skincare – The Beauty Team

Beauty 101 Product Reviews The Beauty Notes

Our favourite Valentine’s Day Beauty Products

February 10, 2017

Whether it’s Valentine’s or “Galentine’s”, our top products for the infamous holiday will make you fall in love!

Glo-Minerals Lip-Suede matte crayons

These lip crayons are a Valentine’s Day essential for many reasons. Coming in a range of romantic hues, there is no question why we would want to smack this on our lips for the big day. They are also peppermint scented, allowing you to embrace those up-close moments. With an extreme long-wear formula, you won’t have to worry whether they are kiss-proof. Feel free to test that out for us!

NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer

Wearing your heart on your sleeve doesn’t mean you can’t hide spots and dark circles. That’s why we recommend NARS Soft Matte Concealer for a flawless complexion on your night out.

Unwind before or after a romantic night out with LUSH’s Valentine’s Bath Bombs.

The Cupid Bath Bomb is sure to give your bath the holiday themed colour you are looking for. Calm pre-date jitters with bergamot oil and fresh raspberry juice.

We also love LUSH’s Lover Lamp. Pamper your skin with this aphrodisiac-inspired cocoa butter and Brazilian orange oil bath bomb.

Makeup Forever’s Uplight Face Luminizer Gel

We think Valentine’s Day is a day to shine. Illuminate with Makeup forever’s uplift. Apply it to cheekbones, collarbones, or anywhere you want a subtle shimmer. The gel formula ensures an irresistible glow that will last all night.

Finish off your V-Day look with Dior’s Iconic Mascara. This wand is nothing less than magic as it gives limp lashes the volume they deserve. Swipe this on and they won’t forget that “your eyes are up here”.

Find love this year by treating yourself to these fabulous products!

xo The Beauty Team

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Beauty 101

Micellar Water, the solution to great skin?

April 9, 2015

By now you’ve probably heard someone talking about Micellar Water . The convenient cleansing water has quickly become the latest skincare trend in Canada.

First originating in Paris, France to help Parisians deal with the harsh water supply Micellar Water is a product suited for each and every skin type. The simple ingredients and hypoallergenic formulas make it a great option for hyper sensitive and acne prone skin.

The alcohol-free formula can be used to remove all traces makeup (even mascara) with a cotton pad…and it really does quite the job! Micelle molecules purify your skin by removing makeup, drawing out dirt and oil while gently cleansing the skin without stripping it of it’s natural oils. Although, if you’re quite oily your face might not feel thoroughly cleansed, if this is the case we recommend a quick wash with a gentle cleanser after removing makeup.

Lazy girls are in luck! These products are rinse-free making it a perfect for those late nights when you don’t have enough energy to go through your entire skin care regime but at least want to remove your makeup.

There are many options when it comes to purchasing Micellar Water. Bioderma has been an industry staple for years; showing up in Makeup Artist’s kits worldwide. We are also loving versions by Marcelle, Garnier and Simple skincare which are all available at your local drug store.

Will you be trading in your extensive skincare regime for this new trend?

♥ Victoria

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Health and Lifestyle

Benefits of Dry Brushing

March 31, 2015

While we’re all hard at work getting our beach bodies ready for summer it’s important to give our skin a little TLC too. The Dry Brushing technique is a quick, easy and effective way to smooth and renew your skin with many added health benefits – why wouldn’t you take 5 minutes out of your morning routine to do this?

Dry brushing is exactly how it sounds; Brushing your skin with a dry brush in a specific pattern. By doing this your skin instantly becomes a lot smoother and softer. Dry brushing also helps reduce cellulite, unclog pores are re-congests skin while also stimulating your lymphatic system which removes unwanted toxins from the body.

While working out is great for the body and mind unfortunately it can also lead to clogged pores on our body. Dry brushing also assists in clearing out dirt and oil caused by sweat. The technique helps to remove dead skin cells leaving room for new cells to form for a brighter and renewed appearance.

Dry brushing can be done at any time of day but we suggest doing it first thing in the morning to awaken your skin before you shower. Our current favourite is The Body Shop’s cactus brush which retails for CA$15.00.

How to use:

Start by brushing your feet and move in long circular motions towards your heart. Be sure to always brush inwards because lymphatic fluid flows through the body towards the heart.

