SKINCARE | Paula's Choice Summer SPF Heroes

Press samples

Truthfully, I wanted to have a sunscreen post up for you all the way back in June, but as we are supposed to be wearing sunscreen year round, I guess sunscreen is applicable from January to December! Paula's Choice recently added to their SPF family and I had the extreme pleasure of testing two of them which have turned out to be two of the nicest sunscreen formulations to have graced my face!

SHEET MASK | Heimish Skincare Routine Review

Press samples

When it comes to Korean skincare brands, heimish has been at the top of my list to try because of its affordability, minimalist aesthetic, plant-based ingredients and of course their iconic All Clean Balm! I was recently given the opportunity to try a few things and let's just say that all have been winners!

SKINCARE | The Best and the Not So Great Sunscreens Round Up 2023 with "Swatches"

Some press samples (indicated with *)

It's that time again where every day is a new sunscreen to try! I actually try to be really careful now of keeping track of my sunscreens since they expire so as much as I wanted to do a little Korean beauty sunscreen haul to review for you, it will most likely not be until next summer as I have more than enough sunscreen to use for the next year! I am not on the press lists for any Korean beauty brands/stores, but if one or two sunscreen REALLY pique my interest then mayyyybe you will see it here (*ahem* Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun)!

MAKEUP | Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm SPF 30 with Swatches

 

Press samples

Summer is officially here as is sunscreen season, though it is technically ALWAYS sunscreen season, there is something about experiencing actual heat that really puts you in the mood! One area that I often neglect to apply sunscreen to is my lips and though I have never been been burned on my lips, whenever I go out on walks, I try to cover them up with something as much as possible because a lip sunburn just sounds painful! Thankfully, Burt's Bees has a new tinted lip balm (yay!) that also has an SPF 30 (double yay!) and are a mineral sunscreen formulated with 19.5% zinc oxide. I have never used a tinted lip SPF product before and I thought it was cool that I would be able to look a little more dressed up yet still being protected from UV!

SKINCARE | Tocobo Skincare Routine with the Best Sunscreen EVER!

Purchased by me via the Bellbees Mystery Box

Last year, I fell in love with Korean skincare brand Tocobo - specifically, their Bio Watery Sun Cream which I full on finished over the summer! It's not an easy brand to find and while there are a few Canadian retailers who carry Tocobo as a brand, I found the sunscreen the most challenging to find so luckily when it came back in stock at my favourite Canadian K-Beauty store, Bellbees, I picked it up and immediately knew after trying out the sunscreen that I would need to experience more!

SKINCARE | The Clarins Sunscreen Collection

 

Is it too late for me to talk about sunscreens? Never! Just when I thought Vancouver was going to be done with the heat, we got slapped with one more heat wave last week! Now, we are back to our somewhat wet and gloomy weather, but that's ok because the air quality was getting pretty bad and parts of BC were literally on fire so hopefully Northern BC gets some relief soon. As always, I get a little sunscreen crazy every year trying new textures and brands and with the last year and half focusing more on skincare, I have found myself devouring different sunscreens as it has literally been the last thing I put on my face as my makeup routine no longer involves foundation or other face makeup. Sigh, how the pandemic has changed things! 

Press samples provided

SKINCARE | 5 Chemical Sunscreens

Just when I think I have found THE sunscreens that I plan on using for life, summer brings out a whole new slew of sexy looking sunscreens that I cannot wait to slather all over my face! There were so many new ones I was using this year that I decided to break this round up into two posts - chemical and physical sunscreens. I use chemical sunscreens more often because of the nicer texture and I figured that many of you did as well for the same reasons hence starting the Summer season off with these five chemical lovelies!

Some PR samples marked with *

SKINCARE | 5 Sunscreens (Love & Hate)

Sunscreen, sunscreen and more SUNSCREEN! This part of my skincare routine is just a given, but I recently had a conversation with two colleagues around my age who looked at me like I was batshit crazy when I said "You need to use sunscreen!" They said that because they work "indoors" they don't need it, but we all know that you encounter UV even while working indoors (unless you live in solitary confinement within cement walls). The condition of your skin can be preserved to a large extent just by including this very simple product in your routine and though it might feel like we are just layering product after product, many brands have perfected sunscreen formulations to the point where some feel light as air and don't pill or interfere with your underlying skincare or makeup application. I didn't realize that almost every year I have done some sort of sunscreen roundup and looking back, I've noticed that I've discovered new favourites every year that I hope you will enjoy as well!

