SKINCARE | Laneige Open to Wonder Midnight Minis Holiday Gift Set

Purchased by me. Affiliate links.

OMG, it has been soooo busy at work these last two weeks! Don't get me wrong, I love the client aspect of it, but it is the admin side and the constant worry that I have forgotten something that stresses me out! Plus, I find this is the time of year where because things are frantic, staff get messy, forgetful and their brains stop functioning. I will say that it truly is a skill to keep your brain working under stressful periods. Basic math can go out the window or you suddenly forget how to do things you've known how to do for years. One thing that I have NOT forgotten to do is to hydrate my lips especially overnight! Don't you love my super smooth segue?

SKINCARE | NENA Skincare Glacial Micellar Water and Overnight Lip Mask

 

Press samples

Last November, one of my favourite local skincare brands, NENA Skincare launched two brand new products that were the perfect additions to their ever-growing collection! I have featured NENA a lot on the blog because not only do I love the products, but I love their commitment to sustainability, respect for nature and their partnership with the Homlaco people to harvest the Glacial Oceanic Clay used in all of their products.

SKINCARE | The MaskerAide Night Routine

Some press samples

For someone who loves skincare, there are actually just a handful of brands that I use and feature consistently and one of them is Toronto-based MaskerAide. I have been a customer of theirs ever since receiving my very first sheet mask from them to try in my Topbox subscription back in 2013 so I guess this is our 10 year anniversary! There are some new products from MaskerAide that I purchased on my own during Black Friday and when I received my order, the team included doubles for me which was so nice! I have been enjoying this little routine whether all together or just one or two products at a time and thought "why not share it with you all?!"

SKINCARE | Lip Care with Three Ships Beauty

Last year, I made it a point to purchase skincare more wisely and purchase Canadian if I could. I made a list of brands I wanted to try and instead of buying everything at once I wanted to pace myself and use up what I had so that products wouldn't be sitting around unused (and unloved). One Toronto-based brand that caught my eye was thanks to an episode of Dragon's Den for Three Ships Beauty. Founded by two women, Laura and Connie sought to create 100% natural skincare that was results-driven, effective and at an affordable price point. Now, over the years the word "natural" has meant less and less to me, but "results" still perk my interest. Three Ships also has a fairly comprehensive glossary of the ingredients they use and why which I very much appreciate! Though today's review is just for their newest lip products, I did purchase a couple of cleansers and toners so I will review those later on!   

Press samples

BODY | Avon Anew Vitamin C Collection

We are so used to seeing and using vitamin C products for the face, but I don't think I've ever really looked at vitamin C products for the body so when Avon released a collection of vitamin C products promising radiance for the rest of my body I thought it was perfect as who does not want to be as radiant as an orange this summer!

Press samples

MASK | Truly Organic Rainbows in Mirrors, Star Fruit and the Star Kisser Jelly Lip Plumping Mask

On any given day, I'm masking some part of my body and though it is mostly my face, I also enjoy finding new masks for my hair and lips! When I was on my girls shopping day in March, I stopped in Nordstrom to look at some shoes and on the way out, a clean beauty pop-up caught my eye because it had a number of US-based brands that I had only seen online like Rael, Clove and Hallow and Truly Organic. I had seen so many colourful, millennial-bait style posts on Instagram for Truly Organic from glitter lip masks to unicorn body butters that I had to see what the big deal was! Was it all just for show? Or were the products actually effective in addition to being so cute that I hated myself for wanting everything?!

Purchased by me

KBEAUTY | RiRe Bubble Bubble Lip Mask #KBeautyJune

Every month, I try to have personal themes that I stick to blogging about like back in February when I focused on Asian brands for the Lunar New Year. If I am stumped, I turn to the CBB for monthly ideas or I do a combination of the two if I really want to get a good amount of content out. I find themes really helpful as I can feel overwhelmed with products and I am often ashamed to admit how incredibly behind I am or how long I have had a certain "new" product on my hands. One area that I really haven't moved through fast enough is my KBeauty collection. I have A LOT that I have purchased and I am a little sorry to say that purchased products tend to fall to the wayside in favour of PR samples, so for this month I will try to have at least 2-3 KBeauty items/week that I have found amusing and/or totally cool starting with the RiRe Bubble Bubble Lip Mask!

Affiliate links

SKINCARE | MaskerAide Tell Me 'Pout It Hydrating Lip Mask

I actually had to look up when I first started using MaskerAide masks and it was in 2012?! Five years feels like a lifetime ago and I'm happy to say that I still actively use MaskerAide sheet masks with my favourite one being the All Nighter for its peppermint scent! Over the years, MaskerAide has expanded their love of masks to hydrogel patches for the eyes (love these for traveling!) and now the lips! The Tell Me 'Pout It Hydrating Lip Mask* is the answer to getting the perfect pout for that ultra daring pigmented matte lippie you have been dying to try or just giving your lips the boost they need without going under the needle!

BEAUTY | Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

I love skincare that works while I am sleeping and wish I could get MORE done that way! Asian skincare was the first to introduce the concept of sleeping "packs" or masks and I have been a regular customer of the sleeping mask since I was 25. Every other night was sleeping mask night though once I started blogging, it got harder to stay consistent especially when reviewing a full skincare line. One thing I never stopped though was applying a generous dollop of lip balm to my lips just before bed time so it was really easy to swap my peppermint lip balm for Laneige's Lip Sleeping Mask* ($24.00 CDN)! 

SKINCARE | The Face Shop Bebe Lip Mask Review

Sheet masks are jam. The 80 sheet masks that I have in my possession are prime examples of my weakness so when I see masks for other parts of the body, my skincare antennae go crazy! I am a sucker for eye masks, gel masks for sore legs and of course the lip mask. I don't use lip masks often because lip balm is usually more than enough, but who can resist this cherubic little girl on the package of The Face Mask's Bebe Lip Mask ($3.00 CDN)?! Look at her pouty, full lips! I want those lips!