seen Hawaiian Tropic at just about every drugstore in Canada, and you can buy it online at ulta.com if you’re in the USA.

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

Skincare Saturday: Korres Wild Rose Brightening Oil & Targeted Tone Corrector

July 9, 2016Reviews, SkincareKorresChelle

Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C Active Brightening Oil

Korres is one of those skincare brands that has been around for what feels like ages (turns out they were established in 1996)… and yet I’ve never gotten around to trying them – until now!

I was sent two items from their Wild Rose collection: the Vitamin C Active Brightening Oil and the Brightening Targeted Tone Corrector. This was one of those times where I was sent something out of the blue that I hadn’t requested nor would I ever think to request simply because of the scent of it. Rose (and most floral scents in general) send me running for the hills! Generally the smell is too cloying or thick and I just want nothing to do with it because it smells like grandmas. THANKFULLY, this particular wild rose infused scent by Korres is nothing at all like that. The scent in both of these products was subtle and light and felt *real*. None of that artificial thickness that seems to be inherent in so many “old fashioned” skincare products. Yay!

Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C Active Brightening Oil

The Wild Rose Vitamin C Active Brightening Oil is an “innovative brightening oil infused with real wild rose petals pays homage to the legendary wild rose oil ingredient that started it all. This ultra-concentrated vitamin C oil is rich in omega 3, 6, 9, fatty acids, and vitamins A and C. It provides significant antioxidant action while repairing the look of fine lines and wrinkles and improving skin’s overall tone and texture.

The formula is boosted with super C which increases skin’s vitamin C absorption by 1,000 percent to support natural collagen synthesis, powerful skin brightening, tone repair, and antioxidant protection against free radical and UV damage. Camapu, a plant derived extract delivers anti-thermal aging activity and anti-inflammatory benefits while improving skin’s luminosity. ” And there’s even actual wild rose petals floating in the oil!

Now, that’s a heck of a lot of things that this oil is doing and not all of it is necessarily readily apparent in your skin since cell turnover takes a long, LONG time. What I will say is that this absorbed incredibly quickly into my skin. It’s thick enough to be a good oil moisturizer, but it’s light enough that I can use it throughout the summer and not feeling weighted down (for example, I love my skynICELAND Arctic Face Oil, but that stuff is WAY too thick for the summer). I can even wear this under makeup if my skin needs a lot of hydration that morning! When my normal moisturizer just isn’t doing enough for my skin, this is what I’ve been reaching for.

Korres Wild Rose Brightening Targeted Tone Corrector

The Wild Rose Brightening Targeted Tone Corrector is a daily facial serum intended to visibly correct discoloration and even out overall skin tone. Sadly, I do not think I’m the intended audience for this tone corrector because even though it applies nicely, sinks in quickly and smell good, I didn’t really notice it doing anything to my face. (As I’ve said before though, I don’t really have any skin issues which means I haven’t got any discolouration to correct.) However, I have found that this tone corrector is decently moisturizing. I’ve been using it as the step before I apply the brightening oil and I like how the two of them combined makes my face feel.

Let me know if you’ve tried Korres products before and what your thoughts are. Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend! 🙂

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

Skincare Saturday: THEFACESHOP White Seed Review

July 2, 2016Reviews, SkincareTHEFACESHOPChelle

THEFACESHOP White Seed Brightening Toner and Brightening Serum

Although I’ve played around a little with THEFACESHOP‘s makeup, I’d never had an opportunity to try their skincare products out before now. THEFACESHOP‘s White Seed range is intended to brighten your skin – removing dullness and boosting radiance.

The White Seed Brightening Toner is a “translucent, brightening toner helps brighten the skin and clear away dullness without leaving a sticky residue.”

The White Seed Brightening Serum is a “smooth, brightening serum effectively penetrates into skin, giving it a boost of radiance and brightness.