PR gifted (except for Biore)

SKINCARE | Getting to Know KBeauty Brand Purito

Truth be told, when North America started getting on the "clean beauty" bandwagon and declaring products as "paraben-free" and "free of harsh chemicals" (the latter phrase I despise, but for the sake of this post I will use it) this wasn't all that new to the Korean beauty world. Most of the kbeauty products I was using 10 years ago were already paraben-free as well as had a focus on plant-based ingredients like ginseng, cica, rice and other herbs. Purito is exactly this PLUS being 100% EWG green level certified, cruelty-free, using only recycled packaging (not as pretty, but that means more money goes into the actual product) and not having added fragrance which I find HUGE in the world of kbeauty because they really love their scents!

 PR samples

SUNSCREEN | Five New Sunscreens That Have Wowed Me!

How the hell are we in AUGUST right now? The summer feels like it has just begun and with this heat, I am totally feelin' the summer burn. I know it doesn't stay warm in Vancouver for very long so I should really be enjoying this, but the air has been feeling really heavy and muggy which I can't stand so I hope things lighten up a bit! This post has been a long time coming and now that we are in the throes of summer it seems a good a time as any to chit chat about some new (and maybe not so new) favourite sunscreens that I have been reaching for this season!

Some PR samples featured and are indicated with *

SUNSCREEN | Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 and Invincible Setting Powder SPF 45

When it comes to different forms of sunscreen, Supergoop! is where it's at! Talk about a brand with a niche! Unfortunately, Supergoop! is not available in Canada because of the lack of DIN on the products, so whenever I get a chance to go to the US, I always make a point of picking up something new from the brand. This year, opportunity came in May when I was in Las Vegas for work so I made my way over to the closest Sephora on The Strip (after fighting off some evangelistic cult people on the way) with my list and picked up some sunscreen goodies!

Affiliate links

SUNSCREEN SUNDAY | The Duo: COOLA Green Tea Makeup Setting Spray and Cucumber Mineral Face Matte Finish Moisturizer

In my last two Sunscreen Sunday posts, I kept referring to what I would consider one of my holy grail brands when it comes to sunscreen - Coola. When green beauty was getting more mainstream, Coola was one of the few brands that made a mineral sunscreen that didn't feel like you were applying a thick tar across your face! Even though years have passed and green beauty has come a long way, Coola is still one of my all-time favourite sunscreen brands and in addition to my old faithful Cucumber Mineral Sunscreen, I picked up a new setting spray at Curlique that just needed to come home with me!

Affiliate links

SUNSCREEN | The Ordinary Suncare Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 with Antioxidants #SunscreenSunday

Who else is literally drowning in sunscreen at this time of the year?! While I am still on the search for a physical sunscreen that is light enough to make me feel like I am wearing a chemical one, I have been alternating between the two types depending on my mood. Sunscreen has always been that thing that I prefer having merged into another product like my primer, moisturizer or even setting spray!

The Deciem social media pages were abuzz with excitement when it was announced there would be a mineral sunscreen coming out under The Ordinary brand and when it finally came, I had to snap it up and give it a try!

SUNSCREEN | Stay Protected this Summer with Attitude Suncare! #SuncreenSunday

As I have gotten older, I have come to realize that looking youthful comes down to some very basic products and practices like staying hydrated, sleeping well, reducing the amount of stress in your life, a great skincare routine (my favourite part!) and staying out of the sun. Sure, a little bit of vitamin D is great, but ultimately wearing sunscreen has been my way of ensuring my skin looks its best! If I need some colour, bronzer and self tanner are my friends, but I will admit that I have come to embrace my natural skin tone and not bother most of the time.

