Category: favourites

Thursday Favourites: June 25th

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Hey y’all!

This week, I wanted to share a review on another product that I initially posted about when I first started up my blog, that I believe could use another post to really do it justice. As I mentioned last week, I’ve been wanting to re-write out some of my old Thursday Favourite posts from when I first started my blog, where I covered a lot of my all-time favourite products in my very first posts. However, not only do I believe my writing has come a long way since then — but my audience has grown a lot, too. Since so many of these original products are some of the best I’ve ever tried, I feel like it’s worthwhile sharing them again now that there’s so many more of you to potentially benefit from learning about them!

This week’s product I’ll be sharing is Fresh’s Rose Deep Hydration Toner. Toner is one of those aspects of skincare that’s a little confusing to most people; while being considered a bit of a staple in terms of skincare products, most people don’t really know what it is or what it’s purpose is meant to be. To put it simply — toner is essentially just the final step in removing any excess grime and dirt from your skin. When used daily, it helps to refine the look of pores, too — and some even describe it as a primer for all your other skincare products, to help them work more effectively.

The main reason people who tend to avoid toners do what they do, is that not so long ago, the main component of toners was usually just alcohol. I’m sure many of you may remember, as I definitely do, using toners 10+ years ago that stung your face, smelt super harsh, and dried out your skin to no end. Toners, not so long ago, essentially just used alcohol to essentially sterilize your skin. However, not only is that super unnecessary and can throw your skin totally off balance, alcohol is incredibly drying — and generally should be avoided in skincare products.

Luckily, toners have come a looooong way since then. Nowadays, toners can provide that last gentle cleansing step while balancing your skin and even adding moisture and a wide array of other beneficial ingredients. However, not all toners are created equal — or even alcohol-free — so it’s a good idea to find a gentle one that’s suited to your skin.

This is, essentially, exactly what I love about Fresh’s Rose Deep Hydration toner. Not only is it non-stripping and alcohol free, it’s formulated with hyaluronic acid to really help pack a lot of hydration into one single step of your skincare routine. Using this product always leaves my skin feeling refreshed yet deeply nourished — it can even be a good way to help it feel cleansed if my skin is feeling a little worse-for-wear before it’s time to wash my face at night. It’s hard to describe a product that you can feel just wiping dirt away with a single step that manages to not only not leave your skin feeling stripped or unbalanced, but rather actively hydrated and refreshed. It really is the perfect primer for all your other skincare products, and best of all — it’s pretty much perfect for all skin types.

If this sounds like the toner you’ve been needing in your life, be sure to check it out at Sephora here!

I hope you guys are all having a great week! And if not, keep in mind that it is the last week of June after all, and we’re about to hit the halfway point of 2020 (which, considering what a crazy time this year has been, I personally count as good news). I’ve actually been feeling pretty meh this week, so I’m really hoping to just ride out the rest of the month and use these next few days to prepare myself to have a better month in July. I know I’ve really been feeling thrown off from all of my goals and plans that I set at the beginning of the year for 2020, so I’m going to be taking this time to reevaluate and get back on track for the second half of the year so I can hopefully finish this year strong. What are your goals for the second half of this year? Share them below, and hopefully we can all motivate each other to stay on track through the second half of 2020!

Have a great week everyone, and happy end of June!

Much love,

Meredith

Thursday Favourites: June 18th

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Hey everyone!

Soooooo, I’ve had this blog for over a year now — which means over a years worth of my Thursday reviews! Back when I started my blog, I actually used to post these on Tuesdays — and it took me a month or so to really get into the rhythm of writing out review-based posts and the structure and format that I desired for my blog.

However, I was also crazy excited to jump right in — and many of my first posts on my blog detailed some of my all-time fave products. However, reflecting back on this posts a year later, not only do I realize I shared a lot of my best recommendations before I really had an audience to share them with — but also, honestly, I could have written them a lot better.

As such, the next few weeks are going to highlight four of my absolute, all-time favourite products that I shared posts on last summer, in the first few months of my blogging journey. And it felt kind of fitting that the first post where I re-share a favourite should be the product I shared my first post on — Biossance’s Squalene + Vitamin C Rose Oil!

This product honestly kind of revolutionized my love of skincare. I always was a fan, but this product introduced me to Biossance and their squalene based products. Squalene, if you don’t know, is a vital part of your skin’s barrier that is naturally produced by your body. However, with age, you produce less and less — limiting your skin’s ability to block out dirt and pollutants. While squalene has been incorporated into many skincare products and lines before, it was almost always made from harvesting shark’s livers — which is bad for so many reasons. Biossance, however, found a way to create 100% vegan squalene from sugar cane — allowing you to use it without causing damage to animals and the ocean’s ecosystems.

After adding in squalene to my regular routine, I noticed such a change in my skin — I’ve always had relatively clear skin, but after using this product tiny blemishes and irritation where completely wiped away. As well, I could actually FEEL my skin’s barrier rebuilding after a single use — I didn’t even know that it had begun to break down. With environmental pollutants and excess dirt blocked from my skin, it began to look SO much more clear and healthy.

