Treating My Keratosis Pilaris: My Exfoliating Body Routine

Keratosis pilaris is a skin condition I have dealt with on and off over the last few years, and unfortunately, the time has come (yet) again. The good news is that I have narrowed down a routine that has been helping me clear it over the last few weeks. I wanted to share what I've been doing and using to help clear it up in hopes that it helps anyone looking for an effective solution to KP.

Holiday Gift Guide | For Her, Him & Kids

Ah, the joyous jingle of sleigh bells and the scent of cinnamon wafting through the air— 'tis the season to be merry and make spirits bright! With the holiday festivities approaching, I'm here to sprinkle some extra magic into your gift-giving game. Whether you're shopping for her, seeking the perfect present for him, or delighting the little ones with wonders, here is a curated selection of enchanting gifts that will leave hearts aglow.

Lise Watier Diamond Dreams | Holiday Makeup Look

The most wonderful time of the year is here! I've already gone down the rabbit hole of having Christmas decorations up and have been watching (too) many Hallmark holiday movies (and I'm not ashamed to admit it)! It's also been an insanely long time since I shared a holiday-inspired makeup look (take a trip down memory lane here) so I figure it was about time I got to it! Once my eyes were treated to the Lise Watier Diamond Dreams Collection Set* I knew I had to share it because it is absolutely gorgeous, from the holographic packaging down to the colours and the quality and performance of the makeup itself. For those unfamiliar with the brand, Lise Watier is part of Canada's largest cosmetics brand based here in Montreal and it has been around since 1972. The entire line is cruelty-free and products are made in Italy and available at pharmacies and department stores across Canada as well as online.

Marc Anthony Instant Miracle Mask Damage Repair & Volumizing Clay Hair Mask

Marc Anthony is a brand that has been around for a while, yet I had never tried their products (until recently that is)! I remember thinking for the longest time that this company was founded by the singer. Upon digging deeper, I realized that is not the case: it was created by a hair stylist over 20 years ago, who also happens to also share this famous name. The company is headquartered here in Canada, but the products are sold internationally, which I was not aware of. When I received the Marc Anthony Instant Miracle Mask Damage Repair & Volumizing Clay Hair Masks*, I was very intrigued and have been using them for the last few weeks. I wanted to report back on how I have been getting along with these masks, so here goes!

Renpure Tea Tree Lemon Sage & Restorative Hemp Oil Hair Care | Review

I've been on a new hair care kick for the last few months (catch my last feature here!), and one brand that I wanted to take the time to share with you is Renpure. I had heard of this company in the last few years, but it isn't until recently that I discovered that it is available in drugstores in Canada. What immediately drew me to this brand is that all of their products are plant-based and gluten-free, made with natural ingredients and void of harmful toxins such as dyes, sulfates, parabens, phtalates and formaldehyde. I personally love trying out new shampoos and conditioners, so I was looking forward to seeing just how well Renpure's Tea Tree Lemon Sage* and Restorative Hemp Oil* hair washing duos perform.

Cake Beauty Vegan Hair Care and Skincare | Review

Cake Beauty is a brand I have been familiar with for a few years, but it isn't until recently that I took a deep dive into their products to see what they are all about. What attracted me to this line in the first place is that they are Canadian, vegan and cruelty-free, and aesthetically, their products just scream cute and fun! I first tried The Wave Maker last year and was looking forward to test out more of their hair care, namely The Posh Wosh, The Soft Serve, The Take Out and The Hold Out, as well as some skincare, namely Heavy Cream and Cake Walk. Curious to know how I've been getting along with these Cake Beauty* products? I'm spilling the tea on these deliciously-scented goodies!

Dry Skin Saviours with Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula

My skin has been in need of some major TLC ever since returning from my recent trip! I always seem to forget how dry my skin gets during and after travelling, in between the dry cabin air, quickly alternating between warm summer and cool fall temperatures from experiencing different climates, and my skin no longer being used to hard water. Thankfully, the most perfect care package from Palmer's* landed on my doorstep when I returned - talk about perfect timing! I've been a fan of the brand for years, having tried their Cocoa Butter Formula for both face and body, and most recently their Coconut Oil Formula, so I was super excited to dive back into their Cocoa Butter Formula line and try out an old favourite as well as a couple of new-to-me additions. Not only does this range contain pure and natural cocoa butter, but it is also packed with vitamins A, C and E and antioxidants to both prevent and soothe dry skin.

