beauty

Luna de Miel

Now that I don’t live downtown anymore, I unfortunately don’t get out to my favourite shops as much as I would like, but when I do, I am usually delighted with amazing treats.

After a long overdue visit and as a birthday treat to myself, I made a point to pop by my very favourite beauty boutique, The Cure Apothecary  to say hello to a lovely friend and pick up some goods to rejuvenate my skin.

This winter has been so harsh on my face, leaving my skin drier than ever! I have tried everything from masks, serums, balms, etc., in hopes of revitalizing my skin and getting rid of some awful dry spots. However, I wasn’t having much luck and was feeling as though my skin was also looking a tad dull. I guess the post wedding glow does fade (haha).

Thanks to some consultation and a wonderful recommendation, I picked up a bottle of Flores Boticario – Luna de Miel which funny enough means honeymoon in Spanish….now bring back that glow! 🙂

Luna de Miel is a beautiful silky serum made with some amazingly powerful ingredients that soak into your skin, leaving a hydrated and glowy feel. Some active key  ingredients listed on their website are:

Sea kelp bioferment meant to hydrate and moisturize
Rose water to balance
Hyaluronic acid to hydrate
Glycerin to smooth and protect against wrinkles
Pumpkin and carrot oils to give your skin a vitamin boost

Seriously, SO MUCH GOODNESS… your skin will surely thank you. And if you aren’t yet convinced, pop over to The Cure’s site for more information. Or if you’re in Toronto, be sure to pop by The Cure for all your beauty and personal care needs – you’ll be happy you did!

Luna

After only a couple weeks of use, I can’t say enough good things about this serum. It immediately jumped to the top of my skincare list and has my skin feeling and looking refreshed. It really is a must have!

One last little trick that I will leave with you when using Luna as part of your daily routine, is to combine one pump Luna with one pump of Rosehip Seed Oil. This will create a magic combination that will give your skin a super hydration boost, plus extend the life of both products. 🙂

Love your Skin. xx

 

Barber & Fritz Dry Shampoo Puff

This Canadian Made product, Barber & Fritz Dry Shampoo Puff is a must have beauty product and makes for a great little gift.

I have never been a fan of the traditional spray dry shampoos. I either spray too little or spray too much, and usually it’s the latter. And then there’s the stickiness that comes along with each spray, that I just can’t get used to. I’m sure it works for many, but it’s just not my thing!

However, this all natural magic powder is exactly what I have been looking for. A mix of clay, flours and floral petals, this powdered puff is great to use in between washes and helps add volume and control. It really is a hair game changer and truthfully has saved me many bad hair days. The puff makes for easy use with major control in how much you need and use. It’s as simple as a couple dabs of the puff or by sprinkling the powder and rubbing it in. Plus, it lasts forever, I’ve been running about one per year!

Barber & Fritz Dry Shampoo

The natural ingredients of French lavender petals and French white clay work like magic. The dried petals are anti-fungal, antibacterial and help in cleaning the scalp and hair without the use of water. And the white clay absorbs oil and impurities, leaving the hair clean and refreshed, while adding a touch of volume. They really work as a killer combo and smell lovely!

You can order online at Barber & Fritz or at my favourite little Queen West Shop, The Cure Apothecary.

Barber & Fritz Dry Shampoo

B&F Powder Puff

xx!

BEAUTY MUST HAVE – BECCA | Ultimate Coverage Concealing Crème

Full coverage, non-drying, brightening. A product I cannot live without.

Here is one of my beauty must haves!

A luminescent cream that instantly smoothes and brightens the under eyes.  BECCA’s Ultimate Coverage Concealing Crème is a dream! 🙂 Used with or without concealer, a little dab goes such a long way in brightening that under eye area. It really is the one product, that I swear by!

