My Thoughts on Parabens

The topic of parabens is a tricky, sensitive issue. While working in cosmetics I usually encountered two people, the Paraben Lover and the Paraben Activist. On one extreme the paraben lover clams that parabens help preserve the integrity of their beauty products (and they do). Once I had a lady that told me parabens helped ‘preserve her face’. Which was followed by her telling me not to believe any of the ‘hype’ and get on the paraben train myself.

On the hand is the activist. I am terrified of the Paraben Activist, not because I don’t respect their opinions but because I had a bottle of Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar once thrown at my head. This gentleman then told me that I was selling cancer and I was killing people. It can be hard for a girl working in the beauty industry I tell you! As he was ready to throw another bottle of moisturizer in my direction he was removed by security at and told never to come back.  Lucky I was able to dodge every bottle that came my way, but this dude was horrifying! So while I try my best to avoid parabens, I don’t see myself tossing goods at sales associates anytime in the future either. Consequently I consider myself somewhere in the middle.

Parabens are a preservative found in beauty products. Paraben’s can be also found in nature such as in strawberries. However, since food contains so little of this ingredient is nothing to worry about (nor nothing to pass a slice of strawberry shortcake for). In beauty Parabens are used as a preservative. So yes Paraben Lover lady is right they will keep your moisturizer fresh, but no they will not preserve your face. The down side of this miracle product is that they can interfere with hormone function. Parabens imitate estrogen and have been found in human breast cancer tissues. In addition there are also studies that suggest methylparben in combination with a little sun can lead to increased sun damage, which results in premature aging.

So where does that leave us? Well if you choose to use parabens or not it’s completely up to you! I won’t judge you, nor will bash your beloved eye cream or moisturizer.  My philosophy has been to use the best ingredients I can possibly find, so I try my best to avoid parabens. For me there are healthier preservatives out there that offer better results and without all the negative consequences.

What is your stance on parabens? Leave me a comment.

Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Gloss Review

I love the Baby Lips line of lip balms. I mean how can you not love them? The packaging is adorable, the formula is hydrating, the sheer tints of colour are flattering and they smell and taste lovely too. So when I saw the lip gloss line being released the first thought that came into mind is …YES!

The Maybelline Baby Lips Gloss range is divided into three finishes, cream, sparkly and jelly. All the colours looked fun, however being a fan of jelly finishes I settled for Fab & Fuchsia. Not only does this sheer hot pink look stunning, but it also looks very similar to my beloved Chanel Happy Glossimer. Let’s just face it I love the Chanel, but at $34.00 a pop a cheaper alternative would be nice.

Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Gloss feels smooth and completely non sticky on the lips. Dare I even say I would be confident to wear this with my hair down on a windy day? Risky I know, but when it comes to non-stick this product has it going on. The drawback to non-stick formula the crap longevity. Maybelline claims this lip gloss to last for 4 hours. In my experience this barely lasted 1 on me. In addition to the lack of longevity I would also say this is slaking in the hydrating department as well. Yes, this product does contain hydrating properties, but Instead of leaving my lips hydrated this left them dry and craving more product.  

The original Baby Lips balms are a standout, must have drugstore product for me. The Moisturizing Lip Gloss despite smelling nice and the non-sticky finish, does not get my stamp of approval. When it comes to the longevity this product falls short. Also, this “Moistuizing” lip product leaves my lips dry and parched. If you were looking at purchasing these I highly suggest sticking to the original Baby Lips.

As for the Chanel Happy dupe, no luck here! So ladies my search for something similiar continues…

Summer Vacation Must Haves

 I know summer is here when I get the sudden urge to eat BBQ, drink lemonade and bask in the hot summer sun.To be honest the shade happens to be more of my cup of tea, but you know what I mean.

Yup people summer is here and with that also comes summer vacation. In the past packing was not my strong point. Meaning I would mindlessly cram everything in the biggest bag I could find and hope I didn’t miss anything. These days the days of havoc are a thing of the past and dare I even say? I am now organized and well thought out as possible. So with a little trip planed this weekend, here are some of my beauty essentials for a summer vacation.

Sunscreen

I can’t tell you have many trips I’ve taken and forgotten sun screen. This mistake usually leads to one of two things: sunburns or paying for overpriced sunscreen at a tourist area. Yes, it was once I that bought a bottle Hawaiian Tropic SPF for $25.00. I have to say this pained me to purchase, since the price at my local drug store was less than half. Lesson learnt… now I never forget sunscreen. On this particular trip I am bringing a Bioderma SPF for the body and Miracle 10 SPF 30 for the face. My advice is if you’re going to be in the sun pack more sunscreen then you think you need.