Both products contain “a compound of brightening ingredients (White Lupin Seed, which contains a natural brightening substance, and White Daisy Flower extract, which helps reducing dullness) makes skin look bright and clear. This White Seed Complex is formulated without 7 additives: parabens, tar colorant, animal-sourced ingredients, mineral oil, talc, polyacrylamide, paraffin.”

THEFACESHOP White Seed Brightening Toner and Brightening Serum

In general, I’m quite skeptical of toners because more often than not they’re an added step that doesn’t always give me any kind of results. (I’ve even read multiple articles over the years that indicate they’re not actually doing much of anything.) However, a lot of people use them as an extra step in their routine and I know for me, the only time I’ve experienced a toner doing its job was when it removed itchiness on my face (seriously). I’ve gone off on a tangent here, but bear with me! So suffice to say, I’m incredibly skeptical about toners. However, I did *actually* notice brightening of my skin when I was using this in conjunction with the Brightening Serum. As my skin starts to tan in the summer, I can often be left with a slightly dull looking face just from the added pigment not looking as bright as “normal” for me. I was honestly a little bit shocked when I woke up the morning after having used this for the first time and found that face did indeed look brighter. I can’t explain it, as I definitely do not know the science behind the ingredients, but I did SEE a difference and for me that’s really, really rare with skincare. Added bonuses: pump top, lovely clean scent and it comes with a pump guard that you can pop on top of the lid in case you’re travelling with these items!

Now, the other side worth mentioning is that I don’t feel that the Brightening Serum was hydrating enough for me. It may say serum on the bottle, but it has the consistency of a normal moisturizer and not oil-based as I had expected. (Is it just me? Doesn’t serum imply oil?) I did find I was having to use an oil at night to keep my skin hydrated, even during the summer when I’m producing far more oil. Just something to keep in mind if you’re going to pick this up!

Let me know if you’ve tried these products out by THEFACESHOP, or any other skincare by them!

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

Skincare Saturday: Sephora Collection Intensive Instant Moisture+ & Total Age Defy Creams

June 25, 2016Reviews, SkincareSephoraChelle

Sephora Collection - Intensive Instant Moisture+ Cream & Total Age Defy Cream SPF15 Sunscreen

There’s always new moisturizers out there to try on the market isn’t there!? I recently tried out two brand new ones by Sephora Collection and wanted to share my thoughts.

Sephora Collection - Intensive Instant Moisture+ Cream & Total Age Defy Cream SPF15 Sunscreen

Both Sephora Collection moisturizers come in a solid plastic tub that contains 48 grams (1.69oz) of product. The lid screw off to reveal another lid/separator thing on the inside with a tab to make pulling the lid off easy. I have no idea why this is here because the main screwtop lid seals shut just fine. (I promptly threw those separator things in the garbage.)

The Total Age Defy Cream is an “antiaging facial cream [that] produces visibly younger-looking, beautiful skin. It contains a lipoaminoacid which supports natural collagen synthesis with flattering light-reflecting pigments and HydroSenn+TM, an ultramoisturizing natural ingredient that is more effective than hyaluronic acid”.

Total Age Defy Cream SPF15 Sunscreen is primarily what I would call a “day use” moisturizer since it contains SPF. I’m not a huge fan of SPFs in my moisturizer (I’d rather apply a separate SPF) but for those who would like some SPF in their facial moisturizer, this is a good one. It does have a faint sunscreen edge to the scent of it, but nothing too intrusive. It moisturized well and sunk into my skin quickly and effectively.

The Sephora Collection Total Age Defy Cream SPF15 Sunscreen can be purchased at sephora.ca for $43 CAD or on sephora.com for $32. USD.

However, it’s the Intensive Instant Moisture+ Cream that really stole my heart! The Intensive Instant Moisture+ Cream “recharges skin with hyaluronic acid for intense hydration with a weightless feel. It also supports skin’s natural hyaluronic acid. Perfect for dry and sensitive skin, it helps diminish the look of the first signs of aging while smoothing and refining skin’s appearance. Light-reflecting pigments even skintone and illuminate the complexion, while antioxidants protect against environmental aggressors to keep skin looking beautiful.”

