The forecast calls for Sunny Days ahead…at some point in the very near future. So we need to be prepared to protect our skin.
Photo: D. King
It’s confusing when you consider all the various products out there… but let me simplify choices for you by sharing my new favourite sunscreens.
All by SuperGoop!
Something light that won’t interfere with makeup application and also works as a primer, something for when you’re being more active and something for a subtle glow.
Supergoop! debuted in 2007, with its Everyday SPF 50, and almost immediately won the American Academy of Dermatology’s Gold Triangle Award for Sun Safety Education. Since then, the company has expanded into a range of sunscreens for children and adults, and even recently launched eye shadows containing SPF.
Holly Thaggard, Founder and CEO of Supergoop, is based in San Antonio, Texas, and is considered the Norma Rae of Sunscreen as she’s dedicated 12 years to skin cancer prevention. Tennis Pro Maria Sharapova is a co-owner of this growing company.
Sunny, cloudy, stormy or clear…no matter the weather, all forecasts call for SPF!
I promised to share my favourite hydrating lip colour which I’ll make sure to keep in my stockpile of makeup essentials.
Clarins Natural Lip Perfector
It’s in between a gloss and a lipstick.
I went into my local Shoppers Drug Mart early this winter looking for a lip product to help soothe my chapped lips while adding colour and a bit of shine. The beautician pointed me directly to this product. I’ve been thankful to her ever since.
In Vancouver they also sell it at London Drugs (about $22).
I’ve always loved the Clarins line for skincare (my mom used to use it) but the makeup is something new to me. It does not disappoint if you want…
4-hour hydration
Radiant shine
A long lasting + nourishing product
Melting, non-sticky cream-gel texture
Addictive vanilla scent
Comforting cushion applicator
Key Ingredients: Shea Butter and Wild Mango to moisturize and condition lips
Something to wear alone, or to top off another lipstick with some added shine.
That’s why it was such a game changer when the Duchess of Cambridge was spotted with a beauty product in hand at Wimbledon. I swear I just saw this online before posting this and way after I bought the product. However let’s face it…if it’s good enough for royalty...it’s good enough for me.
Karwai Tang/Getty Images – Glamour Magazine.I bought No’s 17 + 18. My favourites would be #16 – #19 (swatches shown above).
No, no; don’t worry…I’m not talking about that mask. It’s enough that we have to wear those masks everywhere as is. I’m talking about an overnight face/lip mask that’s like a breath of fresh air. One where you’ll wake up with much softer skin. Who wouldn’t love that?
One from a Korean luxury beauty company called Laneige. You should know that the Koreans are taking over as a leader for innovative beauty products. They’ve been quietly doing this for quite some time. They’re pretty darn good at making other things too, like cars for instance (which maybe are not so beautiful as much as they’re practical – but that’s another story).
Image: Business Insider
LANEIGE is extremely popular throughout Asia. Meaning “the snow” in French, Laneige pursues water science as its philosophy to help women achieve a radiant, dewy complexion.
I first found out about this company when I went to choose my VIP birthday gift from Sephora this month. There were three different popular and useful sets to choose from. I think it’s safe to say that almost everyone who’s shopped at Sephora at one time or another is considered a VIP. And once you start racking up points there’s no turning back. But It’s a nice incentive on your birthday month and a chance to try different products. Otherwise I wasn’t wanting for anything. I already had full size products of their two other gift sets (former beauty junkie that I am was). So I went for the overnight masks since my skin is drier in winter. And I’m loving them. Especially the lip mask. I’m really picky with everything lip products as my lips are very dry and this one is one of the best I’ve ever tried. I’ll tell you about my favorite hydrating lip color another time.
LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask
Recharge dehydrated skin while you sleep with this quick absorbing, deeply hydrating mask. Formulated with highly concentrated Hydro Ionized Mineral Water to deliver high doses of moisture to stressed, parched skin. Calming Sleepscent™, infused with orange flower, rose, and sandalwood provides a relaxing and comforting scent while apricot and evening primrose extracts helps visibly brighten and purify fatigued skin.
LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask
What is it? A leave-on lip mask that soothes and moisturizes for smoother, more supple lips. Lip Sleeping Mask has a softening balm texture that closely adheres to lips for quick absorption. Enriched with vitamin C and antioxidants, its Berry Mix Complex offers a nutritiously sweet and fragrant blend of raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, and blueberry extracts to indulge the senses. Very much like a smoothie for your lips.
Spotlight on: Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Glow Moisturizer
Included in the Rachel Zoe Summer “Box of Style.”
A moisturizer that has an exfoliant to make your face glow? This just might be the perfect product! – d. king
Once referred to as a “shopaholic” (although not really) I hardly shop at all anymore. At least not in the actual stores. I love that many products now find their way to me from like minded people who carefully select high quality ingredients that are most likely to maintain a good reputation once reviewed. I mean what would be the fun of trying products you’re not excited about?
“My skin never can be hydrated enough. This product is one of my latest obsessions—I apply it a few times a day for an instant refresh and an immediate glow.” – xoRZ
1.7 fl. oz.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic & Lactic Acids, Pineapple, Pumpkin, Papaya Enzymes. and Napol Cactus Fruit Extract
Reduces the appearance of dullness and uneven skin texture to reveal beautiful, glowing skin.
are normally reserved for my smoothies, not my face. But this was a nice alteration.
I’m usually a bit skeptical of “too good to be true” deals but recently on a shopping trip to Washington State I stopped in at Trader Joe’s and found this little beauty. T.J’s Blueberry & Acai facial scrub is surprisingly effective, smells great and the price is right.
Essentially, it’s an antioxidant rich gentle exfoliant that helps to slough off dead skin cells and leave you feeling smooth and pampered. It also contains alpha-hydroxy acids, which is supposed to treat acne and improve the appearance of scars. I quite like it.
What It Claims To Do
Here’s what it says on the Trader Joe’s website: “While this Scrub is exfoliating, save for a few stray blueberry seeds and its very slight general graininess, it’s not really its texture that does the exfoliating—it’s the alpha-hydroxy acids, or AHAs. We also include colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, meadowfoam seed oil, and various plant extracts to soothe and pamper that beautiful mug of yours.”
Beauty Bonus: the break-up
My powder blush broke into a million pieces. What do I do?
Gather all of the broken pieces of makeup into its original container, and crush the whole thing up (even the parts that may not have broken). 2. Add a few drops of rubbing alcohol to the compact, and let it soak in. Use your finger (pre-wash hands of course), the back of a spoon, or anything, really, to rub and smooth down the makeup. Leave it overnight for best results. Apply.
Two key words that jump out to grab our attention in the packaging of many skincare lines. After all, we all strive to be youthful and ageless for as long as we can.
If we’re being true to ourselves we should know that we cannot rely on one miracle topical product to turn back the clock. But we keep hoping. I think even with *good genes the key ingredients to staying youthful is remaining curious, being active, refrain from stress (as much as humanly possible), eating and sleeping well, hydration and the bioactive externals like good clean skincare. Basically looking after yourself as well as you can because you’re all you’ve got! Keeping this in mind, and aside from my own products, I’m always open to checking out new and improved skincare regimes. I also love the ritual of applying them morning and night.
After having met and listened to Suzanne Somers promote her Suzanne Organics skincare line which is exclusively at Clark’s Nutrition in Rancho Mirage, Ca., I felt obliged to try a few products. If only because Suzanne is her own best testament to the products and philosophy behind them.