Some other things I love about this product is how thick and hydrating it is — without being greasy. It always absorbs fully into my skin by the morning and doesn’t layer on so thick that it makes my skin feeling like it’s suffocating. As well, the vitamin C element leaves my skin looking hydrated, bright and plump (kind of a weird way to describe it, but it does). I’ve been using this product for over a year now, and I don’t ever plan on stopping — while it seems rather pricey, I’ve only gone through one bottle in a year and a half of use.

If this sounds like the product you’ve been needing in your life, check it out at Sephora! (and if you’re not sure about this product specifically, you can always browse Biossance’s full line — all their products have squalene, and so far, every one I’ve tried has been so worth it).

Happy Thursday everyone — I hope your weeks are going well so far!

Much love,

Meredith

Thursday Favourites: June 11th

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Hey everyone!

I’m starting off today’s post with a confession of sorts — I have always struggled with having super short, straight lashes and such light brown lashes and brows that they are practically non-existent without makeup. It’s honestly super frustrating — especially since my hair is so naturally dark, you’d at least expect I would have brows to match.

However, it was the short lashes that always bugged me the most. My lashes were so short and straight that wearing mascara honestly did little to help. I always wanted to have beautiful, long natural lashes — false lashes are fantastic, but wearing them every day is super time-consuming. Eventually last year, I started getting lash lifts — which really changed my daily makeup game. However, the results ultimately kinda depend on your natural lashes. While I’ve tried lash serums before, my lash lady suggested really making sure I was applying them every day, as well as adding castor oil to my lash tips before bed to help condition my lashes to keep them strong and healthy.

I’ve never really had a go-to lash serum — I was pretty bad about remembering to apply them every day anyway, so sometimes it was hard to see results. However, I think I’ve finally found my holy grail product all thanks to Shiseido and their absolutely bomb lash serum. Not only did I start to see serious results within just a month of using this product — I’ve been finding it a lot easier to apply than most serums. First of all, it dries pretty quickly; so many lash serums don’t, which gets annoying since I would have to wait around for it to dry before finishing my skincare. As well, this product uses a doe-foot applicator — maybe not really the most important thing when looking for a lash serum, but I actually love the way it applies product about my lash line and to my brows. I thought it was a little weird at first — almost every lash and brow serum comes with a brush — but after one use I totally got why. It just makes so much more sense!

Of course the real selling point is the effect it had on my brows — for the first time in my life, they actually look thick, full and dark. I finally feel like my brows match my face and hair, and look good even without makeup on. My lashes are definitely a lot longer, too — although I haven’t work mascara or gotten a fresh lift lately, so until then I haven’t even seen the full effect yet. My only regret is not taking before and after pictures so you guys could all see the real effect this serum has!

If you’ve been hoping for a serum that gives you real results, be sure to check out Shiseido’s Full Lash and Brow Serum at Sephora!

I hope June is off to a great start for you all! It’s crazy to think how much of 2020 has gone by already (it really has felt like the longest short year ever). I, for one, couldn’t be more excited for summer — I can’t wait to get outside, hit the beach, and hopefully do some hikes as well!

Much love,

Meredith

Thursday Favourites: May 28th

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Hey guys!

This post is going to be a bit of a first — it’s a little different from my usual Thursday reviews. I’ve been using Glow Recipe’s Avocado Melt Retinol Sleeping Eye Mask for about a month now, and while I absolutely adore it — I won’t be repurchasing. I have my reasons, though, and I would still vouch for the quality and performance of this product. While it may not be the product for me, there’s many people this product would be useful for — so I’m sharing it in hopes that it may be the product some of you have been searching for!

Anyone who’s been following my blog for a while probably already knows this, but when it comes to skincare my biggest concern is my under eye area. The skin under my eyes has always been chronically puffy, saggy and dark — it has absolutely nothing to do with my sleep or health. I’ve spent years looking for some magical eye cream that will solve all my problems — but sadly, I’ve yet to find it. Lately, I’ve been branching out in terms of ingredients used in my skincare products, hoping that trying out new things may open up possibilities for what works best on my face. One that I’ve been hearing about time and time again is Retinol — a synthesized Vitamin A ingredient meant to combat dark spots and aging.

I decided to test out this eye mask by Glow Recipe, as I was super curious about their brand (which I hadn’t tried at the time, but I’m now super in love with). I knew retinol probably wasn’t the ingredient I was looking for — my dark under eye circles are clearly not related to hyperpigmentation — but I still wanted to give it a shot.

