Loving Lately - December 2015

I'm a few days late here, but let me start by saying happy 2016 to all of you! I can't believe 2015 has already wrapped and that the holiday season has come and gone. To me, the holidays always feel like the weirdest build-up and anticipation for this particular stretch of the year then it all winds down before I've even realized it's arrived. That being said, I had a fantastic holiday season surrounded by family and friends, so I'm grateful for that. I've had some new discoveries that have helped streamline my routine (the first two products mentioned below in particular), so let's delve in!

Maybelline Brow Drama Pomade Crayon in Deep Brown

While I've certainly spent a chunk of time committed to a couple of brow products, in my usual fashion, I'm always open to something new. This pomade crayon made its debut at Toronto Fashion Week and was touted for its ultimate ease of application, resulting in unfussy brows that  actually look natural. As in not filled in meticulously with a slew of products. Just a few semi-errant strokes of this stuff through your brow hairs and you suddenly look more put-together. It's priceless. I use the spoolie on my Lancôme Eyebrow Reshaper Brush to brush the product through my hairs and call it day. On occasion, I may run Benefit Gimme Brow through my brows after if I'm facing a special event (such as holiday festivities), but overall, this stuff is simple, fast, good and affordable. That last attribute is key because brow products are one category I am forever replenishing.

I have this product in Deep Brown (heavily swatched on my hand, shown above), which I find ashy enough to not pull red on me at all, but anyone who needs a more ashy, black-based shade will have to continue their search for the ideal brow product. This pomade crayon is available in 4 shades and should be popping up in Canadian drugstores in due time; it's already widely available stateside. 

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo

A huge deterrent of exercise was the unavoidable impact it would make on my hair. I usually only wash my hair once a week - that's all it tends to need, and my psoriasis seems to prefer less interaction with shampoo - so working up a sweat a few times in that week-long span throws off my usual hair regime. After picking up increasingly challenging (and thankfully fun!) BCBD classes twice a week (headed up by the one and only Eva Redpath), I found myself with heinous hair sooner in the week than usual. While I've obviously tried dry shampoos before from a bevy of brands - high and low - I wasn't too impressed and felt they usually only masked odour (functioning like Febreze - no thanks) and added tapioca starch in spades to my hair instead of actually quasi-cleaning it. Naturally, the geniuses over at Living Proof (MIT scientists are behind this concoction) threw a hat in the ring with this dry shampoo and it is better than any other formula I've come across. Not only does it absorb unwanted odours, but it also absorbs sweat. That basically sealed the deal for me! The formula takes about 30 seconds to kick in, so shake the can, spray on your roots, wait half a minute and brush out for hair that is a hell of a lot better-looking (and smelling) than it was before. 

Too Faced Love Flush Blush Wardrobe

Aside from the hyper-adorable packaging (resistance is futile), this blush palette offers up all 6 Too Faced Love Flush blush shades in a travel-friendly format with a handy mirror. The formula apparently boasts 16-hour wear time, but I'm not sure who that's actually a concern for; I'll just say these blushes wear for a long time without fading and the formulation is super pigmented, so a little goes a long way and call it a day - cool? 

Swatches (L to R): Love Hangover, Baby Love, I Will Always Love You,
 How Deep Is Your Love?, Justify My Love, Your Love Is King

The colours included can carry you from everyday looks through to evening looks. And it's cute. Like, abnormally cute. This palette was the only source of blush I took on a recent stint to Florida and it worked marvellously, standing up to the heat and humidity alike. Baby Love can also pass as a bronzer on me (I'm hovering somewhere around NC40/Chanel Beige 40 or Beige 50 these days), and I was surprisingly pleased with every colour in this palette. Oh, and it's actually a solid value for such a variety of shades. Snap this one up!

Hand Creams - Diptyque Baume Genereux & Bliss High Intensity Hand Cream

Aside from the usual seasonal dryness, I developed a tiny patch of eczema on my right hand that was annoyingly persistent. I decided to try to counter this parched patch of skin with persistence of my own in the form of consistent hand cream application. Normally, I'm kind of the worst with hand cream; I own a ton of different formulations in a wardrobe of scents, but I still seldom use the stuff. I have plenty of tubes I love (Cle de Peau's with SPF 18 was a staple in my school bag, I also love the Ambre Vanillé one from Laura Mercier), but nothing I would apply regularly. This Bliss formula contains macadamia seed and grape seed oil and no major fragrance (nothing offensive or distracting here) and really softens skin while leaving little residue. I can still use a touchscreen gadget afterward without leaving a ton of grease all over the place. I also have been reaching for Diptyque Baume Genereux (purchased before Diptyque repackaged from a jar format to a tube), which does leave a bit of a residue on hands since it takes a little longer to absorb. It has a warm, inviting apricot scent, which is actually kind of delicious and comforting. The formula contains Shea butter, argan oil, apricot kernel oil and vitamin E, for silky skin. It's a bit of a treat, but it's so lovely, particularly after a long or cold day. Highly recommend either of these formulations for knackered hands!