I have a whole post on my sunscreen faves here.

After sun Lotion

Sunburnt or not a long day in the sun equates to one thing… dehydrated skin. To combat this unfortunate symptom I highly suggest bringing some sort of after sun cream or moisturizer with you. Many of these creams are formulated to hydrate, sooth and replenish the skin. Plus they also have the added benefit of feeling refreshing. If you don’t have an after sun product bring any body cream, trust me any form of hydration is better than none.

Like sunscreen this cooling counterpart is commonly sold in tourist areas for ridiculous price. I’m just saying it’s never fun to be the person paying $30.00 for a bottle of cheap aloe gel.  

Dr. Bronner’s Soap

Dr. Bronner’s soaps are an amazing multi use product. Personally I love that the Dr.Bronners is safe to use in your hair, face and body too. Also, should you want to you can also use this as tooth paste, dish cleaner, laundry detergent or ant spray… just saying lots of uses.

 However what makes this product an excellent choice for your summer vacation is that is biodegradable. Which means should you want to wash off in a lake, ocean or pond this is a perfectly environmentally friendly product to do so.  

Mascara

Mascara is a must for me because it a product that creates the biggest impact with the least amount of effort. My current mascara on the go is Covergirl’s Super Sizer; I have a review here should you want to hear my thoughts. This might be a total diva product to some, but I just can’t help myself.

Dior Addict Lip Glow

This infamous lip glow is my go to lip product. Not only does it feel like a moisturizing lip balm but it also adds a stunning pink tint to the lips too. This might be crazy talk but if I had to pick one lip product to use for the rest of my life it might just be this.

Also ladies don’t forget to bring a tooth brush, a floppy hat and some sunglasses.  Whether you’re going on a summer vacation or not, I hope you all enjoying the warm weather. What are some of your summer essentials? Leave me a comment I would love to hear

Lady Vengeance

I don’t talk about perfume often, but when I saw my favourite perfume being sold at Sephora I thought it might be worth the mention. Introducing Juliet has a Gun, Lady Vengeance… . 

Many rose perfumes remind me of summer dresses, Lady Vengeance reminds me of leather corsets and 6” high heels.  With notes of rose, patchouli and vanilla this hits you like no other rose perfume. In other words, this is one slutty rose fragrance that isn’t for the faint of heart. 

This perfume opens with a strong dose of dark rose and earthy patchouli. These two notes work together to create a scent that is both romantic, yet ever so bad-ass at the same time. Eventually this punch of dreamy danger fades as notes of vanilla and musk start to arise. The overall effect of Lady Vengeance is liquid, approachable sexy confidence bottled.

 At first I was only able to get this at high end department stores. Things got worse once those stores stopped carrying this. This basically forced me to purchase from EBay, which thankfully always worked out fine even though bottles were sometimes scarce. However now I am happy to say that this is available at Sephora. I highly recommend you guys to go give this a try, but be cautions this perfume will make you buy a whip, wear all leather and take no bullshit from no one… OR you can be like me wearing yoga pants and a comfy tee just enjoying the glory that is Lady Vengeance.
Whatever you choose give this scent a try!

Feeling Rosy

My favourite thing todo on a sunday is to have a good pamper. On this particular Sunday I was craving something short, sweet and more specifically rose themed. So with some of my favourite rose scented/themed products on hand I thought why not give it a share. So ladies here are my some of my favourites for when I'm feeling rosy. 

Soap Stories Rose Scented Bath Bar 

Soap Stories Bath Bars/soaps are loaded with nourishing ingredients such as  jojoba oil and sweet almond oil. In addition they also are cruelty free, vegan and organic. However my favourite thing about this soap is the authentic rose scent. Not only does this leave you smelling like rose for hours, but also leaves your bathroom rose scented too. 

If your a fan of rose I highly recommend trying a bar (more information here). 

L'Occitane Pivoine Flora Beauty Milk 

Yes, this is technically a peony scented lotion but I am convinced that there is rose somewhere in the mix too. This particular lotion is hydrating, but is also very light too. Its the kind of body product that is perfect for hot, humid summer days. 

I ended up with two samples of this lotion on a recent trip too L'Occitane. I highly suggest if your curious about a product head over to a L'Occitane store staff are very helpful and very generous with samples.

L'Oreal Colour Riche Caresse in Rose on Rose 

Normally I don't end my beauty routines with makeup. With that being said since we are going out tonight I thought a touch of makeup wouldn't hurt. My lipstick of choice is L'Oreals Rose on Rose. Although I haven't had much luck with the other shades in this lip shine range I can whole heartedly say Rose on Rose has a solid long lasting, hydrating formula. 

