London Drugs Coupon: $10 off any 2 cosmetic suncare

I hope some were able to utilize the heck out of the May coupon (I think I used it 5-6 times... lol).  Here's the June coupon, where you can save $10 off the purchase of any two cosmetic suncare products.

I would highly you stocking up on the La Roche-Posay Anthelios Shake Sunscreen Lotion!  It is my new HG face sunscreen.  Read my review on it here: click!

Disclaimer:  I am not affiliated with London Drugs.  I am not paid or renumerated by London Drugs or anyone else.  R, this blog, and I are not sponsored in any way.  (As if we had that kind of viewership, lol)

- M

Taboos Part I - PADS (Always Infinity)

Yeah, so...I'm gonna talk about pads.

WARNING: If you haven't surmised already, talking about pads may include frank discussions of a certain crimson substance.  If you are offended by talking about something that is contained within every human being and every animal, including yourself, then...I don't know?  What's wrong with you?!
 
When I was a young lass, all I knew about pads were that they were shameful, embarrassing evidence of a cruel and unusual punishment against womenkind*.  While that may still be the case, no one said that this shame cannot coexist with a sense of security - that is, knowing that the hemorrhaging would stay within the confines of...okay.  I will stop.   


I must say that, as a laywoman consumer, I have observed (as I'm sure y'all have has well) and been very impressed and happy with the technological and conceptual progress of such products.  By technological, I mean that the pads of today are sleeker, more absorbent, less noisy packaging, and just plain BETTER.  And conceptually, today's commercials for menstruation products less shaming and more empowering (think: Kotex); accordingly, even their overall aesthetics appear much more whimsical and less...clinical-looking...as they are now adorned with floral patterns and contained in bright neon packaging.  

Me likey.

But of course, no matter how pretty the pad is, the most important thing about it is whether or not I can use it and feel relatively secure, as opposed to a raging fear that I would inadvertently advertise my fertility on the seat of my pants.


So, the point of this post (after four paragraphs of rambling...): Always Infinity is THE pad.  Whether it's the daytime or nighttime one, it is the bee's knees.  The cat's pajamas!   The horse's foot!!!!!!  Okay, I made that last one up.  I'm sure a lot of you are already using this, but for those who aren't...please give this a try.  By the way, this is not a sponsored post, haha.  Our tiny little blog has hardly achieved the level of viewership that would compel any company to send us free shit.  Although, I really would not mind if I get a lifetime supply of these pads.  Just sayin'.

It says this in the company's website:
Always Infinity is a pad like no other. It's the only pad made with an incredibly absorbent material called Infinicel, which is super thin but can hold 10x its weight. Now that's powerful absorbency like you've never experienced before. Its revolutionary new wings are designed for secure protection and less mess on the sides. The microdots help channel fluid deep into the pad and away from you, helping you feel dry. And the form-fitting channels and soft cover sheet provide great leakage protection that's so comfortable, you might just forget you're wearing a pad. 

Now, I definitely never "forget" that I'm wearing a pad.  I mean, that shit just ain't gonna happen.  Nevertheless, I agree with everything else that is stated here.  It IS a pad like no other.  Actually, I first tried this pad out when it was distributed as a sample to my door.  It was pretty much love at first...wear.  I could not believe its retention capacity (ew).  In fact, you can hardly tell that there's anything on it until you see the reverse side.  Then you're like, ZOMG HOW IS IT DOING THATTT???!!!  To be quite frank, the previous generations of pads definitely have a way of telling you that it needs a changin'.  As in, they leak.  Overflow.  This crazy Spongebobadoo has never allowed that to happen.  Therefore, while they are slightly pricier than regular pads (around one or two bucks, depending on where you shop), they will not let you down.  I like to stock up when they are on sale.  Yes, that would be me with the four boxes of pads, a tub of ice cream, and Cheetos in my arms.  (This happened in real life and not during the time of the month.  Just a regular ol' Thursday night.  Yes, the bagging man stared at me and smirked creepily.)  


By the way, I've heard the arguments against mainstream commercial pads in favour of natural pads.  While I totally and completel understand the sentiments and admire those who can abide by them,  I'm sorry, but...ew, gross.  I, myself, haven't reached that stage of zen yet.