Repeat this same process with your arms and then abdomen brushing each section in the circular motion about 10 times. Your back is an exception to the rules: start at the neck and brush down.

#BEAUTYNOTE

For first time “Dry brushers”, start lightly and build resistance to the brush. You want to awaken skin, not harm it! If it still feels a bit too rough, apply a bit of coconut oil to your skin to ease up the pressure.

Have you ever tried Dry brushing? We’d love to hear about your experience!

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Events Product Reviews

philosophy’s Renewed Hope in a Jar

February 24, 2015

With Spring just around the corner there’s no better time to introduce a new skin product. A few weeks ago we were invited to attend a “journey of renewal” we enjoyed a relaxing meditation with the wonderful ladies of 889 yoga followed by an introduction to the amazing new launch of and philosophy’s Renewed Hope in a Jar moisturizer and eye cream with director of international education and global press Robin White.

philosophy is beauty brand that believes in constant renewal of the skin. While creating this new product they wanted to granting three of the most demanding skin wishes for woman everywhere which are;

1 – Refined texture with visibly smoother pores and fine lines virtually lifted away

2 – Soft, dewy smoothness comforted by all-day hydration

3- Re-energized healthy colour and glow

We would say it was a success. In an 8-week clinical study showed that women:

– 94% saw an improvement in hydration immediately

– 81% saw glowing skin immediately

– 100% saw an improvement in skin texture in 1 week

– 79% saw a reduction in pore size in 4 weeks

– 78% saw the look of fine lines reduced in 8 weeks.

To see for ourselves, we tested Renewed Hope in a jar for a few weeks and can say that there was definitely a difference in our skins texture and radiance. Our eyes also look brighter and felt hydrated all day long. The light scent (reminiscent to a baby) and whipped formula absorbs into skin like a dream making your skincare regime something to look forward to.

#BEAUTYNOTE Apply moisturizer and eye creams 15 minutes prior to applying your foundation. This will provide your skin with a smooth soft base, which means a flawless application! Renewed Hope in a Jar is sure to have as much success as the original. is iconic to skin care lovers like us! It has been around for the longest time and from the looks of it, won’t be leaving us for a long time!We absolutely love this new duo in our skin care routine right now!

Renewed Hope In a Jar Moisturizer (CA $59.00) is a revolutionary lightweight, whipped formula of the cult favourite Hope in a jar. The formulation has been renewed and infused with a new innovation: clinically proven skin renewal technology. Featuring a triple blend of alpha hydroxy acids, 3 forms of hyaluronate plus an Asian fruit extract, which helps to deliver a longer-lasting glow and continuous hydration benefits, providing skin with all-day hydration. Renewed Hope in a jar helps minimize pores and creates a youthful appearance to your face.

Renewed Hope in a Jar Eye Cream (CA $72.00) is a lightweight whipped eye moisturizer that hydrates, brightens and re-texturizes the delicate eye area. It is clinically proven to diminish the look of fine lines and reduce puffiness. The Renewed Hope in a jar eye cream includes Asian Fruit extract, algea extracts and yeast, which energizes tired looking eyes, brightens dark circles and like we said before smoothes out the look of fine lines!

Both products are available now at select hudson’s bay and shoppers drug mart.

Here is a link to enjoy Natasha Bedingfield’s latest song “Hope” which was created and written in partnership with philosophy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9eqk7Z1O3M

After using philosophy’s Renewed Hope in a jar your face will be left with all your wishes granted, soft, dewy, smooth and re-energized. The original Hope in a jar is iconic to skin care lovers everywhere since 1996 and is only getting better. We can’t wait for you to try this revolutionary new product!

♥ Victoria

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Product Reviews

glo minerals Smoothing Salt Scrub

December 24, 2014

What better way to relax this holiday season then bringing the spa to your home with one of our favourite products (and secrets to super soft skin), glo minerals smoothing salt scrub.

Made with dead sea salts and essential oils, this smoothing salt scrub can be used as a full body exfoliant as well as in the bath for ultimate relaxation.

The light (and not overpowering) aroma of lavender mint soothes skin while relaxing muscles and calming the mind. The essential oils nourish your skin and the best part… you don’t even have to moisturize afterwards. Just scrub, shower, pat dry and you’re ready to go!

