Tag: Beauty

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The Basics of Contouring

Wet N Wild Beauty SS17 basics of contouring

A few weeks ago I attended Wet N Wild Beauty’s SS17 line preview. Aside from learning about the Spring product lineup and playing around with the makeup I had the opportunity of sitting down with a makeup artist who taught me all about contouring. Now while I’ve heard of contouring (Kim Kardashian et al) it’s not something that I have ever tried. To be honest, it seemed kinda Continue reading “The Basics of Contouring”

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Winter Skincare with Murad

Naturally flawless skin is not something I was blessed with and it’s been an effort even to maintain my far from perfect skin over the years. Having suffered from acne throughout my teenage years well into early adulthood I was left with damaged, uneven skin tones in my t-zone area that never quite went back to normal. While I get that some may never have perfectly flawless skin without having to break out the makeup arsenal, it would still be nice to have skin that looks decent enough to wear outside without cover up whenever you just don’t feel like putting make up on.
 
Having said that, with all the advancements in skincare technology nowadays I knew there had to be a product out there that could potentially minimize my redness and even out my skin tone to a realistic expectation. An opportunity presented itself to try Murad skincare, and seeing as how I had only heard good things in the past, I was excited to try the line. I ended up using an assortment of products from different lines for my three-step routine.
Step 1 to achieving my near perfect skin was to replenish my dry skin with the Renewing Cleansing Cream. Needed now more than even in the winter. The cleanser smells like papaya tea to me and is quite refreshing in the mornings. The cleansing cream feels really good on the face and you can actually feel the silkiness and moisture as you’re using it. It’s loaded with papaya enzymes and apricot oil. The cleansing cream is very concentrated; a pea size amount is enough to wash your face and effectively remove all makeup.
Step 2 is the Luminous Essence. Umm…I didn’t even know there was an essence until research time for this post. Essence is a concentrated formula that treats on a cellular level targeting wrinkles, fine lines and dull/uneven skin tone. The Murad light enhancing essence is infused with skin-illuminating botanicals to help restore youthful texture and luminosity. Some of the extracts include red algae and indian fig which work together to support natural renewal. Which enhances smoothness, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while increasing firmness and elasticity. The essence smells pleasant and feels quite refreshing on the skin – think thirst-quenching hydration but for your face.
 
Step 3 hydrates with the Skin Perfecting Lotion. This lotion offers shine-free hydration without clogging pores in a lightweight oil-free formula. As someone who usually has to reach for a blotting paper right around noon, this is a must. The lotion kept my pores clear and minimized, a benefit of the retinol and queen meadow extract I’m sure, which reduce oil production, tone and tighten pores.
I’ve been using the products for over 2 weeks now and am starting to notice that the rosy areas of my face have become more subtle and are blending in better with my natural yellow undertones. My skin is also less oily. If anything, some of the dry areas could use more moisturization. And that’s actually another thing I love about the lotion, it is compact enough to throw in your clutch. I am very pleased with the results and am thankful to Murad for letting me try their skincare line. While in the process giving me better skin. For what I was after – naked skin that is beautiful enough to run errands with, I sure got it. I look forward to using this regimen over a longer period of time to see if my skin improves further – I have a feeling it will.

This post was written in partnership with Murad, however all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

 

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#BiolageGoesRaw

Matrix Biolage RAW

 
I had the pleasure of attending the Matrix Biolage R.A.W. product launch in Toronto last week to learn about the new line as well as sample some of the new products. Matrix challenged their labs to come up with a professional salon product that is made as highly natural as possible without reducing standards of high performance. The result is Matrix Biolage R.A.W.: shampoos and conditioners that are up to 95% of natural origin and made without parabens, colorants, or silicones. Real, authentic, wholesome. Kinda like a really good smoothie – but for your hair. Which is essentially what this product looks like!

The concept is about being raw. As such, Matrix Biolage sourced ingredients from some of the world’s most exotic locations. For instance, including rich lava clay from Morocco and white beeswax from Africa in the line. Coconut oil is used instead of silicones and the line has a deep commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. Further to that, yucca is grown in North America by traditional farmers and the super cute bottles are not only made of post-consumer plastic but are also 100% recyclable while the formulas are 99% biodegradable. Now that you know a little bit more about the brand, let’s have a closer look at the line.

NOURISH
The shampoo contains quinoa husk and honey making it perfect for dry and dull hair. The shampoo creates a great lather, smells wonderful, and leaves hair feeling soft after washing. The conditioner contains ingredients like coconut oil and kaolin clay while having a nice light scent. The conditioner maintains the softness and leaves hair feeling nourished and moisturized. Creating shiny, touchable and more manageable hair. The conditioner also leaves your hair scented with a light touch of honey.

Matrix Biolage RAW

UPLIFT
The shampoo contains black sesame and grapefruit to purify fine, flat hair. The shampoo gives hair a nice wash without stripping too much of its natural oils. Conditioner for fine hair is tricky; fine hair still needs nourishment but a lot of times conditioners or moisturizing products will weigh it down too much. This is where the blend of kiwi and kaolin clay come into play, they condition for increased body without weight. Afterwards, my hair felt clean, had body to it, and smelled great!

Matrix Biolage RAW

RECOVER
This line is for anyone who has abused their hair. Whether it be from too much bleach, chemicals, or heated styling, this line works to restore shine to sensitized hair. The shampoo contains yucca and goji berry to restore shine and the conditioner which is made up of coriander oil and kaolin clay helps to improve strength, shine and bounce.

Matrix Biolage RAW

Matrix Biolage RAW

The best thing about the Matrix Biolage R.A.W. line (aside from them looking like cute cold pressed juices) is that it gives you the salon style results you’re after while being good to you and the environment.

#LiveRAW

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