Free of Parabens and infused with ultrafine light-reflecting illuminators, this beauty corrector completely eliminates under eye darkness and blurs imperfections. It goes on smooth and won’t settle into fine lines or wrinkles. Priced at $36.00 CAD, it isn’t cheap, but I promise you – it will last a very long time. For best results, apply a small dab with your fingertip and blend. BECCA Ultimate Coverage Concealing Crème

Brighten Up. xx

Banana Matcha Mask

Everything green is my motto. You can’t go wrong when going green. Whether you are adding greens to your eats, drink or being green through your daily activities. We all win with a little more green in our lives. And now I’m adding greens to my beauty regime.

Naturally, I have been blessed/cursed with dry skin but this winter my skin seems to be EXTRA dry. I’m attributing winter running as a big factor to this. The cold air has not been favourable to say the least; basically my skin has been feeling a bit like the beach lately – without the ice cold cerveza’s and tan lines. 🙂

I am trying to use up all the products I have before I buy anything new, which has led me to DIY facial masks. My latest combination is very simple and mega moisturizing.

Bananas, Matcha, honey and coconut oil are all great ingredients when it comes to natural skincare. Bananas moisturize and hydrate thanks to their potassium content. Once combined with coconut oil and its vitamin E composition – you’re looking at a moisture powerhouse ready to nourish and repair.  Adding raw honey adds the element of a natural antibacterial that cleans out pores. And lastly, adding in the powerful Matcha packed with minerals that will stimulate and energize your skin cells, fighting signs of aging. This is an at home beauty mask that you’ll absolutely love!Banana Matcha Mask Ingredients

  • 1 banana
  • 1.5 tbsp Matcha
  • 1 tbsp raw organic honey
  • 1 tbsp organic coconut oil
  1. Mash banana well with fork until smooth.
  2. Stir in honey and coconut oil until combined.
  3. Mix in Matcha until most lumps are gone. (this is tough, but a few lumps won’t kill anyone)
  4. Evenly apply a thick layer of the mixture to your face. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then rinse gently with lukewarm water.

You’ll likely only need third to half of the mixture, so feel free to half the recipe or eat the remaining half on its own or through it in a shake! 🙂Matcha Mask

Be Green. xx!

 

 

Light Blue Shade

Today I am sharing my best kept secret with all you beautiful blondes. I just hope my hairdresser doesn’t kill me. 🙂 (Sorry Olivia!)

I’m sure many of us can agree that our aim to be blonder can be categorized as a sickness (comically). It’s that feeling of when our roots start to grow out and we basically think we’ve become brunette and stress on when we can book our next appointment. It’s actually pretty funny when you think about it.

The only thing is, we all hate paying $150+ every 8 weeks to keep that sun-smacked look, plus that $30 bottle of purple shampoo, that lasts like 2 weeks. (Yes, I know it should last longer!) Not to mention the time to revisit the salon again and again for that brightening touch up that we live for.

If you feel the pain, you’ll be happy to hear how I have been able to minimize my colour treatment to once every 5 months. And not to brag but when people ask and I tell them this, their eyes pop out of their heads they are so stunned. Granted my colourist does an AMAZING job, but I do my own maintenance along the way to help prolong. She might think it’s terrible (I am always scared to ask), but my fellow blondes always ask for the secret, and coincidentally it’s usually the day after I wash my hair using this cheap and cheerful solution.

So here it is – Light Blue Shade Shampoo & Conditioner. Yes that is the actual name and brand. Designed for white, silver and blonde hair, this formula will instantly liven up your blonde when it begins to get a bit brassy and dull looking.

Light Blue Shade Products

I don’t use it everyday, but both together at least once a week and alternatively, the shampoo or the conditioner coupled with other premium products to ensure my hair keeps strong and healthy looking. Do note that if left on for more than 4 minutes or so (probably depends on each person) you may actually notice a white purplish tone to your hair. This has happened to me a few times but I’ve still always received compliments and within a wash or two it fades out.

You can find this hidden gem at Shoppers Drug Mart (bottom shelf near the hair colour) or on Well.ca  for just under $10.00 CAD. Or if you get so lucky you can find it at Walmart for just under $7.00 CAD! It isn’t always the easiest find, so when you do stock up or do yourself a favour and just order it online.

Lighten Up. xx