That is all.  Thank you for reading.

-R 


*In case there are folks who think I am being misogynistic, please know that I actually have come to appreciate the miracle of menstruation.  It's no longer something that I feel "ashamed" about, but you've gotta admit it can be quite inconvenient.  Nevertheless, I've even come to appreciate the extreme bloating that precedes the actual "experience."  Just think, it's your body's means of preparing for and coping with what is essentially a form of trauma that it is about to undergo.  It's awe-inspiring, really, the miracles of the body.)

Parabens & Paraben-free products

Disclaimer:  I am not a toxicologist or certified scientist.  I just believe in open access to correct information that is without self-interest or anything of that nature.

Parabens are esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid, which is where it gets its name.  They are a cost-effective preservative that is commonly used in personal care products, including cosmetics, which is the cluster where the panic button was hit the most.  There's no doubt that this is thanks to the online community.

If you look at your bathroom products' ingredients, you will notice that there are either very little or lots of chemicals ending with -paraben or having E followed by a number.  The common ones are methylparaben (E218), ethylparaben (E214), propylparaben (E216), and butylparaben.  These are parabens.

Ok, so enough with the geektalk, are they good or bad? Are they worth the hype? Is it a myth or scheme?

I would highly recommend you checking out Colin's Beauty Pages, where he had done a podcast specifically on parabens.  I heard about his page through Gemsmaquillage's Youtube video, and I do agree that Colin does a great job in making scientific jargon more everyday in layman's terms.  I would highly recommend  you checking out his podcast, so you can receive better information that what a general google search would give you.

"There are no studies on long term small dose exposure, only studies on short term high dose exposure on animals."
"According the Japanese study where lab rat were fed parabens, it could be concluded that parabens may pose a long term small dose risk."
"The level of parabens in cosmetics poses a very small risk, but the fact that it is a small risk to such a big issue, is worth a look."

I think they are worth consideration though current levels of parabens within products impose very small risk. As mentioned by Colin within his podcast, one should also consider the advertising efforts of companies and whether or not they really have your best interests at heart.

Don't be attracted or distracted by the hype, do your own research and evaluate for yourself.  Most importantly, maintain a lifestyle of good habits.  If you smoke or eat badly, then you should be worried about more than just parabens.

I know this post is kind of flakey and doesn't really give any concrete conclusions, but with the feasibility of a one-all study being done so low, I don't think anyone can really give you any concrete conclusions.

- M

Bioderma Sébium Pore Refiner Review

I bought this a month ago in hope of finding something that would fix my ginormous pores.  Because my skin can be quite temperamental, I wanted to find one from a chemist or pharmacy line.  I didn't see anything in the La Roche-Posay lineup so I went for the Bioderma Sébium Pore Refiner.  Plus, this came recommended by Lisa Eldridge -- How can you go wrong?

I am so glad I did, because since I had bought it, I have been using it anytime I leave the house!

This pore refiner is part of the Sébium line, which is specific to combination to oily skin.
It has a slightly opaque white colour and has the consistency of a gel-like lotion. There's a fragrance, that is reminiscent of very faint Chanel's lotion, but once it's applied, you can't smell it at all.

How I use it:
After I put on my usual Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel, I put one dot of it on my forehead, one dot on my nose, and one dot on my forehead.  Then, I spread the dot all over my forehead, rubbing it in.  I do the same for my chin.  For the dot on my nose, I spread it all along my nose bridge as well as the skin right in between my nose and cheeks (this is where I have the most enlarged pores).  Since I have combination skin, there is no need to put it all over my face, just the general T-zone sufficed.

Once I rubbed it into my skin, I immediately saw my skin becoming matte - not satin, matte.  Once rubbed in, it dries pretty quickly so, I was able to just continue my regular make up routine.  In addition to pore refining, this product also acts as a make up primer - I have noticed that my make up goes on very smoothly on top of the pore refiner.

Verdict:
What's great about this product is that it actually does what it says!  I barely need to blot my face anymore because whenever I habitually feel like I need to blot, my sheet would have nothing - my T-zone would actually stay matte throughout the day!  I've also noticed that my pores are less enlarged and that my skin is less prone to whiteheads (probably because oil and dirt isn't able to sit on top/in my pores anymore with the Bioderma there).  Since I started using it, I have noticed that when I do get whiteheads, they are minimal and much more narrow than before usage.