Healthy Glow Makeup Look + Pixi Beauty Giveaway!

Lately, I've been all about that healthy, radiant glow when it comes to my makeup! My tip? Using products that provide radiance step by step, instead of focusing on just one product (ex: packing on the highlighter), which I find gives an overall more natural-looking result. From a glowy primer to a glimmery liquid lip, I'm showing you how I achieve this radiance using some of my favourite products at the moment, many of which happen to be by Pixi Beauty. Keep reading to find out how you could win some of the products featured in this tutorial!

My Top 5 Cruelty-Free and Travel-Friendly Facial Sunscreens

I feel like I have been going through sunscreens as if they were soap these days. Anyone else? Over the years, I have tried my fair share of sunblocks and have even shared some of my top picks on the blog. I actually did a round-up a few years ago of some of my favourites at the time, and recently shared a face and body sunscreen lotion I have been absolutely obsessed with. I thought I would dedicate an entire post to some of my top facial sunscreens that I have been enjoying as of late, and they all just so happen to be cruelty-free and under 100 mL (3.4 oz), making them airport security screening/TSA approved! So without further ado, let's dive right into them, shall we?

Crazy For Coconuts | Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula

Being spoiled this summer with such sunny and hot weather here in Montreal, I've been making the best of it and have been spending a lot of time outdoors! Not having A/C also means I have been spending a lot of time cooling off in the pool. Since I have been soaking up the sun and taking dips so much, I've been reaching for more body care products to repair and moisturize my skin after sun and chlorine exposure. Call me obsessed, but whenever I see that a product contains coconut oil or has a coconut scent, I am immediately drawn to it. So when I heard about the new Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula line*, I knew I wanted to see just how good these actually are. I've been a fan of Palmer's for many years (their Cocoa Butter Formula body products and face oil are ones I highly recommend!), so I'm excited to be sharing these new additions with you.

How To Get Enhanced Lashes + Brows with RapidLash & RapidBrow

This post was sponsored by RapidLash as part of an Influence Central campaign and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Have you always dreamed of having naturally fluttery lashes and full brows? *raises hand* Back in my teenage years, I made the mistake of over plucking my eyebrows (I still have photo evidence and it ain't pretty), and let's just say I've learned my lesson and have been taking it easy with my tweezers since then! The thing is, my eyebrows have always been sparse at both the head and tail, and my arch could use a little more definition. When it comes to my lashes, they are longer at the centre but shorter on the inner and outer corners and are also pin straight and on the lighter side, so unless I give them a curl and apply a coat of mascara, they look almost unnoticeable. And since on most days I don't wear makeup, I appreciate when I can find products that can give my hairs a boost and that don't require having to be removed at the end of the day. Over the years, I've tested a handful of products to make both my brows and lashes stand out, and hands down my top picks would have to be the RapidLash and RapidBrow serums.

Epic Empties | Winter 2018 Edition

Spring is near, although it doesn't feel like it quite yet! Just when I thought it was warming up for good, we got hit by yet another snowstorm - Canadian problems, I know. Truth be told, I don't mind snow that much - this last snow dump covered the trees and landscape in a thick white layer and is a real feast for the eyes. Flashback to a couple of days ago on Daylights Savings (when the birds were happily chirping), I decided to film my winter empties, pretty early for once! I had to make the best of this extra daylight, so as tradition holds, I am sharing all of my beauty as well as a couple of random products I've used up over the winter months. It's a rather long one, I still hope you enjoy!

Pixi Beauty Skintreats | Glow Tonic, Rose Caviar Essence and Rose Flash Balm

I first dabbled in some Pixi Beauty last year after trying a handful of their makeup and skincare, and after being thoroughly impressed, I was really looking forward to experiencing more of what the brand has to offer! For the past month, I have been testing out a couple of products from their Skintreats collection, namely the Glow Tonic*, Rose Caviar Essence* and Rose Flash Balm*.

