What better way to start December than with a chance to win one of these amazing skincare kits from Dave Lackie? With the holiday season in full swing, make sure to head over to Dave's Blog for your chance to win one of the December Origins at Sephora.ca Discovery Kits in this Giveaway!
This post is for a little blog maintenance. Talk amongst yourselves.
🎀 💅 👑 💋 🎀
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Beauty is wasted on the young.
Beauty is only skin deep.
Beauty fades.
We spend an astounding amount of money on cosmetics, skin care, hair care and beauty goods. It's staggering to think how much over a lifetime is spent in an effort to look our best. At this point in my life, I'm happy with products that help me enhance what I have rather than turn me into something I'm not and never will be again. And that's okay. We should all embrace that we are perfectly imperfect, regardless of age, size, or other outdated standards of what the ideal woman should look like.
The normalization of our differences is heartening but there's still a long way to go. It's vital to keep sending other women positive messages that empower them to love and accept the body they live in. This doesn't mean throwing in the towel on a beauty regimen and giving up. Remaining optimistic, yet realistic, about what a product can achieve is key. Holding the beauty industry accountable, rewarding the ethical ones with our purchases, and being brave about trying new releases and techniques should be the mantra. Above all else, beauty products should make you feel good, be beneficial, within your own budget, and FUN.
I'm always on the lookout for new beauty products to try out and review. They'll be linked below and I will always make it clear if I've received a free product. Either way, you'll get my honest review.
"Everything has beauty, but not everyone can see it." ~ Confucius
"It is amazing how complete the delusion that beauty is goodness." ~ Tolstoy
Beauty Related:
Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Review
e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Liquid Filter
The winners of the 26th Edition of ELLE Canada's Beauty Grand Prix have been announced. You can read all about the beauty products we decided are #1 in Canada for 2022 HERE. Don't forget to hold your pinkie aloft. Glamour begins within.
I received free trial samples of Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Corrector Cream , Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Eye Cream and Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Serum from Topbox in exchange for my honest review. The samples were too small to give a review of the promised long-term effects of using the products but my overall impression is positive. I would be very interested to see how they perform when used over a longer period of time.
It was disappointing the trial size was so small for the serum, in particular, as it claims to be as effective as one laser treatment over 16 weeks. The sample I received was enough for three daytime applications. It went on smoothly, and while at first I thought it was going to be greasy, it absorbed well. The other products layered on top easily. I had no adverse effects. I've used Retinoids and Vitamin C regularly for years and wear sunscreen with high SPF daily. The price point is the biggest thing holding me back from purchasing a full size bottle. All together, my other serums, Hyaluronic Acid, Retinoid and Vitamin C are still far cheaper than this combination product. For those seeking a powerful one-step alternative and are willing to bear the cost, I'd recommend this serum.
I was able to stretch out the Eye Cream to use morning and evening for four days. The scent is very mild, pleasant and not perfumey at all, which I appreicate. The texture is a big positive to me as thicker creams tend to sit too long without fully absorbing and end up running into my eyes no matter how carefully applied, resulting in irritation. This one is more liquid than any eye cream I've ever tried and quickly absorbs without wandering around where it doesn't belong. It's probably the first time tapping the product into the delicate skin around the eyes, as recommended by skin care specialists, felt effective. It isn't at all greasy and left my skin soft, looking plumped up and hydrated. The result did reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles leaving an overall youth-ier appearance. This may end up becoming my holy grail eye cream and I'll be recommending it to my daughters.
As I was also testing a different product and there are more steps in my evening skin care routine, I used the Cream only in my morning routine as the main daytime moisturizer. My skin is combination with an oiler T-zone so it's difficult to find products that provide adequate hydration for aging skin without being too greasy. This did the trick and has a silky texture that absorbed quickly and left my skin feeling very soft. Anyone with dry skin might need another product in addition to this to achieve adequate moisturizing. My tinted winter sunscreen is a fairly thick consistency and was able to glide over this cream easily without pilling. Again, the mild barely-there scent is appreciated. The only reason I won't be purchasing the full size is the price point vs. results. It's a lovely product but didn't wow me as much as the eye cream. For those who purchase high end skincare this is definitely worth giving a try.
The products can be purchased on the company's website, retailers carrying luxury skin care, and I've also linked the pics to Sephora and Shopper's Drug Mart. Thank you to Topbox for the opportunity to sample these Clinique products.