Makeup + Skincare by Suzanne Organics
I’ve been using her ageless serum which is loaded with sea algae followed by her Bioactive Moisturizer which among other active natural ingredients is loaded with CoQ10, Argan (last year my sis brought Argan oil back from the Atlas mountains of Morocco for me) oil and sea buckthorn berry which acts as a superfood for your skin. Of course you have to eat whole food for your skin to look its very best but let’s just agree that the ingredient listing is excellent. It feels great on my face too. The whole collection is Toxic Free. The coco-mango body butter is my absolute favourite. Find out more at: link below
*Having good genes doesn’t mean you’ll live longer, it just means you’ll look better doing it.
Beech Tree Bud Extract supports the skin cells. This organic extract moisturizes the skin and assists in the look of wrinkle reduction by supporting the skin
Argan Oil is one of the rarest oils in the world, this desert plant restores moisture so skin can survive dry climates, such as air-conditioning or heating
Just as this plant protects itself from the desert heat, the oil from the tree’s fruit helps our skin to be protected from the elements.
Sea Buckthorn Berry is a rare plant that contains essential fatty acids, Omega 3,6,7 and 9! Our skin loves these essential fatty acids and to find all of these essential fatty acids in one plant is remarkable
AND MORE…
If you’ve been fortunate enough to try her line I’d like your comments.
Beauty with a Purpose – from Cult Favorite Skincare Label Tatcha
It’s something that was sent to me in the new Box of Style – second go around for Spring. I don’t have to go out looking for new product, it now comes to me and keeps on getting better. I’m happy that it’s an exfoliant with a history and a missionto empower women, as well as make them look well, more polished shall we say?
What it is: a non-abrasive, water-activated enzyme exfoliant with rice bran and licorice, so even those with dry skin can use it. Which helps to encourage cell turnover, lighten the appearance of dark spots, prevent breakouts or clogged pores, and prepare the skin for any treatments to follow.
Founder Victoria Tsai’s Mission Statement
“When I thought of geisha, I had always pictured them with their iconic white makeup. When I met them in person, I realized that underneath that makeup is baby-soft, smooth, luminous skin. Caring for their skin is part of their artistry, passed down and honed through generations. Their rituals and ingredients are timeless and beautiful—they view skin as a brilliant organ, able to care for itself with a little bit of gentle cleansing and nourishment. I fell in love with this approach and wanted to pay homage in creating Tatcha.”
Western Vs. Eastern
“Western skincare is a lot like Western medicine, using drugs to treat an issue after the fact. Eastern skincare is like Eastern medicine, focused on prevention and keeping the body in balance to avoid disease before it starts. Classical Japanese beauty rituals were born from the geisha’s rituals, which are natural, elegant and spare. Even with elaborate performance makeup, her ritual is no more than four steps: melt away her makeup, polish, plump and nourish skin. The ingredients follow the same philosophy, with streamlined formulas of active ingredients, minimally manipulated to their most efficacious form. Whether it’s oil from a camellia flower, steamed wild rose or brewed green tea, each ingredient serves a purpose.”
Why Choose Tatcha
“We develop every formula and our key active ingredients from scratch in-house with some of the most famous skincare scientists in the world, like a couture dress. The ingredients are pure and clean because of our classical Japanese heritage and because I was pregnant when we were beginning our R&D and needed a collection that is body-, animal- and earth-friendly. Finally, we believe that beauty begins in the heart and the mind. We have a 1:1 partnership with Room to Read: Every full-size skincare purchase funds a day of school for a girl in a developing country. Thanks to amazing clients and friends like Rachel Zoe, we have funded over 1 million days of school and counting.”
Have you tried it? What exfoliant are you using and/or recommend?
Message to those of you who PAY ATTENTION to my beauty posts:
don’t think I’m repeating myself because my last post was about skin serums. I promise it won’t be a weekly event. Well it might; just not on serums every time. But I was excited to share this one with you too because you know…I’m an authority on the subject this is one of my specialties
Last week I mentioned some ridiculously affordable serums from Canadian beauty start-up company Deciem which offered one active ingredient in each bottle. Great if you want let’s say…Vitamin “C”, or Hyaluronic Acid, etc..
