PanOxyl Acne Treatment Wash, Oil Control Moisturizer and Overnight Spot Patches Review and Results

I had been quietly battling acne for the past few months and I could never figure out what exactly is causing me to breakout sporadically. Sometimes I felt its my hair products, so I changed those and nothing happened. Then I thought it could be my hormones, can't do much about that. Then I figured its my dirty makeup brushes and washing them regularly did not impact my random acne all over my face. It's frustrating to tackle acne when you are a grown up, as its often associated with teen years. I was at my lowest when I found out about PanOxyl's acne solutions. These products are designed to fight acne causing bacteria deep within the pores. I am so happy that within a month of using it my acne has subsided significantly. I still breakout but it doesn't get as nasty as it used to. 

More on PanOxyl and my skin progress in today's blog!

DIORSHOW Iconic Overcurl Mascara and Maximizer 3D - Review and Swatches

Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara (CAD 38 for 9.5gm) has been part of my makeup routine for the past six months and today I wanted to share this cult favorite mascara on my blog because its pretty darn good! I purchased two of these gift sets during the holiday sale at Sephora and I am so happy I did because its a fantastic fail-proof mascara to use on an everyday basis. I layer the Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara with the Maximizer 3D (which is a voluminizing primer included in this set), to get sky high lashes when I feel like getting some extra volume. This is hands down a must have mascara for anyone seeking full volume clump free lashes with a nice curl. The wand does a great job in achieving those results so I have included photos of that along with my swatches with the Overcurl Mascara and the Maximizer 3D primer so you can see the difference for yourself.

For swatches and full review keep reading...

Velour Lashes Effortless No Trim Natural Lash Collection in Would I Lie? Review

I hate false lashes! I can't stand the extra and completely unnecessary drama on the eyes! And every time I look at someone with extra dramatic lashes, I cringe!! I don't think anyone looks good with false lashes on a daily basis but I know there is a time and place for it which I will talk about later in this post. I much prefer the lash extensions look because there is no visible band on the eyelids and it definitely looks much better in person too. And the redness on eyes of fake lash wearers! Like why would anyone do that do themselves? Glueing something to your precious eyes, getting them red, adding so much volume to eyes that screams "I need attention" or "I am ready for Halloween"! Like why?! 

Please let me know if you think its too harsh for me to write it down this way, but this needs to be said and if you are just starting out in makeup then please know that you don't always need fake lashes. If you have sparse lashes and mascaras aren't doing the trick then the world has progressed to lash fillers, lash extensions, lash serums and a wide range of natural looking options that not only enhance your beauty but also prevent you from using glues and tweezers close to your eyes on a daily basis.

Now that I have cleared the air around my dislike/hatred for false lashes, let me tell you that the world is crazy about these because they can make anyone look extraordinary in photos and in the era of social media, photos are everything! So why not pop on those fake lashes and look our best. 

Every time, I get my makeup done professionally for a special occasion, I always get false lashes because I know I will be photographed and in portraits and group photos, I want my eyes to look big and more open (hope that makes sense). Sometimes I am asked if I want them on at an extra cost, and sometimes the makeup artist just glues them on as part of her artistry. Nevertheless my makeup looks great and photographs look perfect, even when I dislike those lashes. That's the only time I would stick false lashes to my eyes and I think it is worth it once in a while. Removing them and getting rid of lash glue from my eyelids is another story. But the fact is that fake lashes can make me look great in photographs and have a place in my makeup bag for special occasions only. 

During the pandemic, I had to do my makeup myself and I learnt a few tricks to save time and keep my cool while getting ready for something special and I knew I needed a pair of falsies to get those 'professional' results. I have tried a few different types of false lashes on my own, including the infamous magnetic lashes but I finally settled for cruelty free, vegan lashes from Velour Lashes. More on these in today's blog.       

Sephora Birthday Gift 2022 - Tatcha Dewy Skin Review

Sephora's Birthday Gifts always excite me because they are one of those little perks that make me feel valued as a Sephora customer and I think many of us feel that way. No purchase required, if you sign up to be a Beauty Insider, you get a birthday gift each year! Though I am slowly turning against the little samples, because of the plastic packaging and more tiny products mean more packaging in the landfill. But since I will be travelling soon (*fingers crossed*), I thought its best I pick up the skincare gift from Tatcha which must come in handy during my vacation. Though in the past I had a bad experience with the Tatcha The Deep Cleanse (review here), but I always loved the purple range and the dewy skin cream, so there I have it!

More on this in today's blog!