Seriously, would you just look at me:
This adorable little guy was looking at me in 2009 - probably thinking how grateful he was for all the spiffy duds. You're welcome, child.
Last week I thought it would be a good idea to pop into my Pinterest to get a few fun ideas to share. While I adore the app and my eleventy billion 'must remember this' pins, it's easy to get sucked into a never-ending loop that makes time disappear in a frightening way. I fought my way out and brought a few thousand things to blog about. But now I am sick and cranky so if you want to spook up your food, beauty game, and enjoy a delightful beverage you'll have to do some of the work.
Cleo tells Moi that Retro Prints are Trending Right Now! Such excitement. How de rigueur. After taking a peek at their current offerings let me say I've worn a worse version of every single item at some point in the past. The fresh take on the vibe really works and deserves the time to shine. Also, kindly note the term 'retro' really is preferable to old lady style and appreciated.
With the holiday season quickly approaching, it's time to find ways to make a dollar travel farther. I love points programs and belong to several. In the past, I've saved my Optimum points all year and then used them to buy Christmas gifts when they're on sale at Shopper's Drug Mart. Adding in coupons made my purchasing power soar and the merging of PC and Optimum means my groceries are also contributing to the tally. This weekend would be a good one to get a free card and start saving on items you buy anyway.
See what's featured this weekend and start collecting points.
One of my faves on Twitter is beauty editor and CityLine expert Dave Lackie. He regularly shares concise beauty tips, product giveaways, and is quick to interact with his followers. If you love skincare and all things beauty, head over to his blog for the details on The October Origins at Sephora.ca Giveaway and enter for your chance to win. How gorgeous is this pic of the prize pack? Delicious.
It was another odd week in my bounce schedule. My stalker/hairdresser was happy when I got home last night. This had been happening for four hours. She'd actually climbed on top of my head. I tried to get a pic, but this was the best I could do. Meemers was in no mood for a photoshoot and had very loud opinions about the paparazzi.
.jpg)
See all that uneven skin tone and the brown patches? Sun damage. There's no filter or beauty editing on that pic. It's straight from my phone after a bit of cropping. Listen to one of The Olds: sunscreen is your forever friend. Use it religiously all year long. Future you will thank both of us.
In the past I was a tan at all cost sun-worshipper. As a child, my two favourite pastimes were reading and swimming. Lucky enough to have a backyard pool, the only time you wouldn't find me there was when it was raining, and by fall people commented what a cute little brown nut I was. Brazil nut, right? Not nuts-nut, right? Truth either way.
My teenage years saw me and friends slathering ourselves with babyoil and broiling for hours in our pursuit of getting just a little darker. In my late twenties I was hired at a tanning salon - nirvana! My employer encouraged me to tan as often as possible as a perk and because I was fantastic free advertising. Heh. The place was called Tanfastic and every minute spent baking, covered in nothing but a heart tantoo on my hip, was absolutely glorious. My thirties were spent like a sunflower, constantly turning to find maximum exposure to the rays, whether in our own pool or at our trailer. This was around the time the 'get out in the sun as much as possible because vitamin D is good for us!' narrative gained ground and I felt like a smug pioneer. We've since learned, of course, that we can get the benefits of the vitamin that is good for us without causing damage to our biggest organ - our skin.
Unfortunately for me, it took a girl's vacation in Virginia Beach in my early forties for the full impact of my ways to slap the foolishness out of me. True to form, I'd squeezed as much sunshine into my pores in seven days as possible and was loving my tan. Look at this. No white girl needs to be that dark. It turns out my top was obscenely low but I didn't know it at the time:
Possibly because the fridge in our rented condo on the beach looked like this and we tried to pass it off as meeting the four major food groups:
Freed from responsibilities, we let loose and I regret none of it. During one midnight dip, we stood waist-deep swaying in the ocean (the tide and stupid high BAC can do that) and chatted mindlessly, hooting like obnoxious sorority girls. I glanced down to see a red laser dot perfectly centered on my sternum. As they turned to look in the direction it came from, we knew whomever it was doing their training out in the pitch black night could be an arm's length away or a thousand yards off. Yet all we could do was laugh and scream hysterically until we fell on our generous middle-aged asses. I'm surprised none of us drowned or got disappeared.
Ahh, good times. That little grannyesque digression was amusing, yes? Back to my tan. Where were we?
