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!
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.
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?
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 ⏬