Let’s start off with what I loved about this product. First of all, this stuff is SO creamy and luxurious. It feels so silky when you apply it — which is lovely. I was worried about it’s heavier texture at first, as I’m prone to milia under my eyes, but this cream didn’t even clog up my pores in the slightest. I’m often not a fan of how super thick and creamy products feel on my face, but this eye mask doesn’t give that suffocating feeling of other heavy products — which is amazing. Second of all, this stuff totally packs a lot of great nourishing and hydrating ingredients in it’s formulation. I’ve definitely noticed my under eyes are looking and feeling pretty smooth and hydrated lately, so that’s a win. Overall, my under eye area is definitely looking pretty bright and even ever since I started using this product, and I’d definitely vouch for it as an overall amazing eye cream.

The reason I won’t be repurchasing this specific eye mask is because retinol isn’t something I particularly need in my skincare routine (at least, not yet). While this eye cream is amazing for so many reasons — there are probably eye creams out there better suited to my personal needs. However, this doesn’t stop this product from being absolutely bomb — and if you’ve been looking to get into retinol-based skincare, I would totally recommend trying out some of Glow Recipe’s line. I’m totally obsessed with their all-natural products and the AMAZING results they give. When it comes time to start introducing retinol to my daily routine in the future, I’m definitely going to be giving the face mask version of this product a try.

If you’ve been looking to give retinol a try and don’t know where to start, or if this eye cream sounds like it addresses your skin’s specific needs, I honestly couldn’t recommend this product more. If you want to check it out for yourself, you can find it online at Sephora here!

As a final note before I go — I’m now about halfway through this eye cream so I’m going to be needing some recommendations for what to try next! Drop a comment below with your current eye cream or favourite product you’ve tried — I’d love to hear all your suggestions! In the meantime, I hope you’re all doing well. Stay tuned this Sunday to read all about my June Bullet Journal, and what I’m changing up this month to help me move through another crazy and unpredictable month — especially with how different June will be now that things are opening back up!

Much love,

Meredith

Thursday Favourites: May 21st

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Hey y’all!

This week I wanted to share with you all a skincare product that’s relatively new to my lineup, but has quickly become a staple in my daily routine. I’m talking about Herbivore Botanical’s Lapis Balancing Oil — one of the many facial oils Herbivore offers in their skincare line. I had been itching to try Herbivore’s skincare products for a long, long while now (as many of you already know, I’ve been a fan of their body products for a while now). However, I sometimes find it difficult to work new products and brands into my routine — why mess with a good thing, you know?

I finally got my chance after receiving a sample of a different balancing oil from Sephora, which I ended up loving. I decided I could use a balancing oil in my regular line-up. And since I knew I wanted to add this oil in the future and change up my routine, why not give Herbivore’s version a try to see if I loved their skincare as much as I love their body products?

Initially, I purchased this product in a sample size from their little “True Blue” skin clarifying duo, so I could get a sense of what this product was like before committing to the full-sized bottle (which is HUGE, and I love how long I know this is going to last me). The duo also comes with a sample size of their Blue Tansy resurfacing and clarifying mask, so I got to try out both at once. When it came to the Blue Tansy mask, it was my first time using BHA products on my skin — and I personally was just so-so on it. I know others love this mask, and if you’re looking for a good BHA exfoliator, I’d still recommend giving this one a shot — it just wasn’t for me. The Lapis Oil, on the other hand — well, it was pretty much love at first use.

Balancing oil, in comparison to other facial oils out there, is meant to reduce redness and blemishes in the skin. As the name suggests, it is meant to help balance out excess oils — making it great for combo skin. Ever since I’ve starting using this oil, I’ve basically been able to kiss any remnants of my past combo skin goodbye — this oil helped neutralize both dryness and oiliness in my face to just leave my skin feeling normal in the mornings. As well, it really helped with redness in my complexion (particularly around my nose, where I always had redness no matter what I tried).

What I love most about this oil in particular, however, is how sheer and non-greasy it is. As far as oils go, it’s incredibly lightweight, and by the morning I always find it’s completely absorbed into my skin. It should be noted that I mix it with my other all-time fave facial oil, Biossance’s Vitamin C + Rose Oil, so I don’t actually know how this product is as a stand-alone. However, the two of these combined every night help reduce any redness in my skin, keep it blemish-free, build up my skin’s natural barrier, add radiance and keep my skin looking firm and beautiful. As well, these products mix together super well and have no problem absorbing by the next day. Together, this products have really upped my skincare game. If I had to choose my favourite part of my evening skincare routine, applying oils in the final step is 100% where it’s at.

If this sounds like the facial oil you’ve been needing to add to your daily line-up, be sure to check it out at Sephora here!

I hope you’re all doing well, and hopefully it’s starting to feel a little summery wherever you’re at right now. This May has been crazy hot for Vancouver, but honestly I’m kind of enjoying it — it’s a little much sometimes, but I love being able to go outside in my summer clothes and enjoy some fresh air for once. After the last few months inside, I kinda really needed it. (And for those of you still under stay-at-home orders or who just need to relax and get their life back in order, stay tuned for my post this Sunday on Spring Stay-At-Home Self Care!)

Much love,

Meredith