Oh, yes, I was loving it..until the last day. A darker area had appeared over and under my mouth. It had a distinct, slightly dirty appearance. The response to my panicked questioning my friends if they also thought it looked like a mustache and goatee shadow was, "Welcome to menopause." Only a ride or die sistah could get away with that. You know who you are.💜
Since I'd gone through menopause in my early thirties, drug-induced after a life threatening illness, my suffering all the symptoms was over and I knew that wasn't the issue. It wasn't a beard; it was my skin. ON MY FACE. I was horrified when it became more evident upon my return home and patches began to appear on my forehead, cheeks and the sides of my face. Basically, everything but my nose had turned into a ratchet quilt. What it really turned out to be was melasma and I've been fighting it to some degree ever since. It has been costly, frustrating and wreaked havoc on my self-esteem. There isn't a product available that I haven't tried, including years of prescription strength Retin-A, over the counter 'wonder' creams, natural solutions, and cosmetics that promised to hide the problem. Trying to find cover-up and foundations that don't make it appear even worse has been a tear-filled trial. The fact that I had done this to myself with decades of tanning and never giving a thought to protecting my skin with sunscreen almost made it feel like the misery was well-deserved.
Since then I wear sunscreen 365 days a year and have developed a love affair with ballcaps. During the Thing That Shook Us, donning a mask, sunglasses and hat was freeing in a way that's hard to explain. I don't expect anyone to understand it any more than I can comprehend why wearing a piece of cloth to protect others is construed as a loss of freedom. While it's easy to brush concerns off as vanity, the fact is our appearance is the first thing we are judged by, and we all want the same thing: to look normal.
When people notice and rudely draw attention to what is wrong with your face, it's mortifying and deeply hurtful. There are more times than I'd like to admit that it became a reason to avoid socializing. Years have gone by when I simply gave up putting in any effort because it seemed nothing would ever work. I'm on the other side of those years...nowhere near who I was or where I want to be, but...so glad to have that defeated, degraded part in the past.
There are emotional scars, and no apology for how any of it feels to me is coming, but it's a major step to post an unedited photo of myself without fearful regret. That may be hard for many to understand in this social media world innundated with selfies of the generation that gave birth to them and all of us who followed. But Mia gets it and we're proud of Moi. Now if I could just unwrap her from around my torso so I can routine my visage. Don't worry. I won't put that on TikTok because why in the name of all that is holy do people want to spend time watching other people wash their faces? How bored are you???
Never mind, to each their own, I'm trying to be less judgy. The struggle is real, but it's a happy day when good results are reflected in the mirror and that means the Riversol products are working well. They also sent me a follow up email with a 30% off code so there's yet another reason for you to give them a try.
Also, I was so excited to see samples of Clinique's Smart Clinical Repair Cream and Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Eye Cream in my mailbox. Reviews will be posted here (and my Topbox Circle Dashboard and socials) when they're done. Thank you for the mission, Topbox Circle! My quest for the best skin I can have continues.
As always, love where you are and fight on...xox
This looks like so much fun! Armani Cinema is doing their first ever Canadian Pop Up at Holt Renfrew in Yorkdale until October 11, 2022. Part of the exciting promotions surrounding TIFF each year, this event extends beyond the actual festival. Lucky for Torontonians and people of the GTA. Themes change weekly and from September 25 - October 1 it's "The Colour of the Stars" based on red carpet worthy moments. Call to book an appointment for your glam makeover and read more details at The Kit.
One of the things my budget culled a few years ago was the phenomenal skin care line I swore by from Riversol. Developed by board certified dermatologist Dr. Jason Rivers, the Canadian company is based out of Vancouver and will send you a free, no-obligation 15 Day Sample package for the asking. That's how I originally discovered it.
The no-obligation part is fact. Unlike other companies, you aren't charged for shipping, there's no hidden subscription you didn't intend to sign up for, or a ton of spammy emails. They simply send you product so you have a chance to try it and assess if it's right for you. Communication is always on-point and the staff are prompt, friendly, helpful and knowledgable. While on the pricier side than drug store lines, we certainly aren't talking about the outrageous costs of high-end goods sold on Sephora, Ulta, The Bay or The Big Girls dedicated websites. While it simply became an impossible expense for me, it's not unreasonable for a quality, science-driven skin care line and Riversol goes beyond beauty products. It was created to address skin care, specifically acne and anti-aging, for people with sensitive skin.