Even though this is pricey ($31 CAD at Shoppers Drug Mart), it is so worth it.  A little goes a long way for this 30 mL squeeze tube of product.  It has definitely become a HG in my skincare routine.  I would highly recommend this to anyone who has combination or oily skin, or just anyone who wants a bit more oil control - this product is perfect for the Summer months.

- M

Update:  October 24, 2012
I just finished up this tube.  I bought it in the middle of May, and have worn it everyday since then.  $31 CAD ($25 whenever Shoppers has a 20% Bioderma promotion) looks like a pretty good deal now, since it's lasted me almost six months, even with daily wear!

Caudalié Beauty Elixir - Possible Dupe

I'm not really sure when the Caudalié Beauty Elixir exploded all over the cyberspace and practically made a bloggers and youtubers go complete gaga over it... I want to say it was when the all mighty Lisa Eldridge mentioned it within her French Pharmacie recommendations.

Of course, I, too, had to experiment for myself, so I did some spritzing of it at my local Sephora.

I wasn't really impressed by it.  It seemed like any regular toner to me, and I was a bit turned off by the smell.  It was a bit medicinally herbish for me... but it smelled a little familiar.  I was never able to pinpoint what it was though - imagine all of those videos of gurus trying to describe a fragrance on youtube, haha.
R and I concluded that it may be what hippies smell like, you know, underneath the B.O. and hair (just a thought)

Yesterday, R and I lurked around Sephora for ages, and it finally hit what the Beauty Elixir reminded me of!

Not my photo

White Flower Oil!

White flower oil is an analgesic that's been used in Asia since forever.  It's made from a traditional blend of aromatic herbs such as lavender and mint, which heal headaches and minor pains made worse from poor circulation, inclement weather, or dietary habits and addictions.  You can inhale (wafting) it to help clear sinus congestion.  For headaches, you can apply it to your temples, forehead, neck or any other painful areas - avoid the eyes, sensitive tissue areas and broken skin areas.  However way you use it, a little goes a long way!!

Ingredients:  Wintergreen, Menthol, Camphor, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Lavender.

From the website, ingredients in the Caudalié Beauty Elixir are:

INGREDIENTS : AQUA (WATER), ALCOHOL*, CITRUS AURANTIUM AMARA (BITTER ORANGE) FLOWER WATER*, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE)*, ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF OIL*, POTASSIUM ALUM, GLYCERIN*, MENTHA PIPERITA (PEPPERMINT) OIL*, COMMIPHORA MYRRHA EXTRACT*, STYRAX BENZOIN RESIN EXTRACT*, MELISSA OFFICINALIS (BALM MINT) LEAF OIL*, ROSA DAMASCENA FLOWER OIL*, VITIS VINIFERA (GRAPE) FRUIT EXTRACT*, TOCOPHEROL*, CITRAL*, CITRONELLOL*, FARNESOL*, GERANIOL*, LIMONENE*, LINALOOL*. 

My point is the White Flower Oil is easily a much more natural dupe for the Beauty Elixir if you're not using it for the purpose of a toner.  If you're just using it because it refreshes or energizes you, then a tiny bottle of white flower oil will do the same thing for a serious fraction of the cost.

I'm definitely passing on this hype.

♥ M

If R were a mermaid...(Deborah Lippmann Mermaid's Dream)

...would be me.

But seriously.  Deborah Lippman Mermaid's Dream ($22 CAD) is frickin gorgeous.

Oooooohh

Unlike Ray of Light, which I ranted about on Scrangie's review

Rant #1.

 and Messywands' review,

Rant #2.  Because one rant wasn't enough.

Mermaid's Dream applied beautifully.

Index & Pinky: OPI What's with the Cattitude? Fuck-you-finger and Ring finger: Mermaid's Dream

Love it.

-R

Lancome Rouge in Love Lipstick - 322M Corail in Love

In late April, R and I rekindled our platonic relationship and went on a semi-massive haul.

See my post here - click!

See R's post here - click!