Lancôme Vernis in Love Gel Top Coat

The holidays are usually a time of year when I would shift back into a gel manicure routine purely for longevity, but let's just say I was a bit lazy this year and dropped the ball when it came to booking myself in at Tips for a holiday mani. I stuck to my usual glittery reds and metallics, but as usual with most textured polishes, it's a challenge to prevent massive chipping. This Lancôme gel top coat actually let me go virtually a week with only minor tip wear. It takes a little while to dry, but patience pays off. Let me just go on record to state that I wash pots/pans by hand and clean my home pretty vigorously without gloves, so the lasting power this gel top coat afforded me is a mild Christmas miracle. All quick-dry top coats can exit my stash - they're notorious for chipping prematurely versus their slow-drying counterparts. 

Loving Lately - December 2014

It's a little early, but early is better than late and I have every intention of staying away from my laptop over the next week or so. I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season! Onto this month's standout products: 

Diptyque Eau Duelle 

I've commented on how I'm not really a gourmand fragrance lover, but I've had my moments where a particular vanilla note captivates my attention without nauseating me. I bought Diptyque's Eau Duelle perfume solid (pictured above, which I dug up from my Instagram circa Feb. 2012) and travel-friendly purse sprays (set of 3) from a Diptyque warehouse sale in NYC in my Parsons days. The perfume solid and travel sprays seem to be unlisted on the Diptyque site currently, so I suppose they were discontinued. If you can track it down, note that the perfume solid has a less spicy aspect to it versus the travel sprays (which are eau de toilette concentrations). The standout notes (at least, to my nose) are cardamom, bergamot, pink pepper, black tea, musk and bourbon vanilla. I've kept the perfume solid in my bag for a little dab every so often this month, as it's a perfect winter scent in my opinion. Tip: if it's too sweet or spicy for your taste, try layering it with another Diptyque scent to mellow it out, such as sandalwood-driven Tam Dao or floral Do Son.

Initial Thoughts: Diptyque L'Art Du Soin Facial Skincare

One of everyone's favourite French fragrance brands, Diptyque, has entered the skincare game with a range entitled Diptyque L'Art Du Soin Facial Skincare. I was fortunate enough to receive some precious and twee samples while visiting Diptyque's Bleecker Street boutique in Manhattan last week. Upon visiting their US site, I couldn't seem to find the products to link to, so I believe they're sampling the range, but that it isn't launching until later this month.

When I took a look at the samples, I noticed a highly informative little packet that contained a card for each product in the range, explaining the ingredients of each product and how the product is meant to perform or the different ways in which it could be used.

The sleeve of the card packet, explaining the concept for the skincare range

This presentation of not only how to use a sample of skincare, but also a card including a full list of ingredients (something that's usually missing in samples, and something that's really helpful to know when it comes to skincare) is outstanding! I want to hug the person who made sure this idea was executed. It's so essential when launching and sampling skincare, so I applaud Diptyque for getting it right.

Side one of the ingredients card for the range

Side two of the ingredients card for the range

I was given 4 product samples, and the range is 5 products total. The only product I didn't sample is the Radiance Boosting Powder. I've used each product a few times and can definitely attest to the fact that they're Diptyque products through and through, fragrance-wise. The Nourishing Cleansing Balm and Infused Facial Water are extremely Damask rose-based (similar to Eau Rose, not quite the same though), while the fine-grit Multi-Use Exfoliating Clay has a hint of Diptyque's figgy Philosykos scent lingering even after it's been rinsed away, so anticipate a very multi-sensory experience if you decide to try this range.

The Nourishing Cleansing Balm is multi-use, in that you can warm it up in your hands and use it as a cleansing oil, making it excellent for makeup melting and deep cleansing, creating an emulsifying lotion when hit with water after being massaged into dry skin. The informative little card also tells me it can be mixed with water to create a lotion texture that can be swept across skin on a cotton pad. The formula contains mimosa waxes and sweet almond oil (among other skincare-friendly ingredients) to leave skin comfortable and soft, never dry.

