May Favourites

Dear April favourites I apologize for skipping over you. Actually in all my years of blogging I have yet to skip a Monthly Favorites post and the truth be told it’s put me out of sorts. I’ve been asking myself questions like what month because in many ways favourites posts mark an end and a start to something new. So yes, this will be a May favourites post but for the take of my own fragile mental state I will throw in a couple from the previous month too. Let begin!

Neil’s Yard Frankincense Intense Serum

This serum uses the best of old world skincare treatments (like turmeric) and combines it with modern day technology. From it’s beautiful scent to its ability to really firm and tighten the skin this luxury serum is been a pleasure to use. If you’re interested you can read my full review here.

Bodycology Creamy Vanilla Shower Gel

I always see the Bodycology line of products at my local Walmart and the truth is I’ve never bought anything from this range. It wasn’t until I received an assortment of products from a PR company that it really opened up my eyes to the brand. The first thing you need to know about Bodycology is there products are not littered with parabens and they do not test on animals. The second thing is Creamy Vanilla smells delicious and the addition of grape seed extract makes the formula nourishing. Finally all Bodycology products are extremely affordable and unquestionably fun. Next time you doing a shop and you see Bodycology give it a try.

The Ordinary Lactic Acid

Lactic acid is a chemical exfoliator that is incredibly effective yet ultra-gentle. For me Lactic Acid is a miracle product because there is nothing out there that makes my skin look as glowy or as clear. While products that contain lactic acid have always been on the pricey side The Ordinary’s only costs $7.70. So gone are the days of $120.00 lactic acid treatment and here are the days of affordable options. You can see my full review here or you can skip your morning latte and buy one of these instead.

Buxom Rose Julip

I use to go through Buxom’s lip glosses like crazy, but somehow over the years I forgot about these. If you like the feeling of cooling minty lip products you will without a doubt love these. In addition there are tons of really fun shades to try and the formula lasts forever. If you’re not into the glittery shades there’s also a range of shimmer free lip creams. I can’t recommend these enough and I’m definitely going back for more.

Yardley English Lavender Eau De Toilette

If you took a mens cologne and mixed it with a lavender field it would smell like Yardley’s English Lavender and I love it! This fragrance is lightweight and extremely easy to wear… strangers have even complimented it! If you’re looking for a beautiful, affordable spring time fragrance with tons of history English Lavender is my first choice. Full review here, review also includes English Rose which is also really good.

Confession I used an recycled picture, my English Lavender proudly stands tall on my desk at work! Anyways thank you everyone for taking the time and reading this long list of favourites. I hope all of you are enjoying the warm weather and we will see each other soon because I have a quite a bit of skincare posts lined up. 

Pixi Double Cleanse Review

When I first discovered beauty my love was all for the makeup. However as every year passes my love for makeup subsides and my passion for skincare rises. Don’t get me wrong I’m still a blush addict and a tinted lip balm lover, but for me having healthy looking skin is everything. Actually, I know I’m not the only one thinking this because in the past few years skincare has exploded. If you look further into the skincare surge two things are obvious, 1. Effective, affordable priced skincare has become more mainstream, 2. Due to bloggers skincare has become cool and interesting rather then a chore. So when your favourite affordable skincare line releases a colab product with your favourite skincare bloggers I mean you really have no choice then to buy the product.

Today I'm reviewing Pixi's collaboration with Caroline Hirons. For those of you who didn't know Caroline is a blogger and fairy godmother of all things skincare. However most importantly the person who put double cleansing on the map.

For those of you thinking ‘why would I double cleanse’, my answer to you is you should be because it can make a huge difference in your skin. The first step to the double cleanse is using some sort of fatty cleanser to break down dirt and makeup. The second step is using a cleanser that treats your skin. For example if you had dry skin this is where you would put your hydrating cleanser. The combination of the two cleanses takes only a few minutes it will seriously make your skin look clearer and more luminous than ever before.

Caroline’s double cleanser consists of two cleansers (a solid cleansing oil, and a cleansing cream) in one convenient package. The solid cleansing oil contains vitamin e, moisturizing camellia oil and redness reducing evening primrose oil. However and most importantly the texture of this cleansing oil glides over your face with easy and breaks apart makeup like no one’s business. The second cream cleanser is really nice too. It contains peptides that plump the skin, hydrating hyaluronic acid, soothing aloe, arginine which helps improve elasticity. Both cleansers are scent free and contain zero nasty ingredients.


I like this product a lot, its works, it comes in convenient packaging and at $25.00 for two cleansers it’s cost effective too. Most importantly because of the gentle formula I can see a lot of skin types enjoying this. So Caroline thank you for being witty, introducing us to the double cleanse and teaming up with Pixi! If you see Pixi’s double cleanse it’s a product that I love and can’t recommend enough.

The Ordinary’s High Spreadablity Primer

In the past few months I have been obsessed with The Ordinary. Not only do there product’s appeal to the science nerd in me, but they are incredibly effective, priced fairly and there ingredients are everything. Thus far I’ve yet to have a negative run in with the brand until now. So today I’m taking on The Ordinary’s High Spreadablity Primer.