That day, I had gone into Sephora to swatch the hell out of Dior Addict Extreme lipstick in 336 Saint Tropez because of RAEviewer's video (click! - watch at 2:27).  I found Saint Tropez pretty nice on my hand, but when I tried it on my lips, it wasn't nearly as smooth and glide-y.  On my hand, the colour was a nice light nuded orange, but on my pinky-mauve natural lips, it came off as a porno-nude type of lip - ugh.  Needless to say, I passed on it.

Obviously, that didn't mean that R and I left Sephora...

Instead, I got intrigued by the Lancome Rouge in Love section.

The 21 colours are split into 3 categories:

M - Jolis Matins (fresh daytime shades)

B - Boudoir Time (pop of colour cocktail shades)

N - Tonight is My Night (intense evening/night shades)

See KarlaSugar (aka. swatch royalty) for swatches of all 21 colours - click!

RAEviewer swatched a few too, including Corail in Love - click!

After much swatching and comparing, I picked up Lancome Rouge in Love lipstick in Corail in Love (322M):

Just at that beauty - How could I not?!

Lancome advertises it as being 6 hr long wear and featherlight - I completely agree!!
Colour:
It's just the most perfect pinky coral for me.  I'm able to wear the trend without having orange clown lips that smacks across someone's face when they see it.  Yet, at the same time, when this orange/coral frenzy rolls over, I'll still have a very wearable colour.  I love its versatility because I can wear it any time during the day or night; casual or dressed up.  On my pinky-mauve natural lips, this shade can look either slightly more pink or slightly more coral in certain lighting - I love that!  It's also very pigmented so two coats and I'm happy.
Texture:
It's this really awesomely smooth silk finish that's not quite matte, but not shiny either.  After I've applied it, I can smack or rub my lips together and they'll feel like I'm not wearing any product on my lips at all - not even a balm feeling!  The bullet just gliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiides along with complete ease.  I don't have to be fussy with making sure I have well-moisturized or exfoliated lips - I just put it straight on my lips without any balm or liner and it just makes my lips look super soft and effortless.  It seems to hide any dryness or imperfections.
Wear:
Super duper long wear.  I can blab, drink, and eat all I want and it's still just as awesome as when I first applied it.  There's no drying, no tugging, no smudging.  What's awesome is that it doesn't even transfer when I'm drinking or eating!  This doesn't mean it's a stain either, because if I want to remove it, a dry napkin or tissue is enough.

I love love love this lipstick, including its adorable but classy packaging - it's super light and fingerprint-proof!
It's more affordable than some other lipstick giants.  I got this at a Canadian Sephora for $30 CAD, but you can get it online or in the states for $25 USD.
(If you do buy it, make sure you keep the box if you want to remember the colour name and letter.  The sticker on the lipstick only has the number).

For a non-lipstick wearer, I've been trying to wear this at any given opportunity.  If it was a limited edition release, I would probably buy a backup - that alone says enough about how much I love it.

♥ M

Sniff me--Jo Malone English Pear & Freesia

This is an ode to my signature fragrance.

Looking at the receipt right now, I can't believe that I've only had it for three months.  But, before I get into it I'd like to briefly take you through my perfume history.

The first perfume I'd ever purchased as a young'un was this:

Not my picture.

Remember this ad in magazines way back when?  There were the foldy flap things on the sides with the perfume enclosed.  I was inexplicably drawn to it.  An attraction that I can only liken to the seductive fumes of fried chicken. 

Not my picture either.

I was the typical teenager who had a proclivity for fresh, fruity fragrances.  I went through a phase of collecting Anna Sui perfumes, the majority of which were housed in mini bottles.  Granted, some of them were far from "fresh," but how could any teenager pass on the ridiculously cutesy bottles?  Gotta say though, even as a hormonal tween, I was "practical" enough to know that I would never finish a bottle of perfume to necessitate (or justify) the purchase of so many regular sized perfumes.

As my olfactory preferences continue to change, however, I find myself wanting a fuller, rounder scent.  I don't know if that makes sense.  Fresh fragrances are now, to me, too light--lacking the earthier, muskier notes to pull it down and make it more rounded.  Much like elementary grammar classes, there are flat characters and round characters.  I find the majority of mainstream fresh fragrances to be too flat, lacking dimension.  I want it to surprise me throughout the day, as it mingles with my body chemistry.