Summer Get Ready With Me | Wet Highlight + Orange Lips

Saying that I am excited that summer is finally here is a bit of an understatement - I am beyond thrilled as it is my favourite time of the year! There's just something about sunshine and hot temperatures. I am always at my happiest once the warmer months come around. I figured since it's been a while that I filmed a Get Ready With Me, that I would share a quick video showing how I created this very simple wet highlight and orange lips look.

Pixi Beauty: A First Look | Makeup + Skin Care Review

While I am all for online shopping, for me, nothing beats being able to see cosmetics in person. There are a quite a few brands that I've been coveting that have yet to make their way to retail stores north of the US border, and one of them I can now cross off my lust list is Pixi Beauty as they just entered the Canadian market earlier this year! You can just imagine my delight when I found out that the brand is now available at Shopper's Drug Mart/Pharmaprix. Pixi Beauty was launched in 1999 by renown Swedish-born makeup artist Petra Strand. Initially only available in Europe, Pixi made its ways across the pond to the US a couple of years ago where it can be found at Target online and in stores nationwide. Now the Pharmaprix near me tends to not have the greatest selection of products since it is on the smaller side, and making my way to the makeup aisle there was no Pixi Beauty in sight. Disappointed, I turned the corner and to my surprise spotted a stand-alone display next to the nail polish section - score!

EOS To The Rescue | Fighting The Winter Skin Blues

I was thinking to myself the other day how lucky I am to live in this beautiful country called Canada. Having travelled to many places over the years, I've seen with my own eyes the beauty that the world has to offer, but there truly is no place like home. Sometimes it feels like seasons change in the blink of an eye around here, and despite the challenges that come with cold winter weather (asthma, I'm talking about you), it is still one of my favourite seasons. Speaking of struggles, scaly skin and chapped lips are ones on the list this time of the year. It seems like no matter how mindful I am about staying hydrated and moisturizing daily, there are times when I just need to pull out all the stops because my skin is just that dry. So when I received a box full of EOS products when I could benefit from them most, let's just say I was grinning from ear to ear!

Last Minute Holiday 2016 Beauty Gift Ideas

Christmas is just a few days away, and you're still scrambling to pick out gifts for the ladies in your life? Don't worry, I've got you covered! I shared my Holiday Beauty Gift Guide the other day which is FULL of awesome gift ideas (if I do say so myself!), but I wanted to sneak one last post in and share some last minute gifting ideas in the form of beauty sets which I think are worth the mula.

The Sunscreen Edit | 11 Skin Care Products with SPF to Suit Your Needs and Budget

As I was cleaning my office the other day and sorting through my desk drawers (which is also where I happen to store the majority of my skin care products), it came to my attention that I have a LOT of sunscreen. Granted, half of these I received in the last few months from various brands and as crazy as it may sound, I have actually been able to put each one to the test since the weather has been so hot and sunny this summer, so I thought it was about time I sat down and shared my stash with you. Here we go!

Hask Kalahari Melon Oil Hair Collection | Review

Watermelon just so happens to be my favourite fruit, so imagine my excitement when I found out that there is a range of hair products that smells just life the real stuff. I must preface this post by saying that the Hask Kalahari Melon Hair Collection* was developed for colour treated hair, which I do not currently have, but I figured there wouldn't be much harm in giving it a try on my natural hair. I don't style my hair very often (I honestly can't remember that last time I used a hot tool), but when it comes to trying new shampoos and conditioners, I'm always keen!

Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette | Review, Swatches + Makeup Look!

I'm a little late to the Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette party, especially considering it isn't currently available for purchase, but the good news is that Too Faced Cosmetics co-founder Jerrod Blandino announced on his Instagram that it will be re-released this coming November due to high demand. And the news keeps getting better, with Blandino spilling the beans just a few days ago that a Sweet Peach GLOW Highlighting Palette is expected to release next spring! Oh my - can we talk about a packaging match made in heaven? I can't wait to see what's inside! I have to credit fellow Canadian beauty blogger Julie at Swatch and Review for making this post (and video) possible - I got lucky and won her fabulous giveaway a couple of months ago. If you don't already follow her, you definitely should!