Category: brands

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

Thursday Favourites: May 14th

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Hey y’all!

Soooooo……. it’s finally happening. For those of you who’ve been following my blog for a while now, you’ll probably already know what this post is about. I have one certain product that has made it’s way on to countless self-care, best product and gift lists without ever having an official post all to itself. Seriously, post after post I find myself mentioning this product — its ended up being mentioned in more of my posts over the last year than I can even keep track of. However, when I tried this product for the first time ever almost exactly a year ago, I wrote a sort of mini-review and it made me feel as though I had already covered it. For a while, I thought giving it a slot in my Thursday Favourites segment was a little redundant. However, it’s become clear over the last year of my blogging journey that not only does this product deserve a post of it’s own on account of how much I rave about it constantly, but at this point the original post was shared so long ago that I’m sure you could all use a little refresher. Plus, with both some improved writing skills and a much deeper familiarity of this product under my belt, I’m hoping this post will do it more justice.

If you haven’t already figured it out, the product I’m referring to is Herbivore’s Crushed Amethyst Body Polish — a staple in my collection and one of my all-time favourites. This was the product that launched my Herbivore obsession, and finally gave me a holy-grail body exfoliator after years of constantly testing and tossing different products with no success. I never had an exfoliator I had purchased more than once — every one I tried had either been too expensive, ineffective, hard to find or just kind of meh overall. Each time, after I used one up, the hunt was on for which one I would try next, which for someone who exfoliates regularly, got pretty exhausting.

While I mentioned in my original post that after just one (yes, seriously) use of Herbivore’s body scrub not only was I in love, but I was fairly certain I was sold on it for life, I don’t think I really realized how true that was. But now, nearly a year later, a brand new jar just arrived in my latest Sephora order and I’m just as excited to start a fresh jar as I was when I first tried it. This stuff is hands down the best body scrub I’ve ever used — but don’t feel the need to just take my word on it blindly, because I’m about to tell you all the reasons why.

First of all — the actual scrub aspect of this product is amazing. The scrub particles aren’t too big that they’re ineffective or painful, but aren’t too small either. Never once has this product left me with little scratches all over my body, which I can’t say for every exfoliator I’ve tried. However, something I really love most is that the particles don’t really dissolve — something I’ve noticed with many other body scrubs is how the “scrub” element melts away as soon as the product mixes with water — meaning you have to use a lot more of the product to get the job done. As Herbivore’s Body Polish is actually made with real crushed Amethyst, the scrub doesn’t melt away, meaning you waste less and get your money’s worth.

Another thing about this product that has me obsessed is how HYDRATING it is. Something that I find to be an important aspect of an exfoliator is ingredients, such as oils, that soak into your skin as you use the product, which help both to keep the exfoliator from being too harsh and leave your skin feeling soft AF. My skin has never felt softer than it does fresh out of the shower when I’ve just used my Amethyst scrub — between how effective it is at exfoliating away everything it should and how incredibly hydrating and absorbent it’s ingredients are, my skin feels baby-smooth every time.

Lastly, I just wanted to give a little shout-out to how amazing this product smells!!! Because I’m absolutely obsessed with the scent. This product smells EXACTLY like lilacs, which is one of my all-time favourite scents. It’s fresh and calming, and for myself — very nostalgic as it reminds me of the lilac trees outside of my home in Toronto. For those of you who aren’t crazy about scented products, don’t worry — it isn’t super strong. It’s not anything overwhelming or heavy, just the lightest amount of perfume that really makes this product absolutely heavenly. (Plus, everything Herbivore makes is both vegan and cruelty-free, so you really can’t go wrong).

If this sounds like the body scrub you’ve been needing, you can check it out online at Sephora here! As well, Herbivore also carries a Coco Rose body scrub if that sounds like something you’d prefer. However, as someone who’s tried both, I’d definitely the Amethyst scrub — the Coco Rose’s scrubbing particles are much finer and dissolve a lot more easily, plus I MUCH prefer the scent of the Amethyst scrub. Not to say the Coco Rose isn’t fantastic as well — but between the two, the Amethyst scrub is the clear winner to me.

I hope you guys are all doing well! I’m finally starting to feel like I’m beginning to get back into a good rhythm with blogging, so hopefully I’ll be more active again soon once I get ahead on my blogging schedule. Just in time, too — we’re going to start lifting restrictions in BC soon! Fingers crossed I’ll be able to keep up all the good habits I’ve started once we start to return to normal life.