I *loved* this stuff. It was smooth, buttery, and made my skin feel so smooth. I’m not sure it was entirely weightless – I did feel it required a bit more time to sink into my skin, but that’s okay because I used this as a nighttime moisturizer so I could pack in as much moisture as I could get overnight. I especially loved the scent of it, which was very fresh and refreshing.

The Sephora Collection Intensive Instant Moisture+ Cream can be purchased at sephora.ca for $29 CAD or on sephora.com for $23. USD.

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

Skincare Saturday: Sun Bum Suncare

June 11, 2016Reviews, SkincareSun BumChelle

Sun Bum Suncare

I know sunscreen isn’t the most exciting product to read about, but I’ve become quite enamoured by Sun Bum‘s range of products lately. There’s something about the faux wood packaging, the banana yellow font colouring, the monkey, and the underlying encouragement to practice good sun protection even when you’re out in the water, surfing or just lounging around that really, really speaks to me.

Sun Bum Broad Spectrum SPF 30/UVA/UVB Protection — Sun Bum Sunscreen Lotion – SPF 30

My personal favourite kind of sunscreen is the kind you slather on – mostly so I can see exactly where the heck I applied it! The Sun Bum sunscreen scent has to be my absolute favourite too. It has a coconut scent mixed in with the sunscreen scent which ends up being a really satisfying scent (similar to their hair care products too!).

My biggest worry with sunscreen is always that it will slide into my eyes when I’m out for a run or playing soccer on a hot day. This sunscreen is labelled as being water resistant for 80 minutes which can be really hit and miss with some brands. but I’m super happy to report that I wore this on a long run during high heat (so I was really sweating) and none of this sunscreen ran into my eyes. What a huge, HUGE relief! I have the SPF 30 option, it also comes in SPF 15, 50 and 70.

Sun Bum Sunscreen Spray - SPF 50 — Sun Bum Sunscreen Spray – SPF 50

Of course, if sprays are more your thing, you can grab the Sun Bum Sunscreen spray. This is also comes in SPF 15, 30, 50 and 70. As is typical with these sprays, you get a handy locking mechanism in the cap which ensures you’re not accidentally soaking the insides of your bag with sunscreen.

One of the things I find I always forget to think about is SPF for my lips. I mean, we slather it all over our face and body, why wouldn’t we do the same for our lips? (Sidenote… has anyone ever burned their lips? I feel like that’d be truly terrible. Ack.) Sun Bum has a wide range of lip balms (Key Lime, Coconut, Banana, Mango, Pink Grapefruit and Pomegranate!) all containing SPF 30. This has to be one of the most emollient and smooth lip balms I’ve ever used too. You’ve heard of lip butters? These are SOFTER than that! They glide on the lips and stay slick and hydrating. I’ve never ever felt another lip balm lip this before!

And finally, even though you’ve slathered yourself up with sunscreen, sometimes you end up a little burnt despite it all. Sun Bum‘s Cool Down is a soothing and restoring aloe lotion intended to help heal your skin and intensify your tan. I haven’t a clue how it’ll make my tan last (nor can I test it because there just haven’t been enough consistently warm days in Toronto to get enough of a tan!) but I can vouch for the moisturizing properties and the scent! (Seriously, I’m in love with this scent… it’s just like the sunscreens!) Because of the aloe, the Cool Down lotion can be used to help ease your skin after a long day in the sun, or you can really just use it as a nice moisturizer which is what I’ve been doing.

Sun Bum Suncare

So how about you? Do you love a particular brand of sunscreen? Do you have a reason for sticking with it? If you’re looking to switch it up, I’d give Sun Bum a shot! Their range can be found at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada.

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