It’s a beauty paradox. Out of all the categories of upkeep—hair, nails, makeup, etc.—it’s no secret that I think SKIN is by far the most important. And yet, skincare products are next to impossible to “review.” In fact, I feel bad about it. They arrive constantly (thanks, beauty brands!), and believe me, I want to test all them for you. But to do a proper evaluation would require eight weeks, because that’s how long you have to give any skincare product in order to really know if it’s working. Do I want to gift every product with two entire months of my life? Frankly, no. That’s why I’m quite picky about what ends up making it into “testing.”
But even more importantly? I just don’t feel like messing up my routine anymore. Because I have one, and it’s working for me. Hooray! So this post is all about what I use, and why. Not really any new prodz here, and this stuff may or may not suit YOUR particular skin type and issues. But it’s what I’ve been doing since January, and not to jinx it, but so far, so good… Keep reading »
Oh right, it’s Earth Month, isn’t it? I used to be so into my organic beauty prodz… but then vanity took over and I realized that wrinkle prevention was a higher priority than chemicals, and that a life without YSL lip gloss was a sad life indeed. Also: one too many of my hippie granola beauty products either separated on me, or leaked, or started to smell weird, etc.
So now? I kind of do a mix of natural and mainstream products, and I’m okay with that. My philosophy is pretty much all-natural below the neck—since one naturopath I interviewed years ago told me that chemicals are more easily absorbed when you apply them on large surface areas of fatty tissue, such as the thighs. But I’m less picky about what I put on my face… and if a natural brand can compete with a mainstream one, then HELLS YES I’ll use it.
The other thing is: I swear it’s getting easier to make green choices without having to sacrifice performance. Here are five newbie naturals I’ve recently discovered that definitely hold their own. In honour of Earth Month, give ‘em a shot! Keep reading »
Gentle Reader. I’ve only been writing this blog since 2009, but already I feel like we’ve been through so much. There was the great Ombré experiment of 2010, our many attempts to get the perfect non-Eagle application of foundation and powder, that time when I went off on medium tones, and of course, my incessant babbling about OMGcodliveroil. It’s kind of like we’re in a relationship—which is why I don’t take the idea of threesomes lightly.
Did I just cross a line? What I mean is that there are three of us now: you, me and brand-new BEAUTYEDITOR.ca contributor Elizabeth Oborne, who you may have noticed was the author of several awesome recent articles—including this one on the wonders of coconut oil, this list of what to pack when you travel and this post on how fabulous infrared saunas are for your skin and body. You already know that she used to work as a flight attendant on private jets (!). But here’s a little bit more intel: Elizabeth is now based out of Vancouver, where she recently completed her B.A. as well as a certificate in magazine publishing and a registered Holistic Nutrition diploma. It’s the latter (as well as her fabulous writing) that makes her a kindred spirit, because as you know, I’m a closet health geek myself.
So I think it’s high time you guys met. I’m a firm believer that you don’t REALLY know someone until you peek inside her makeup bag (and I’m not even kidding), so here’s a little beauty Q&A—I’m the Q, Elizabeth is the A—to help you guys get acquainted. Keep reading »