Much love,

Meredith

Trends I’m Loving: Spring 2020 Edition!

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Hey y’all!

So, just because we’re all kind of locked in this spring, doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy a little spring fashion! While spring looks certainly are a little differently, I’m really here for this spring’s cute and cozy fashion. I feel like this year’s spring fashion is a mix of lounge-wear, DIY, and the occasional cute outfit (just for the insta).

There’s a couple of trends that I’ve been seeing out there that I’ve absolutely been loving, and just had to try for myself. I figured, even thought it IS a little late in the season, that I’d take the time to share them all with you today. I almost feel as though there’s a little split between two sides here — pre-stay at home and stay at home fashion. All the styles I fell in love with before lockdown are all still amazing and I adore them — the difference now is, unfortunately, the only time I get to wear them is for Instagram pics. But, hey, that’s not the worst thing!

White Boots

I had been seeing these boots everywhere before March, and even though I knew lockdowns were about to start, I absolutely had to get my hands on them. I am OBSESSED with these — they are so cute and make a great statement piece, while still being relatively easy to pair with a wide array of outfits. I got a super cute pair off of Shein (the exact pair is no longer available, but these are almost 100% identical and these have a stiletto heel if that’s more your style). I had never ordered from Shein before, however, not only were these boots totally affordable — the quality of them is amazing, and they’re surprisingly comfortable for such a tall heel. (Like, seriously, these shoes are higher quality than shoes from the kinds of stores out there selling booties for $100-$300!!!). If you’ve been needing some cute new spring shoes, I’d HIGHLY recommend checking these out. Just look at them!!! I’m in love.

Tie-Dye Loungewear

This is the latest comfy stay-at-home trend that I’m absolutely in love with. Something that’s becoming kind of important to me is finding a balance between looking somewhat put together while also being comfortable in my new day-to-day style. I’m sure many of you can relate when I say that putting some effort into my appearance helps me maintain some sense of normalcy right now. I’ve been struggling to stay afloat and not give in to the symptoms of my depression, which is super hard when all life is right now is staying at home.

Basically, this is all just a SUPER long way of saying that while I may not be doing my hair or makeup every day, I’m incorporating cute and comfy outfits into part of my daily routine so I can feel at least a LITTLE put together. I love these tie-dye sets because they’re cozy, summery and something new. Plus, if you’re having trouble finding some you can always make your own! I’m going to be trying to make my own soon, but in the meantime, you can find this set over at FashionNova.

Pastel Eye Makeup

This is a trend I’ve been seeing everywhere, and am SO excited to finally get to try for myself. One of my fave stay-at-home hobbies has been messing around with/practicing makeup, especially with some fave or new palettes of mine that I didn’t get a lot of use out of at work (meaning I only got to wear each one VERY rarely). Not only does taking this time to practice give you the chance to really hone your skills and glow up hard during Social Distancing, but you can also show off your pretty new looks on Instagram! I bought these palettes like, the DAY before Social Distancing was enacted, and they’ve been my newfound stay-at-home spring favourite. If you want to try them out for yourself, check out these lil Huda Beauty palettes at Sephora!

Pistachio Green

Spring is all about cute pastel colours — it’s a classic at this point. While a lot of colours may feel overdone by now, pastel green is FINALLY having its moment. While mint green is super cute and all, this new pistachio colour I’ve been seeing everywhere is my new fave. It’s something fresh and new and really makes a statement, while still being super cute and not over-the-top. This colour has been popping up all over Aritzia’s spring line, which is where you can find this cute lil number!

Plaid Skorts

This new take on the classic plaid miniskirt is not just cute — it’s practical. The “skort” element of this piece is relatively subtle, but saves you from having to worry about your skirt ride up all day or anything like that. Plaid bottoms are such a cute look, it’s hard to go wrong — but I can already tell I’m going to get VERY good use out of this skort piece from Aritzia once I have more places to wear it.

Oversized Graphic Tees

I am SO into this look! It really isn’t anything new, but it’s new for me — I haven’t owned a graphic tee since, like, high school. These shirts also tie into looking cute at home while still being comfortable — they’re comfy af while still being something I’d honestly wear out of the house. Urban Outfitters has just about the widest selection of graphic tees you could ever dream of, so I stocked up on a bunch of big, baggy, comfy yet stylish shirts from there to rock around the house or on the Insta (since we don’t really have any other options right now, TBH).

