Tag Archives: Sun Bum

Skincare Saturday: What’s In My Bathrooms?

Guest bathroom
Guest bathroom

I think we’re all a little bit curious as to what products people keep – be it in their bags, showers, makeup collection, etc. – so I thought I’d take you on a quick tour of my two bathrooms and the products I keep on the counters and in the medicine cabinets.

Sidenote: There’s a lot of PR products in here and most of them I’ve reviewed in the past. I’ll put a star (*) beside each product that was sent to me so you’ll know!

The first bathroom is our guest bathroom and, out of the two we have, it’s the one we use the least (which means it stays clean the longest!).

Guest bathroom - sink area
Guest bathroom – sink area

I like the idea of keeping a fairly clean counter in the guest bathroom (our ensuite is much different) so I don’t have a ton of stuff on display. Tis the season for Live Clean holiday hand soaps, so I’ve got their Vanilla Peppermint hand soap* out for use. I also keep the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Lotion* out in case someone is feeling dehydrated and needs a skin boost.

In my opinion, no bathroom is complete without Q-tips and cotton rounds, so those are there as well!

Guest bathroom - medicine cabinet
Guest bathroom – medicine cabinet

It’s a little bit empty inside the mirrored medicine cabinet, but that’s fine by me! I’ve got a handy Febreze in there because no one likes to leave a bathroom feeling ashamed (more specifically… in someone else’s house!) and honestly that Febreze is about six years old at this point. Those things last forever!

I’ve also got some QUO nail polish remover – I always opt for the hydrating ones if I can find them. Some more lotion in there – Avon‘s Skin So Soft Aqua Express* (love the smell of this one!) and the Be Delectable Hand Cream. Since I also wash my makeup brushes in the guest bathroom, I’ve also got a huge bottle of Johnson’s Baby Shampoo which is my go-to for makeup brush cleaning.

Ensuite bathroom
Ensuite bathroom

Time to move on to our ensuite and this one is a lot more jam packed with products! Once again with the Q-tips and cotton rounds, but this time I’ve got a Bath & Body Works hand soap in Crisp Morning Air which is one of my favourite autumnal scents.

Ensuite bathroom - counter
Ensuite bathroom – counter

To the right of the sink is a lineup of products that I use daily… or that I try to use up (namely some of the hair stuff).

  • The Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Cleansing Pads* are one of my favourite quick face washes. The pads come soaked with face wash and have a textured side so you can really scrub at your face.
  • Dermal Therapy Heel Care is VITAL to me. I get heel cracks and this is the only product that will heal them.
  • Bioderma Micelle Solution in Hydrabio* – an absolute daily necessity for me. Helps to clean up my makeup mistakes and great for removing any makeup or oil residue at the end of the day.
  • Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap – I usually wash my face in the shower (where I keep another face wash), but if I’m not showering that day I’ll reach for this face wash. It’s kinda neat – it foams up like shaving cream, and thankfully does not smell like eggs!
  • Infusium 23 Leave-in Conditioner*: LOVE this stuff. I was a huge fan of the shampoo and conditioner, but I used those up a while ago. So now I’m finishing up the leave-in conditioner which I spray on my hair when I’m out of the shower. Helps detangle my very-much-in-need-of-a-haircut, far-too-long-hair right now!
  • Sun Bum Sea Spray* – I love using this during the summer to give me some crunchy, salty beach waves!
  • Living Proof Instant Texture Mist – Not a huge fan of this one, so I’m trying to use it up. I much prefer the volumizing cream.
  • Sunsilk Thermashine leave in conditioner: This is actually a bottle of water that I use to wet my hair if I got a kink in it and need to re-style it. I miss Themasilk/Sunsilk though. They were my absolute favourite hair brand through the 90s and 00s.
  • Pantene hairspray – I’m not fussy when it comes to hairspray so I just buy the biggest can out there and it lasts me forever since I only use it when I curl my hair.
Ensuite bathroom - medicine cabinet
Ensuite bathroom – medicine cabinet

Straight into the medicine chests!  There’s a hell of a lot in here, so I’ll keep it brief. I’ll also only be mentioning the products that are mine (which uh…. is most of them).

  • Secret Deodorant: Spring Breeze is my favourite scent and I haven’t strayed from it in about a decade!
  • Sekkisei Enriched Lotion*: Using this as my daily toner. It seems fine, but I don’t notice much of a difference in my skin. I do like using toners for some reason though.
  • Lierac Hydragenist Spray*: I don’t use this super often, but it’s a great hydrating spray when you need an extra boost.
  • Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Oil: It works really well at breaking up makeup, but I do notttt like the smell of it.
  • Marcelle Gentle Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes: The BEST makeup remover in the world, hands down. Been using this for more than ten years and they had better continue to make this throughout my entire lifespan!
  • MAC Cleansing Oil: Tiny baby sample I got with one of my orders.
Ensuite bathroom - medicine cabinet
Ensuite bathroom – medicine cabinet

And the last two shelves… phew!

  • Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream*: I use it… but I have no idea if it’s doing anything like removing wrinkles. It does help to rehydrate my eyes if I’ve worn makeup too much that day though.
  • Bioderma Hydrabio Gel-Creme*: Super moisturizing. I tend to put this on on days where I don’t wear makeup.
  • The Body Shop Drops of Youth – Youth Concentrate Serum*: Just trying to use this serum up. It’s okay, but it tightens my pores and I’m not a huge fan of that sensation.
  • tarte Lip Facial* and Mary Kay Satin Lips*: Two lip scrubs I just pulled out but haven’t used yet (just finished my Lush one the night before).
  • Korres Wild Rose Face Oil*: Almost done with this one and I really like it! It’s lightweight so you can wear this one throughout the summer as well. I usually apply it a few times a week at night.
  • Maison Jacynthe Eau Florale de Lavande*: I’m not huge into lavender, but the scent of this is refreshing and soothing. I occasionally mist my face with it in the mornings for a boost.
  • Embryolisse Emulsion Hydra-Mat*: This stuff is WILD. Super moisturizing but also mattifying. I don’t know how that works, but it does!
  • Bioderma Hydrabio Creme*: Feeling seriously dehydrated? This is the moisturizer for you! I only apply this at night because it’s SO thick and does’t play well under makeup.
  • Philosophy Take A Deep Breath*: This is a lovely gel cream that is my current daily moisturizer. It works really well under makeup, smells nice and is hydrating.
  • Embryolisse Eclat du Regard*: Super buttery eye cream that I’ve used a handful to times, but will be in full rotation when I finish up the Clinique one

Phew! That’s it! When I thought of this idea for a post, I hadn’t really stopped to consider just how many products I have in my bathrooms! Hope you liked the quick tour of the products I’m currently using on the daily. 🙂

Post contains affiliate links.

Skincare Saturday: Sun Bum Suncare

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.

Sun Bum Lip Balm in Coconut
Sun Bum Lip Balm in Coconut

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!

Sun Bum Cool Down
Sun Bum Cool Down

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 SuncareSun 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.

Haircare: Sun Bum Beach Formula (Sea Spray & 3 in 1 Leave In)

Sun Bum Beach Formula Haircare

Summer is already hitting Toronto in full force (seriously guys… it’s 28C right now with a humidex of “feels like” 36C – it’s pretty freaking hot out there) and it’s time to dive into more summer fun loving products!

Sun Bum Beach Formula 3 in 1 Leave In
Sun Bum Beach Formula 3 in 1 Leave In ($17.99 CAD)

The Sun Bum Beach Formula 3 in 1 Leave In “protects, detangles and conditions your hair while enhancing and restoring its natural body”. It is “enriched with Coconut Oil, Banana Pulp and Peel, Banana Leaf, Quinoa Protein and Sunflower Seed Oil”.

I use the 3 in 1 Leave In primarily as a detangler and “hair softener”. I say hair softener because I recently fried a large section of my hair in Iceland (thank you defective flat iron…) and it’s been crispy as all get out. I spray the Sun Bum 3 in 1 Leave In on my wet hair after I’ve towel dried it and it helps to soften up that chunk of dead, dried out hair as well as help ease any of the tangles I have. Although my hair is much shorter right now than it usually is, I still notice a difference when I run my brush through it. The formula is lightweight, smells amazing (like coconut and tanning lotion, but not overpowering!) and does the job – what more could you want?

Sun Bum Beach Formula Sea Spray
Sun Bum Beach Formula Sea Spray ($17.99 CAD)

But the real winner out of these two products is Sun Bum‘s Sea Spray. Sea Spray “protects your hair from the elements while giving it extra body, waves and texture for that beachy windswept look”.

The Sea Spray comes enriched with Hawaiian Black Lava Sea Salt, Sea Kelp and Seaweed (thankfully doesn’t smell like any of those!). The smell is just like the leave in conditioner – coconut, tanning oil goodness.

Sun Bum Beach Formula Sea Spray - with locking mechanism
Sun Bum Beach Formula Sea Spray – with locking mechanism

The spray nozzle dispenses just the RIGHT amount of product per section of hair in one squirt and covers the area evenly. (Worth mentioning because if you’ve ever had a bad spray nozzle, you know how hellish they can be.) It also has a very handy locking mechanism that’s essentially a tab that you push in and out of the lock position. It’s quite sturdy, so I wouldn’t worry about having it break in your beach bag and leaking everywhere!

So I told you I loved this product, and here’s why:

Air dryed hair (while twisting occasionally) using the Sea Spray
Air dryed hair (while twisting occasionally) using the Sea Spray

BAM! Look at that HAIR! That is air dried hair! I gave my hair a good dousing of the Sea Spray (about 10-15 squirts, I’d say) and then randomly twisted sections of my hair while it was air drying.

Air dryed hair (while twisting occasionally) using the Sea Spray
Air dryed hair (while twisting occasionally) using the Sea Spray

Generally, my hair dries pretty straight and slightly poofy. The Sea Spray helped to hold the poofy sections in place and gave them a nice curl or wave, depending on the section. It’s so gorgeously beachy, summery and just flat out gorgeous. My own hair is making me swoon!

Air dryed hair (while twisting occasionally) using the Sea Spray
Air dryed hair (while twisting occasionally) using the Sea Spray

I am so ridiculously impressed with the Sea Spray – it’s my newest number one hair care product. And it’s not like this is even a hard hairstyle to do! Literally air dry and twist your hair every now and then while it’s drying. It REALLY doesn’t get any more simple than that! Love, love, LOVE!

In Canada, Sun Bum Beach Formula Hair Care can be purchased at select specialty stores across Canada as of March 2016 and is sold at Shoppers Drug Mart this summer (2016).

For those in the USA, the Sun Bum Sea Spray can be purchased for $14.99 USD on ulta.com and the 3 in 1 Leave In Treatment can be purchased for $14.99 (also on ulta.com).

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