When I first got a whiff of MJ's famed Daisy, I thought it smelled like an old lady.  I thought it was way too pungent for my taste.  (I remember one time, I got into M's car--for a shopping extravaganza, what else--and thought, HOLY PERFUME! THAT IS STRONG.)  But as I made my trips into Sephora more often, and smelled a few more times, I decided that I liked how it smelled as it wears down after the intial spritz.  It took on a softer, sweeter (but not gross candy sweet) scent and just had a good time with my skin.

THE POINT?  I thought I had one.

I think the point of my long-winded story is that while many people perceive Daisy to be very fresh and light, it was the gateway into muskier scents for me.  It's funny how that works. This evolution of disgust to love for a fragrance was also true of my relationship with the Chloé perfume.  The problem with these perfumes, however, is that everyone has them.  Like, everyone.  The girl beside you, the girl behind you, the guy in front of you, and the transgender diagonal to you.  And the dog.  And more importantly, they were pleasant enough when I wore them, but they weren't "me" per se.

Oh hi there.

Then I met Jo Malone's English Pear and Freesia and it was love at first whiff.  I didn't take it home with me when we first met because it was such an expensive date.  I believe a 30mL bottle retails for around $70 CAD.  But then I found myself unable to think about anything else.  It balances fresh and musky so well that I really couldn't ask for more in a fragrance: English Pear & Freesia was me.  I was English Pear & Freesia. 

So I returned to Holt Renfrew (it's the only place I know of where I live that sells JM) and the saleslady was incredibly helpful and patient.  I tested out several other fragrances, including Wild Bluebell, which I think is one of their most popular fragrances.  Pleasant as it is, I find it a bit too light, needing a bottom note to ground it.  Then again, you cannot fault any of JM's fragrance for being one-dimensional because their whole philosophy is to encourage people to personalize and individualize their fragrances by mixing and matching different colognes.  That being said, executing this philosophy would take time: not only to put some thought into coordinating fragrances, but to save up enough money to do so!  I appreciated that English Pear & Freesia, while friendly enough to complement other perfumes, it is also independent enough to hold its own:  i.e. it's low-maintenance.

The only decision left to make was which size to get.  I knew I wasn't getting the larger bottle for over a hundred dollars.  A fellow shopper who was in a similarly mulling state told me that the small bottle lasted her forever.  Cool.  30 mL it was.

Then the clever saleslady showed me the fragrance set.  It featured the actual 30 mL bottle of English Pear & Freesia as well as three 9 mL bottles of the main notes, namely King William Pear, Freesia, and Patchouli.  The idea is that you could enhance any of the notes in the fragrance to your liking/mood.  Oh, and of course it was limited edition.  Fuck.  This motherfucker was $125 CAD (not including tax). 

I had to get it.

And I have no regrets.

No buyer's remorse from me.  I love it.  I love how it smells against my skin.  I love the wear of it.  I love that it doesn't smell like alcohol upon spritzing (which tends to be the case for most fragrances, no matter how cheap or expensive they are.)  I love its clean, simple design.  I love the versatility of the set. I love that it's low-maintenance. 

I've returned to Holt Renfrew several times to check out some of their other colognes from the permanent line, with special attention to the Spring, Summer, and Limited Edition collections.  Last week, I beelined to the JM counter to check out the newly released Plum Blossom.  If I did not have Chloé, I probably would have bought it.  When I told the saleslady that it reminded me of Chloé, she said that it was because both fragrances have rose water, albeit Plum Blossom is fruitier (because of the plum, duh).  I couldn't smell the difference, to be quite frank.  Who knows, maybe I will admit defeat and get it.  (Watch it get sold out by the time I make this decision.)

By the way, they've reintroduced their Tea Fragrance line from a year or so ago.  I've dreamt of this moment ever since this post from The Beauty Look Book.  I was especially lusting after Earl Grey as I love the smell of the tea itself when it steeps in a pot of hot water, perhaps more so than the taste itself.  However, it was not at all what I thought it would be--very spicy--almost masculine.  Sweet Lemon was very pretty, but didn't make my panties drop like English Pear & Freesia did.  It vaguely reminded me of Anna Sui's Secret Wish perfume.  Kind of.  Sort of.

And that's it.  Thank you for reading.

-R