Have you guys had any spring trends you’ve been loving? It’s definitely a weird time for shopping and fashion right now — it’s a strange mix between wanting to treat yourself and trying to be practical. No one ever said you can’t have both, though — so if any of these have you inspired, go for it! It’s been a crazy month, anything that helps you feel a little normal is a borderline necessity at this point.

Hope you guys are all doing well out there! Even if you can’t/aren’t feeling sprucing up your spring stay-at-home wardrobe right now, be sure to be mindful of how you’re feeling and are taking care of yourself. Do NOT feel guilty for being anxious, stressed out or just generally in a bad mood lately — these are really difficult times for all of us and just because you don’t have it “the worst” doesn’t mean you aren’t going through a hard time.

I’m considering making a post about what I’m doing currently to stay positive and productive during Social Distancing (while not overwhelming myself with tasks or stress), so let me know if you guys are interested in that, or if you have any personal methods to keep you sane right now. I’d love to hear it — my Social Distancing lifestyle is still very much a work in progress!

Much love,

Meredith

Thursday Favourites: May 7th

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Hey everyone! Happy Thursday!

So, as you may recall from last week, I posted the first part of my new double-cleansing routine. So today, naturally, I’m sharing the second part of my routine: my all-time favourite water-based cleanser!

For a couple years, I never had one go-to cleanser that I felt I really loved. I had a couple of really great ones, but a lot of the time they came from places that were hard to access and repurchase from (ie. my facial aesthetician in Toronto) or were a little pricey compared to other products out there. Ultimately, I never had a cleanser I repurchased more than once or twice.

However, just over a year ago now, I received a bottle of Tula’s Purifying Face Cleanser in my Spring 2019 FabFitFun box. I always rave about how much I love the products I receive in each box, but this one really stands as a perfect example — because if it weren’t for FabFitFun, I never would have tried it (or even heard of it, for that matter).

I love this face wash for so many reasons. First of all, it’s a probiotic cleanser, which I hadn’t heard much about before I received this product. What probiotic cleansers do, in essence, is cleanse your skin and remove dirt (as any cleanser should), while also balancing the bacteria on your face. It sounds weird if you’ve never tried it, but my skin has looked so much cleaner and brighter ever since I began using this face wash, and I’ve also had a lot less problems with my often combination skin type. This cleanser really worked to balance out my skin and leave it glowing and beautiful.

Another thing I love about this cleanser is just how gentle it is. It doesn’t strip away your skin’s natural oils or dry me out — in fact, it leaves my skin feeling hydrating and fresh. A lot of skin oiliness comes from harsh cleansers clearing away all of your skin’s natural oils and balance, causing your skin to double it’s efforts and produce more — but this cleanser is gentle enough that I’ve never once had to worry about that, while still removing all the dirt and impurities from my skin every night.

The last thing I love about this product is how BIG it is. It’s absolutely huge! My first bottle lasted me nearly a whole year with regular use. There’s no worrying about constantly having to repurchase with this product, which I love. I’m absolutely sold on it, so I don’t feel the need to experiment with other cleansers — so I’m totally fine with taking a whole year to use it up. It really makes my life a little easier, not having to worry about it.

The only problem I have with this product is that they don’t actually sell it within Canada just yet. However, if you’re looking to give it a shot, you can always buy it off of Nordstrom — the shipping fees are a little crazy, but since this cleanser is super affordable compared to most at just $28USD a bottle, I considered it worth it. (If you’re in the US, you can always get your hands on it super easily directly off of Tula’s online store!).

Now, I know skincare is super subjective and just because my routine works for me doesn’t mean it’ll work for everyone. For reference, my skin is overall a little dry but can also be combination as well. If your skin is similar, or if these products sound like they’re something that would work for you, hopefully these reviews gave you a good idea as to what these products are all about!

I hope you’re all having a great week! Stay tuned for my upcoming post this weekend, where I’m going to be detailing all of my favourite spring trends this year!

If any of you guys have used these products, or were curious about them/looking for a new skincare routine, drop a comment below! I’d love to hear all about what works best for you. As well, if you’re hoping to try out FabFitFun for yourself to treat yourself at home while social distancing, click here and use the code SPRINGLOVE to get $10 off your first box with my affiliate link!

Much love,

Meredith