This primer contains finely milled silicone molecules. These fine flexible silicone molecules make a thin, lightweight, matrix on your skin. In return this makes makeup adhere to your skin like no one’s business. The Ordinary claims that this has a serum finish that makes your skin glow. I would say this has a thin consistency with a good amount of slip to it. Unlike other silicone primers High Spreadablity Fluid Primer is without a doubt more light weight than any other I’ve tried. 

I should also mention after a few weeks of use this makes my makeup look fresh from 6:00am in the morning to 8:00pm at night. Over 12 hours of wear, solid formula, where’s the negative?

My issue with High Spreadablity comes down to the packaging. Now I like this apothecary style, pipette style packaging for skincare, but when it comes to this primer I’ve noticed chunky clumps of primer appear around the top of the product. Even the product itself seems to be slightly thicker then when I first bought it 2 months ago. The combination of the product buildup along with the change of consistency has ultimately made me discontinue use.

Solid formula, excellent wear time and at $7.90 a pop this primer is extremely budget friendly. However personally I would rather spend more money and get a product with a longer shelf life. Since opening this bottle a little less than two months ago the formula has gone off and for that reason I highly suggest proceeding with caution.

Too Faced Sweet Peach Eyeshadow Pallet

I love experimenting with new skincare, however when it comes to makeup I can be rather reserved. While I still get excited for new makeup collections, I don’t purchase nearly as much as I once did. Even experimenting with ‘new’ looks is regrettably a thing of the past. However just like a seasonal cold, every now and then I catch the makeup bug. This time, my makeup induced condition had me craving all things bright and all things spring and summer. So like so many of us that craved a bright, cutesy eye shadow pallet I had my eye set on Too Faced Sweet Peach eyeshadow. So after weeks of trying to locate this sold-out everywhere pallet and another few weeks formulating my thoughts here are my thoughts. 

Firstly, this eye shadow pallet is peach scented. Which is super cute, but in my head I was expecting a perfumed product so close your eyes to be irritating. However after months of use I am happy to report that the scent is not in the slightest way irritating. In fact its peach scent is something that I thoroughly look forward to. Dare I say the peach scent enhances the overall experience?

Scent aside, my overall feelings on the quality of the pallet is most of the shades are pigmented and easy to blend. Is it the best eye shadow pallet I’ve ever had? No, shades like Delectable and Georgia are a little slacking in the pigmentation department. However whatever they lack shades like Cobbler and Caramelized make up for it. The packaging is not only charming but it’s also durable and practical.

The only flaw I see in this pallet is I wish it had included some cooler shades. Granted, this is a peach pallet and I get peach is a warm toned colour. However I find really warm shades (especially pink) on my pale skin can make me look ill. So to counter balance warm shades I often pair them with a cool toned colours and since this pallet doesn’t include this I feel like I’m always reaching for other things.

Too Faced Sweet Peach is a nice pallet. It’s the kind of beauty product that is fun and for the most part will perform well. I like that this pallet has a wide variety of different shades making it perfect for formal events to casual weekend looks. With that being said I this pallet included some cool toned colors. So where does that leave us? If you’re looking for an enjoyable spring-summer friendly eyeshadow pallet that’s fun and travels well you might want to stop and the Too Faced Peach Pallet a try. If your looking for an eye pallet contains the best formula, the best finishes and the best longevity I would give this a pass. 

Guerlain’s Lip and Check Tint

Some people get cravings for chocolate or ice cream I had a full out craving for a blush. Not any kind of blush, but more specifically a sheer blush with a dewy finish. I wanted this blush to look like a natural ‘I got a little sun’ flush as opposite to an obvious shimmery powder. I was very specific in my needs and yet I found nothing! Believe me when I say this there are slim pickings when it comes to cream blush out there and the vast majority has a matte or sparkly finish. After thinking I was going to have to explore Korean beauty options I ran into Guerlain’s Lip and Check Tint and it appears to be just the thing I was looking for.

Firstly let me state the obvious this blush is packaged in a nail polish bottle. Some might see this as cute, playful, and innovative, but I hate the idea of the brushing blush on to my cheeks. A part of me dislikes this method due to the fact it’s unsanitary and another part dislikes it because it makes it difficult to apply evenly. Not that the people at Guerlain would take my suggestion, but I really wish this came in a tube, or a small bottle with a pump. To make application as sanitary as possible I swipe this gel on the back of my (clean) hand and then apply to my face either with fingers or a blush.

Packaging aside, this blush has a fantastic formula. The formula itself is a gel and as you rub this into your cheeks the product gives the prettiest tint of colour. For more of a dramatic effect you can layer this product with ease. With the slight dewy finish and the pretty pink natural flush this blush is undeniably fresh looking. On the lips this gives that desirable ‘I just ate a popsicle’ stain, its seriously stunning. Whether it is on the lips or on the cheeks Guerlain’s Lip & Cheek is the perfect product to create that natural, flattering blushing from within look.