As skincare products go this is a pretty appealing price and name. I mean anything with “age-defying AND “skin clearing” claims must be at least looked upon. This is the holy grail of skin ingredient listings:
Retinol? Salicylic acid? Niacinamide? Vitamin C?Hyaluronic acid? Tea tree oil? Lavender? In one little bottle?
One beauty editor experienced what she referred to as a skincare-induced bout of hyperventilation. These were all the ingredients one could wish for in one product to plump skin, make it brighter, clear blemishes and blackheads, and hide fine lines.
The serum has a milky consistency to it and a lovely citrusy scent.
Granted, I have yet to try it (still trying to get through all the rest of the products that I’ve either purchased or were sent to me for review). But I can tell you that it’s high up on my list.
What are your all-time favorite skincare products?
sometimes we need a little help attaining a perfect complexion. Sometimes even a lot of work. We can take a few shortcuts to looking flawless by using mineral powder or liquid foundation (both good) to even out our skintone but for simplicity sake I say….STICK IT!
What’s New? Well….
NARCISSIST FOUNDATION STICK
If you’re like me you want minimalist makeup with instant gratification.
W3LL PEOPLE is an uncommon beauty dream team founded by an elite makeup artist, cosmetic dermatologist and tree hugging entrepreneur, passionate about making positive choices in life, particularly when it comes to self care.
Skin, our largest organ, absorbs about 80% of what we put on it. This crucial fact drives their mission to create super premium quality cosmetics without the use of potentially harmful artificial chemicals found in most conventional makeup. A modern approach built on simplicity, authenticity and performance.
This feel good, creamy foundation instantly melts into skin giving it a fresh, healthy glow. The modern stick design is ideal for portability and mess-proof application on the go. The New breakthrough formula delivers a weightless, satin, soft-focus finish while balancing skin tone and diminishing imperfections. Made with pure, natural and organic ingredients, so there’s no film, no grease, no crease just diva-friendly perfection.
Glamorous products to help make you a better version of yourself
That’s what I think of Chanel beauty. It’s not that I believe because the logo says “Chanel” that they are necessarily better than anything else on the market….however I’m loving these two products that happen to be under the label “Chanel”. Aside from how nicely they apply, wearability and comfort let’s just admit that the packaging is pretty elegant. And sometimes that counts for a lot. Especially with something you tend to wear every day. And with the Chanel name you can expect nothing but the best.
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder SPF 15
Chanel Les Beiges Powder is a compact setting powder that is designed to give your complexion a sheer, healthy, glow without looking too bronzy or unnatural. Released in Fall 2013, it is part of Chanel’s permanent collection. It boasts SPF15++, though, as with any makeup product with sun protection claims, you would have to use an unreal amount of this product to achieve the amount of protection claimed. A bonus factor is that the half-moon brush that comes encased is made with all natural bristles and you can actually use it. I suggest choosing a slightly more intense shade than your normal skin tone for a sun-kissed effect.
It’s available in 7 luminous shades: N°10, N°20, N°30, N°40, N°50, N°60, and N°70. Interestingly, the official Chanel website only offers six shades – N°10, N°20, N°25, N°30, N°40, and N°50. However, Nordstrom carries all 7 shades, as will most department store Chanel counters you visit in person.
Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo:
There’s a new lipstick formula from Chanel called Rouge Coco Stylo (stylo means pen in French and when you look at the photo you’ll see why this name is perfect) which comes in a slim twist-up tube that’s described as having “the intensity of a lipstick, the shine of a lip gloss and comfort of a lip balm.” It truly is a three-in-one kind of lipstick. The texture is great, the colour is beautiful and it is relatively long-wearing. I have #214 – Message which is a vibrant berry shade for Fall. It is sophisticated and above all, moisturizing which is very important to me right now.
It’s confusing when you consider all the various products out there… but let me simplify choices for you by sharing my new favourite sunscreens.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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