While my skin has never been particularly sensitive, there have been a few episodes when a reaction, ususally to a new moisurizer, left my face looking like raw hamburger and me feeling absolutely miserable for a week. They left me with a huge amount of empathy for people who deal with it every day and a determination to be better informed about what I put on my face.
When it comes to basic skincare I want products with proven results and without fragrances, dyes, or yucky fillers and sulfates (or formaldehyde!) that do little to help and often harm. It's one reason I'm also a huge fan of The Ordinary. Should we talk about packaging? As cute as they may be, I don't want to be paying for flashy containers or marketing razzmatazz. Riversol has wisely made the same decision as The Ordinary: simple, classic branding and letting the product speak for itself.
Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy a few bells and whistles now and then. It's fun to have the chance to pamper myself and the girly-girl within, trying out the latest beauty items that influencers turn into must-haves, but researching comes first. Having treated melasma with prescription strength Retin-A for years in my forties, trust me, the recommendations about usage on every product are there for a reason. You've heard the stories of people with burnt scalps, losing their hair, or ending up facially scarred because they didn't take the time to do a patch test before using a new cosmetic? No thank you. I've been through enough crud in life and would rather not end up a viral horror tale of pretty gone shockingly nasty.
When I tell you I hated foregoing my preferred products...I mean it's more than likely that is the moment Bitter Betty settled into my pores. She ages the hell out of gal. Which is why for a week, I once ate nothing but Mr. Noodles and water so I could buy Riversol Sunscreen at Pharmasave. Since then, it's a non-negotiable part of the budget all year long, because I will be pushed NO further. This is my Holy Grail.
The slight tint of the original works well with my skintone but they have added no-tint and darker tint options. As I said, I wear this year round. Barring a special occasion in summer, it's all I wear and it leaves a natural, healthy looking glow which photographs beautifully. Somehow it masks a multitude of sins, and though the smell is not something I'm particularly fond of, it's not a dealbreaker. If I can't keep using my favourite anti-aging routine at least I can protect my skin from further sun damage.
But, wait! Lookie what came in the mail yesterday...
I guess so many years have passed that I was eligible for another sample. I am SO excited! The dreaded before pic, in cruel natural daylight, has been taken and I'll start the fifteen days before bed tonight. I'm already plotting how I'm going to work this back into my budget. My circumstances haven't improved, but I'm working hard to evict Betty, and Mr. Noodles aren't really that bad, right?
There's a bug on the loose. Kitty and one of the girls that went on their getaway last weekend have been attacked, this is the second day Mancub has been home from school, and I spent yesterday on the couch sipping room temp water and trying not to move. When my stomach rejects coffee it's An Event of Import. Asleep by nine, it seems to have run its course as I slumbered, but I'm only just considering making myself some toast. Shoutout to the wonderful construction workers who were kind enough to spare my alarm and show up with their heavy equipment at six am. You'll hear more about them.
In nicer news, my prize from the giveaway hosted by Lilac at Pausitive Vibe arrived and I can't wait to start reading it! Kitty read the back and said, "Yep, not for me." Don't worry kid, you won't be getting it for Christmas. Daily entries in this giveaway evoked strong childhood memories forgotten in by the business of adulthood; years of countless hours spent reading under the willow tree in our backyard, surrounded by the feel of gentle summer breezes and the smell of freshly mown grass, a cat contentedly purring beside me. I've been an avid reader my whole life, but I'd lost touch with the complete sense of peace and joy found in escaping the world to be transported on adventures to magical places. For that alone, this book is a keeper and I'm sending a huge thank you again to Lilac!
Kitty's the only one of my kids who isn't a bookworm and I'm not sure why love of the written word doesn't grasp her the way it does the rest of us. Even though she was read to from day one like her siblings, it's just not her jam and by the time she was a teen, I stopped trying to force the issue. Her interests are different and unique to her personality and she's amazing just the way she is! I like to give books as gifts to all new parents, try to consistently add to Mancub's library to keep him engaged, and gift loved ones with books at Christmas and for birthdays. But a gift should be something the recipient enjoys, so instead of books I began giving her magazine subscriptions instead. I think her friends thought me paying for Cosmopolitan was thirsting for cool mom points, but you have to meet people where they are and she was exposed to the ideas and writings of authors in a way she wouldn't have if book snobbery won.
Dermatolgica Canada is having a giveaway on their Instagram page to celebrate the launch of a new product: Liquid Peel. The prize is a full Clear Start Routine includes Breakout Clearing Foaming Wash, Liquid Peel, Micro Pore Mist, Breakout Clearing Booster, Post-Breakout Fix, and Skin Soothing Hydrating Lotion.