Despite my issues with the packaging this is one fantastic product. Put it this way if Guerlain released more colours I would without a doubt buy more based on the fact that I love the formula so much. If you’re looking for that dewy, fresh blush look or crave a seriously pretty lip stain this spring/summer you need to try this blush. Likewise if you like the idea of a natural looking, multi-tasking product you need to check this out too. A new spring and summer favorite for me I can’t recommend Guerlain Lip and Check Tint enough.

Conair Infiniti Pro Elite Collection Hair Dryer Review

I love skin care, fragrance, body care, and nail polish. Put it this way if it’s beauty related more times than not, I love it. However despite my love for all things beauty there is one genre I can’t get on board with, and that my friends is hair! Embarrassingly I am a ponytail girl through and through.

So what am I doing reviewing a blow dryer? Hear me out!

The root to all my frustration is my hair takes forever to dry. This irritation becomes a downright problem, due to the fact that my hair dryer is embarrassingly over 10 years old. Yes you heard that right! I own my body weight in makeup and skincare, but I am embarrassingly the proud owner of an (near) antique blow dryer. To be honest, despite it’s inability to get hot I’m seriously surprised it’s lasted this long. I’m getting way off topic here, but what I’m trying say is I was desperate for new hair dryer.

As low maintenance hair gal, my blow dryer needs are pretty straightforward.

1. It must dry hair fast.

2. It must be lightweight, as drying hair shouldn’t be an Olympic sport for my arms.

3. I want something cute. Yes, I realize this has nothing to do with performance, but I just can’t help myself I like pretty things.

4. It must be ‘inexpensive’, because refuse to pay $500.00 for a hair dryer.

So ladies and gents, my search lead me to Conair’s Infiniti PRO Elite and I have thoroughly loved it. First and far most important this blow dryer, dry’s your hair fast. Secondly, it’s super lightweight. Thirdly and most surprising I love the diffuser attachment. It makes my hair look like natural beach wives and minimizes lots of frizz. I also find the cool blast function does a really good job of setting your hair (after styling).

The Conair Infinitie Pro Elite looks cute, it functions like a dream and it won’t cost you an arm and leg. Are my ponytail days over? Not a chance, but I have thoroughly enjoyed doing my hair with the Conair Infinite Pro Elite and I can’t recommend it enough.

Neal’s Yards Frankincense Intense Lift Serum

There are excellent, affordable skin care options out there and because of that I am extremely hard on 'fancy' skin care. For me a luxury product has to have excellent ingredients and a beautiful feel. It’s a product that makes you think ‘damn, is that ever clever’, but most importantly a luxury product should be an experience. For me a product that has ticked every box is Neal’s Yards new Frankincense Intense Lift Serum.

Let’s start with the basics… Neil’s Yard opened its door’s in Covent Garden, England in 1981. To this day Neil’s Yard strongly believes that beauty should be “natural, not synthetic”. In addition they believe in the environment, honesty and transparency. There website fully illustrates the good things they do from environmental projects to ethical sourcing practices. Their products contain only the best, organic natural and wild ingredients. In addition there products don’t contain silicones, mineral oils, parabens, GM ingredients, phthalates and they do not test on animals.

The Neal’s Yard ethics are wonderful, but for me Frankincense Intense Lift Serum really comes down to the ingredients. This serum boasts micro-algae, which helps the skin against environment stressors. It also contains hydrating linseed oil and skin plumping hyaluronic acid (two different kinds just to be specific). However my 3 favourite other ingredients are without a doubt turmeric, frankincense and ribose.

Turmeric had been used for centuries in skincare. Oily skin types will love its anti bacterial properties as well as its ability to control oil. While anyone looking for a natural age-fighter will be happy to find out turmeric is filled with antioxidants. It’s also been proven to lighten pigmentation and discolouration too.

My next favourite (and also used for centuries) ingredient is frankincense. Now this is what give this serum it’s beautiful luxe scent. From an aromatherapy standpoint frankincense induces feelings of relaxation and well-being. However research has shown that because of it’s powerful astringency it’s helps decrease the size of pores and over time lift the skin.

Finally this serum boasts a very cool ingredient called ribose. Without getting too nerdy, this ingredient is a naturally sugar that occurs in all living things. Once applied onto the skin this sugar stimulates the construction of proteins, restricts the breakdown of tissue and prevents wrinkles from appearing. Basically it’s the only known ingredient that controls energy on a cellular level.

I love Neal’s Yard ethics and business practices and I love this product. Frankincense Intense Lifting Serum is the best of old world beauty combined with modern technology. On myself my skin looked immediately plumped, and with extended use fine lines on my forehead were minimized. The scent of this product is beautiful, and the texture of the product is lightweight yet rich. If you have anti-aging concerns, want to try a healthy approach to skin care, but most importantly want something that works Neal’s Yard Frankincense Intense Lift Serum is definitely a one to try.

More information here!