So, if you’re looking for a new scrub this season be sure to try this. We promise, you will have never felt so smooth!

#beautynote

Exfoliant twice a week, using circular motions to rid off dead skin cells and keep skin smooth all winter long.

glo minerals Smoothing Salt Scrub in lavender mint retails for CA$42 and is available at select spas and online.

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Beauty 101 Health and Lifestyle

Wake Up Radiant with Carly Woods Overnight Beauty Secrets

July 14, 2014

Carly Woods, writer for HSN online, believes that “we generally fall into two categories; those who have managed 8 hours of sleep a night and those who haven’t. For the ones who haven’t, they consequently have to do a darn good job faking it.” Sleep is key in everyone’s skincare routine, so pack in the proper amount of z’s for healthier skin!

She recommends 4 overnight beauty products that should be a part of your overnight regimen including a good facial serum, oil for hydration, a great moisturizer, and a wrinkle reducing eye cream. To read further about these overnight products, check out Carly’s article at HSN online here.

In the same spirit, we rounded some additional beauty fixes that will have you saying goodbye to tired looking skin, and hello to younger-looking luminous skin by morning. After all, it is called ‘beauty sleep’ for a reason!

1. Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate & Eye Cream

Apply a little bit of these products on the face and around the eyes every night. They have essential oils that help to improve the youthful appearance of skin around the eyes and also work to strengthen and replenish the skin. Making this a part of your beauty regimen has many beauty benefits, including diminishing the appearance of fine lines and reducing puffiness and dark under-eye circles.

2. Glo Therapeutics Brightening Polish & Conditioning Hydration Cream

To brighten and hydrate your skin, use GloMinerals Brightening Polish & Hydration Cream together 2-3 times a week. Before hitting the hay, massage a small amount of the brightening polish onto clean skin. Remove the product after 5-10 minutes. It brightens and refreshes skin by removing dead skin cells. This product includes Turmeric Extract which contains curcuminoids, which are phytochemicals with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and healing effects.

3. Glo Therapeutics Conditioning Hydration Cream.

After cleansing and toning, layer on this conditioning hydration cream to hydrate, strengthen, & rejuvenate skin overnight. Layer over one of the glo therapeutics serums for additional treatment benefits. This will infuse the skin with moisturizing ingredients that are rich in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. You can use this daily as well.

Active Ingredients:

Alpha Lipoic Acid – potent antioxidant that defends against free radicals

Collagen – helps physically support skin and enhance elasticity

Soy Isoflavones – antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties that help protect against environmental stressors.

4. Peppermint Tea

Drinking peppermint tea before going to bed has many beauty benefits. This way, you are attacking your skin from the inside out! It has anti-inflammatory properties, in addition to lowering the secretion of oil, it helps with excess oil and reveals flawless skin overnight. (The menthol in the tea has a magical effect on oily and pimple-prone skin, it helps get rid of acne and skin blemishes). So drink up before bed, or even during the day!

#BeautyNote: Peppermint AKA mint tea is a great stimulator for your scalp and promotes hair growth. So , if you are worried about the health of your hair, consider treating it the peppermint way!

5. Re-position & Prop it up

Sleep flat on your back with your pillow slightly elevated, for the best beauty sleep results. It helps to drain fluids and keep your face (especially the eyes) from looking puffy the next morning. An extra pillow should do the trick. It works wonders!

6. Soften your skin from head to toe

While in “la la land” apply Vaseline to the soles of your feet and put on socks before you sleep. This overnight pampering trick will have you waking up to soft soles that are ready for a long day’s work in beautiful stilettos, pumps, & all the others that you love so much! Don’t hesitate to rub some Vaseline on your hands and your lips to hydrate those areas as well! This product is tried, trusted, and true. It has been around for a long time for a reason!

#BeautyNote: HSN has re-vamped their skincare page, and we must say that we love it! From skincare tips for choosing products for every skin type to facial treatments to cleansers and more, get all the information you need to put your ‘flawless’ face forward here.

What does your night time skin ritual involve? We would love to know!

Tweet us! @_thebeautyteam

The Beauty Team

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