One of the requirements to enter the giveaway is signing up to join their initiative to cancel acne censorship. For each entry, they will donate $1.00 to The Canadian Mental Health Association. This should be a thought-provoking yet no-brainer way to make your voice heard. Hopefully it's the start of changing the pervasive landscape that is damaging to all, but especially to those who feel they need to hide themselves if the expectation of perfection that we're all exposed to, in ways we don't think about, is not met and the effect it has on mental health. There's no other obligation to the initiative other than an easy sign up that includes answering why you want to. My answer:
"I was fortunate to never have bad acne, but all three of my children have suffered with it and no amount of mom's loving words can ease the pain and shame they felt. The women still do and it's had a negative impact on their mental health. Society must stand up to cancel acne censorship until acne is normalized for what it is: a common skin condition shared by most of us at one point or another in our lives. Blemishes don't detract from beauty."
The Beauty Page is Under Construction
My hair has always been the bane of my existence. Thin, with lots of volume at the back, but thinning on top, and thank you, Daddy, for the Austrian hairline. Think Arnold Scwartzenegger. Or Dracula. Just because Elvis could rock it doesn't mean a girl should have to! Bangs are my friend. The texture is also problematic: a combination of wavy to piggie tail corkscrews; those girls share the neighbourhood with a pin straight, lifeless mess on top, which seems to have just given up trying. Unless it's humid. Or rains. Or mists. Or I perspire. That's berzerker time.
Throughout my entire life, I've had exactly one haircut that I truly loved. It was my second year of college, I'd survived a near-death illness, and a friend talked me into letting her have a go at a fresh look. She was a stylist and has since moved on into real estate. I miss her! JOOOOLIEEE!! I've never found a stylist who could repeat the easy to style, choppy little mid-length pixie. From shower, towel dry + a dab of wax and my day was set. The compliments from strangers at school who actually sought me out to say how much they liked it was surreal. Now, that's a confidence booster and it showed in my self-esteem.
Finances have been holding me off from getting a good cut and treatment for far too long. The funniest thing is one of Kitten's BFFs is a sylist. I just know she must look at me with pity and disdain while thinking, "Jeezus, I could improve that with my eyes closed. Why doesn't she ask for the help she desperately needs??" ⏳
A makeover is desperately needed to keep my motivation going. Constant deprivation of girly things, as they are luxuries, plays havoc on anxiety and morale. I'm trying to move into a new stage of my life. The problem is, I wholeheartedly believe in the "Dress for the Job You Want" theory. Over some really tough years of unrelenting stress and chronic pain, I've let myself go to the point that I look and feel like an old hag. I stopped wearing makeup before the pandemic. Throwing my hair in an unflaterring ponytail has been my go-to. My wardrobe is 98% from thrift stores. That's a decision I feel good about, but it's been a year since I could add any new-to-me pieces.
Reclaiming some of the things I've lost, due to plummeting from the upper middle class with a parachute that turned out to be razored and catapulted me into more than a decade of extreme grinding poverty, feels like it's time has come. Metime is all the time now, finally. Illnesses, responsiblities, and broken promises be damned. I've done good, am good, and I deserve good. My integrity is solid.
Kitten has been encouraging and instrumental in making it possible so I highlighted the two things I would love to receive for my birthday from my Amazon Wishlist and gave it to her. She also got specific instructions to hit up Belle and McSteamy to pitch in because I know they can afford twenty bucks to make mom happy. (The Roomba and Kindle aren't ever off the table, just sayin'...) If they do gift me, I'll be able to do my own nails, which is something I had since my early 20s and haven't been able to afford in twelve years. That would be super exciting!
Once the funky eye thing/possible Blepharitis is treated by a doctor and cleared completely, I'm also going to get her other BFF to do lash extensions. There may not be money for Botox to erase the elevens between my eyebrows from a lifetime of being a worrier, but I'm going to focus heavily on skin and haircare this fall. Hell, I may even try to wrangle eyebrow tats. You see, I have a plan, and I need to look and feel the part. Hopefully some of these nice changes that will make me feel feminine and strong again and that will fuel my determination. It would be nice if that was before the Ber months are gone. Meantime, cute hat!
In my Quest for Good Hair, I've saved a few articles and products that caught my fancee. As I find more, they'll be added to the Links ⏬