My Top 5 Favourite Things

Julie Andrews singing My Favourite Things in Mary Poppins.
I couldn't resist

...These are a few of my favourite things! Again! so still getting beck in the blogging spirit. I thought I would review some products, most of which I have talked about before, that are still and will always be kicking around in my bathroom and would probably die if they were discontinued. Even though I have a pile of makeup, these are things I use pretty much daily, and are probably kicking around in my purse right now. Criteria for making the list is that I have used them for over a year and still haven't found something I would rather use. Even though most of them are at a relatively inexpensive price point. I buy them, without a discount, even after I am not working in the land of beauty, and I feel lost without them. I most likely have multiple security bottles...I might have a problem.

How to: Survive Summer in New York (or any hot, humid place for that matter)

I want to look this hot in NYC... mostly I am trying to avoid sweating to death

So I have been on hiatus again... for good reason! I have been in NYC for the past five weeks attending a pre-course for grad school. And I am going to be moving there! which is incredibly exciting, Of course I go during a heat wave, at a time of year known for being unpleasant in New York and no Hamptons or whatever to escape to. And I wasn't just gallivanting around, I had to actually, like impress people and stuff. Attempting to make a good impression while drowning in your own sweat is not an easy feat. Keeping my skin nice, and not sunburnt was top priority because pretty much everything got sweated off. So here are the few things that actually worked (which were not many) in the extreme heat and humidity of the New York summer.

Tips for Dealing with Sensitive (Problematic) Skin

Careful!

So unfortunately I am a lot of skin sensitivity issues that I deal with on a regular basis. And the dryness/harshness of the seemingly never-ending  Canadian winter only further irritates it. I have found, after years of practice and trial and error that dealing with it requires some avoidance and some extra special care. Sometimes it just sucks and you have to deal. So here are my tips for keeping your extra sensitive skin from hatin' on you.

How to: Wash Your Face! 6 ways!

You need to wash your face!

So I feel like this is another forgotten category of skincare. Most people think I they can use whatever as long as their skin gets clean. Not true. I have even had people tell me they wash their faces with head and shoulders!  No wonder your face hates you (hint, it’s not your quality moisturiser. Washing your face gets all the pollution and dirt off your skin that can be aging and cause uneven skin. Think of proper cleansing as prepping the skin for all the great products you are going to put on after like your pricey serums and moisturisers.

The Acid Difference: Glycolic vs. Salicylic

Supposedly Cleopatra bathed in milk which naturally contains lactic acid, a form of AHA.

How many want to bet Elizabeth Taylor at least tried it?

So sorry I have been on a couple day hiatus guys, sometimes you just get blogged out and sticking to my own self imposed schedule was wearing on me. I am still figuring this all out and how I want to write this thing. So I have noticed that people seem to find the more technical blogs helpful so today is another that seem to be a topic a lot of people are confused with; the difference between glycolic and salicylic acid, a topic suggested by my good friend Amaira.

Vain reasons to keep your (Healthy) New Year’s Resolutions

You can eat your antioxidants or put them on your face.

So this time of year seems to be when everyone’s New Year’s resolutions start faltering. As a rule, I try and not make resolutions but the fever is all around me to try and be healthy. So I am going to list a bunch of totally vain reasons to keep your get healthy resolutions. And I am not talking about the I am going to be a size two so I am living on nothing but cayenne pepper for the next year weight loss “health” resolutions. I am talking about the kind of healthy that comes from doing everything your mother told you to do like eat your fruits and veggies, sleep and exercise kind of healthy. The hard, boring kind, in other words, that is really hard to maintain while partying down. So here are the reasons to keep (or make) your healthy resolutions:

Why Mask-ing is awesome

Doing the Mask

Today is going to be a quicky since I feel kind of yucky because of my epic trial of hot yoga (never again) and both my face and body are dehydrated. Because of this I am going to sit on my computer in my hydration mask and tell you about facial masks!

How to: Care for Your Winter Bod

Don't we all walk around like Ivana here?

So as much time as everyone spends talking about skin care, most of the time people forget to mention the other 90% of the skin- your body! As a person who has suffered with eczema, and other itchy skin conditions I have a deep respect for my body skin. I think Canadians especially don’t talk about it because a) it isn’t nearly as fun about talking about makeup or latest fabulous cure all and b) because we have the advantage of being curled up in sweaters 90% of the year. But don’t ignore it! Pamper yourself a little and you will be rewarded with not having to worry about prepping your skin for a beauty emergency.

How to: Look Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed

Bright Eyed!

So this is my blog in devotion to eye care. Eyes being the windows to the soul and all, it is important to look after them. They are also the first thing to show signs of aging. Also the first thing to show when you are looking as sub-par as I currently do getting over a winter cold. So here are my tips to make it look like you have actually slept and looked after yourself (not that it is any substitution for that right?)

How to: Dewy Makeup (Even in the Dead of Winter)

Louis Vuitton Spring 2012

So it’s January still. I hate January. Just saying. It is dark, cold, you are back to “healthy eating” and to top it off it wreaks havoc on your skin. So here are my tips for looking glowy and dewy in January, like Christmas actually refreshed you (not!).

How to: Choose a Moisturizer- An Ingredients Breakdown

Am I doubting most lab girls look this good?

                Well this is going to be a pretty heavy post but I feel like it is something that has to be done before I go on. After the BB cream post, a few questions popped up about what to look for when you are looking for a “good” moisturizer. I am not going to address any anti-aging really because that would take me the next month of Sundays, with all the different types and new and better types coming out all the time. This is just the rule of thumb for basic moisturizing and skincare; things to look for in your anti-aging products.

What is (Actually) a BB Cream?

Rag & Bone Spring/Summer 2013 (All Revlon!)

So I am sick of answering this question. If only there was a way to answer this question and tell the world all at once. There is… or at least for the four people currently reading my blog. Well at least four less people will ask me.

Why I wear Sunscreen everyday

Fabulous sun protecting hat but don`t forget your décolletage!

If you have yet to hear everyone yammer on about how important sunscreen is I will now add to the chorus. Born with carrot top orange hair (now blond thank goodness), I possess that sort of ghostly pallor that make tanning bed worshippers quake with terror. And no I don’t want to spray tan. I think fair skin, like any other skin when well looked after, is classy and beautiful.  Every makeup artist on the planet seems to want to pile on a small truckload of bronzer on me despite the fact that I basically don’t tan ever, naturally. With the red-head skin, I turn a delightful shade of lobster and then peel back to albino, sun damage irrevocably done. So I am easy to sway on the fact that sunscreen is probably a good idea.