The Multi-Use Exfoliating Clay has a fresh fig scent, as I mentioned above, and the fine grit texture is thanks to marble powder, which obviously whisks away dead skin cells when used as an exfoliator. When used as a mask, skin is purified is ushered along thanks to clay and apricot kernel oil. I think I liked the smell of this product just as much as its actual function. I appreciated that a little went a long way and that it can be used in two different ways, though I feel the need to point out, no matter how you use it, you'll probably get a bit of the exfoliating factor when you rinse it off, so... if you're looking for a straight-up clay mask, move along. 

The Infused Facial Water at first seems like it's simply the standard rose water. The ingredients tell me that it contains glycerin (forever working to retain moisture in the skin), witch hazel, peppermint leaf extract, nasturtium (aka a source of skin-brightening vitamin C)...and a lot of other stuff. I'm not big on toners or softening lotions personally speaking, but I think this would fall into that category, and I think it's more so a nicety than a necessity in one's skincare routine. It smells pretty, so if that's your jam, have at it.

The Protective Moisturizing Lotion is probably the least sunscreen-y sunscreen I've ever used, and that's probably because it's only hitting SPF 15 level, making it inherently less greasy. Even if the SPF level isn't high enough by most standards, I suppose it's better than nothing. It packs a nourishing punch, containing Omegas 3, 6 and 9, as well as grapevine root extracts. It's a really light and smooth emulsion that I enjoy applying and can see myself committing to in a full size. It leaves skin super soft with no residue or stickiness, making it completely delightful to use. 

In regards to pricing and availability, I have no info whatsoever to share with you. I know. I'm awful. I'm sorry! As soon as I do have info to share, I will update the post accordingly. I do believe the line is set to launch at the end of February, at least stateside. I have no idea if this range will launch in Canada at the same time or not, but consider it something to take a gander at next time you're south of the border next month onwards!

EDIT: The range will launch in Canada, and naturally only 4 of the 5 products will launch in the Canadian market (the Protective Moisturizing Lotion is a no-go here, at least initially, inevitably because of the SPF). The range will be available at Holt Renfrew, and pricing is as follows:
Infused Facial Water, CAD $66
Radiance Boosting Powder, CAD $62
Nourishing Cleansing Balm, CAD $78
Multi-Use Exfoliating Clay, CAD $78

Diwali Wishes + Fave Candles

It's Diwali today, and I've felt a little wrapped up in my thoughts (as per usual), so let me take a moment to step out of my thoughts and focus on others. You, to be specific. If you're reading this, you mean a great deal to me because you're taking your time to read words I write. This is absurdly significant to me so let me say thank you. Thank you for reading what I write!

Diwali is a festival of lights, representing the triumph of good over evil and lightness over darkness. Diwali has several meanings and interpretations, and the meaning I'm most drawn to today is the awareness of inner light. Just as we celebrate the birth of our physical being, Diwali is the celebration of this inner light. May the brightness of your inner light vanquish any darkness in your life!

I've never been equipped with the usual Diwali clay/oil lights, so I've made a habit of lighting my favourite candles instead on this holiday. These are some (unisex!) scented candles I enjoy:

Diptyque Cuir candle - I stumbled upon this candle in the Diptyque candle on Bleecker in West Village a couple years back, and I have been obsessed with it since. The smoky leather fragrance that fills your home after burning this is sublime. It's unfortunately not available for purchase online, as it's a boutique exclusive in the US, so if you pop into a Diptyque boutique, grab one. Just do it. It's fantastic.

Byredo Cotton Poplin candle - This brand is essentially fragrances that are all inspired by brand founder Ben Gorham's scent memories. He created a fragrance called Blanche for his wife, which is a feminine blend of white roses, peonies and sandalwood. I approached the Byredo counter in Holts one day and asked for the candle equivalent of Blanche, and this candle was the result. The scent consists of chamomile, white cedarwood and sweet musk. It's a very subtle fragrance, so it's ideal for anyone who wants something a little lighter. 

White Barn Home Eucalyptus Mint candle - Finding palatable scents at a more reasonable price point is always a fun objective I set for myself when browsing shops. I'm normally not drawn to any of the sugary sweet seasonal scents that you can find in Bath & Body Works (they just aren't my cup of chai), so finding something as refreshing as this candle at BBW was wonderful. The eucalyptus isn't too sharp, the mint isn't overly artificial and it's enhanced with a bit of citrus. This candle has really substantial throw even when it's not burning, making it great to just leave open in a room to freshen up the space.