Dior J’adore Infinissime Eau de Parfum Review

Intense and sultry! This olfactory treat from Christian Dior is a slight variation from the original J'adore Dior and I loved it so much I got it without second thoughts! If you feel all your perfumes are a bit mundane and have the same bergamot+patchouli blend, then this ylang ylang+tuberoses blend will tickle your fantasy. I love white flowers and anything with tuberoses is my weakness, so it now seems understandable why I was so attracted to this scent and at CAD 149 it didn't put that much of a dent in my pocket (comparatively :P ) 

More on Dior J’adore Infinissime Eau de Parfum in today's blog!

DIOR The Atelier of Dreams Eye Shadow Palette in 469 Atelier Doré Review and Swatches

Happy Holidays my loves!

Dior always has something special for the holidays and I couldn't resist this beautiful eyeshadow palette from this year's launch. Though it seems like 'another neutral eyeshadows palette' but this one is different! Dior's The Atelier of Dreams Eyeshadow Palette in 469 Atelier Doré is limited edition and only available during the holiday season. It features a beautiful combination of colors that I always wanted to get for myself but couldn't find all the right shades in one palette. This 5 color eye shadow palette showcases  a dull but sparkly gold in the centre, surrounded by a  pinky taupe, a medium neutral gold beige, a beautiful creamy dark brown and a sparkly grey taupe. This palette has  mix of satin and shimmers which is much more desirable (and practical) than just shimmers from last year's launch (reviewed here), though I love that one to bits too! 

 

PEACEOUT SKINCARE Retinol Eye Stick Review + Results

I am quite sure you have heard about PEACEOUT skincare products and how they are designed to target skincare problems. I shared the Wrinkles patches by PEACEOUT last year and one of my major concerns was the additional indentations the patches would leave on my forehead and also the excessive packaging. I loved the formulation but wished there was more product in the package! So, I decided to try the PEACEOUT Retinol Eye Stick which is packaged like a lip balm and its designed to just swipe in the eye area every night. I am so happy with this product that I wanted to share the results with you today!

ESTEE LAUDER Futurist Aqua Brilliance Watery Glow Primer Review and Swatches

Hello my lovelies,

As we are quickly approaching the holidays, I wanted to share this superstar combo for flawless skin all day long. I started using the Estee Lauder Futurist Aqua Brilliance Watery Glow Primer a few months ago and I was amazed at how it keeps my skin looking fresh no matter what the weather might be. I have used this in humidity, as well as in Calgary's super dry weather and I loved the results so much that I must share my experience for you. I love using this primer with my all time favorite foundation - Estee Lauder Double Wear and currently I am using the shade Tawny (review here)

For full review and swatch keep reading...

REN Clean Skincare - Glow One Step Further Set - Daily AHA Tonic, Glycolic Renewal Mask & Vitamin C Gel Cream Review

I have been a huge fan of REN Clean Skincare for quite a long time, but since I always began using these as soon as I brought these home, it was impossible to take good pictures for the blog. The Daily AHA Toner is my favorite for the past two years and I have purchased this several times, but couldn't really share it on the blog. Even in today's post all of these products are half empty - or shall I say half used, but I still managed to gather myself to post these because you NEED to know about these extraordinary products. 

My journey with Vitamin C products isn't a nice one. I developed an allergic reaction to some Vitamin C serums in the past, after which I was scared to even try Vitamin C products ever again. When you get acne at 30 and it scars your skin, you feel like all the time you spent as a teenager taking care of your skin is wasted. Its devastating and I was sure I am never going back down that route.  

So, if I used retinol treatment at night, do I do the quintessential Vitamin C routine in the morning? We know the drill - retinol at night, vitamin C in the morning and SPF, but how do I do that? I began using water creams, gel formulas and generally anything calming for my skin for years before I was confident I am ready for Vitamin C products again. At age 36 I need that glow! Hyperpigmentation is real and I needed some kind of acids in my routine! So I trusted this clean skincare line, which is vegan, created without the regular toxins, marked 'Clean at Sephora' and BINGO! Sold! My love for Ren Skincare began with its Vitamin C products because it worked for my skin and I am so happy to finally share and recommend a vitamin C skincare range with you :)

Keratinworks Haircare Review ft. PURE Shampoo, PURE Conditioner, Pure Hair Mask, Pure Liss BB Cream and Pure Crystal Serum

Cooler temperatures usually dry out my hair and skin and there is an instant need to hydrating and moisturizing formulas for my hair products and skincare. Most of the times I end up with breakouts on my face and neck because these formulations clog my pores and irritate my skin and that is the worst thing to experience when I am so close to the holiday season! So when I came across these non-toxic, formaldehyde-free, vegan, SLS free haircare products from Keratinworks, I was ecstatic! 

Today I am sharing haircare products from Keratinworks PURE line which includes a shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, Liss BB cream (styling cream) and a crystal serum (shine serum).