Physicians Formula Argan Wear Blush in Rose 

I did a in-depth review here a few months ago, so I will keep this short and sweet. This blush is an excellent drugstore buy. Yes this product has an annoying gold overspray, but once that is removed you're left with a remarkable product. Personally I love the beautiful natural yet glow-y finish that this blush has. As for the colour... its the kind of pinky rose that instantly gives the face life. Stunning stuff!

Now I'm off to get this pamper routine started. 

What are some of your favourite rose products? 

First Trimester Must Haves

There are telltale signs of being pregnant, for me my first symptom was my skin. Sometime around April I woke up to eczema on my forehead, which was soon followed by a couple of weeks of oily skin. This dry to oily skin pattern continued and even today I bounce back and forward weekly. In addition to my face fluctuating there have been some changes on the body care fount too. With all these changes, I thought why not just document them in an essentials post? So ladies and gents here are my first trimester beauty must haves.

Avene Cold Cream

Pregnancy hormones can do a number to your skin and one of my biggest problems is eczema. Luckily I have my good friend Cold Cream to combat this pesky inconvenience. Not only does this magical cream help calm down redness and irritation but it actually does a great job at restoring the skin too. I have used this product as an eczema spot treatment for years with miracle results and I continue to use and love this product today.

If you’re pregnant suffering from eczema this steroid-free treatment is well worth a try.

I have a whole review here.

Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser

Once I finally eczema at bay I am encountered with my other delightful skincare problem… oil. To combat this concern I use the Regenerating Cleanser. I love the fact that this cleanser/scrub helps control oil and breakouts yet doesn’t feel stripping in the slightest. In fact the Regenerating Cleanser makes the skin feel smooth and look luminous. While keeping spots and blackheads at bay I can truly say the Regenerating Cleanser is both natural and effective.

Review here!

La Vanilla Deodorant in Pure Vanilla  

Armpits, not a glamorous thing by any stretch so I will keep this sort and sweet! I have been using Pure Vanilla for years, however usually in the summer I like to mix things up with a regular deodorant/antiperspirant. After dabbling into the world of aluminum deodorants again … I noticed I was getting rashes. Let's put it this was...I now know that armpit sensitivity is a very real thing! Since then I switched back to my La Vanilla and haven’t had a problem since.

Bonus item- A Good Body Lotion

I think everyone should own a good body cream/lotion/butter, but there is something really special about splurging in good body care when you’re pregnant. My recent splurge lead me to Fresh’s Lemon Sugar Lotion and I am loving how lightweight it feels especially on hot summer days.  Plus the lemony scent is mouth-watering.

Disappointing Products

There are some excellent beauty products out there and then there are some not so great ones. Today we are talking about the not so great ones. I have to confess disappointing products themed posts are my favourite not only to read but to write too. However before I get started take everything with a grain of salt, if something doesn’t work for me that doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. With that in mind here are my disappointing products.

Estelle and Thild Sensitive Skin Night Cream

I am into every single fantastic ingredient in this moisturizer. I also really like how this feels on my face, but I can’t get over the scent of this. The times where I have worn this I have been so put off by the scent that I’ve actually had to wash my face after. Maybe I have a bad bottle? However if you see are considering this Night Cream and are considering purchasing… proceed with caution!

Aveeno Stress Relief Body Wash

Again another scent related product… This camomile lavender scented body wash smells like root beer to me. Thinking about it this might be a pregnancy symptom because I know people love the scent of this. The body wash itself is really nice ... its just the scent that throws me off. Maybe it was expecting something with more lavender? I'm not sure what it is about this, but all I smell is root beer. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light

With promises of vibrant skin I thought this would be a perfect match for my dry skin. I couldn’t be more then wrong! This oily absorbing foundation leaves my skin looking dry and cracked. To make matters worse the lightest shade is unflattering shade of orange that looks unnatural against my pale skin. Dare I say it? but the whole shade range runs a little on the orange side so if you were interested in this foundation definitely suggest sampling/trying before purchasing.

MAC Plumful

Plumful is a beautiful plummy pink that looks stunning on. While this shade adds a colour to the lips the creamy texture makes it easy to wear. Sounds perfect right? Nope! It took me years to realize why I never reach for MAC lipsticks… I hate the plastic-y vanilla scent to them.

I feel like no one ever complains about the scent of MAC, am I the only one? Perfect shade, amazing finish, creamy texture… this lipstick is so close to being perfect it’s disappointing.

What are some of your disappointing products leave me a comment!