In the midst of the green beauty movement, we now have some really amazing mineral sunscreens as options and after reviewing some bath and body products from vegan and EWG verified brand ATTITUDE last summer, I was excited to see a selection of suncare products from the brand at London Drugs back in June. I was most excited to see if this mineral sunscreen would be just as comfortable to wear as my "light as air" chemical suncreen favourites!

PR samples

BATH & BODY | Avon "Fall for Moisture" A Box

It's getting to that time of the year where alligator legs and peeling cuticles are all the rage and hydration and moisture your best friends. Avon's Fall for Moisture A Box Collection* features body and hand care products that will ensure your skin never sees a dry patch ever again! 

BEAUTY | The Live Clean Summer Beauty Care Giveaway!

I am not quite done with summer yet and even though Fall is slowly making its way into my wardrobe and makeup, I find myself still reaching for sunscreen, products to enhance my tan and my ever-rotating collection of TKEES sandals. Even though my last hair review for Live Clean didn't quite work out, these summer beauty products have been pretty awesome.

SUMMER | Natural Sunscreen with Alba Botanica + GIVEAWAY!

It's finally totally acceptable to show some serious skin and whether I'm going through some sort of early mid-30s crisis or not, I have been craving some smaller clothing which means I need to be much more cognizant of applying sunscreen and WHEN I last applied it. In keeping with my ever-growing collection of green beauty products, natural sunscreens were never the best because they felt like heavy, pore-clogging creams that protected skin from the sun, but made you break out. It's interesting to see how much better technology is now because there are a ton of natural products that rival if not exceed the the performance and quality of the "big guys".

Alba Botanica has been creating 100% vegetarian products since 1979 and though I have used the odd body scrub here and there as well as the sunscreens from last year, but honestly it wasn't until these new sunscreens that Alba flew back onto my radar! 

SKIN | 5 Facial Sunscreens Everyone Should Have!

Either sunscreens seem to be more in fashion this year than last OR I am just extremely aware of different sunscreen options this year. Maybe it’s a bit of both, but everyday I have found myself swimming in a variety of options for both the face and body so because I couldn’t narrow down my favourites into one post, part one will be all about the face and part two will focus on my must-have body sunscreens. I have personally discovered so many lovely brands this year thanks to being a vendor in Sephora and having cast members share their favourites so thank you to all of the West Coast Sephora girls for giving me some lifelong sunscreen favourites!

Cloud | Vitamin A Cream with Retinyl Palmitate–Protection Against the Sun’s Full Spectrum

This post is on the more technical side, but for those of you interested in sunscreen and sun damage this might be of interest to you! Created by UBC clinical dermatology instructor Dr. Gordon Telford, Cloud Vitamin A Cream ($48.00 CDN) is the first consumer sunscreen (SPF 23) to block the sun’s full spectrum of rays. According to Dr. Telford, the average sunscreen only blocks 7% of the sun’s rays and yet the incidence of skin cancer is still on the rise. UVA and UVB rays may only be part of the problem meaning that we must protect our skin against infrared and visible rays that comprise the other 93%.

At almost 10 years in the making, Cloud Vitamin Cream’s main active ingredient is retinyl palmitate, which is a naturally occurring form of vitamin A that is produced in our sweat and acts as a natural filter against the sun (Youtube. “Cloud Vitamin Cream on CTV's Your Island Health & Lifestyle”, August 2014). Cloud Vitamin A Cream has been reported by as able to reverse existing damage and signs of aging by stimulating collagen production within 6 months of use. Pretty impressive, right?

Ingredients: purified water, mineral oil, white petrolatum (petroleum jelly), retinyl palmitate, glaxal cream base

Packaging comes in a pump tube. Application is 1-2 pumps to wet skin typically exposed to the sun.

This sunscreen? vitamin cream? feels quite thick at first, but it really does absorb nicely into the skin. You will not have to use as much product if applied to wet skin as it glides more smoothly across wet as opposed to dry skin.

Final Verdict: For those of you who are concerned with the use of petroleum-derived products, there is white petroleum and mineral oil in this product. White petroleum and mineral oil is highly refined when used in cosmetics, has passed FDA standards and has not been proven to be carcinogenic. White petroleum is used to retain moisture in products and is often recommended by dermatologists to eczema sufferers (Petroleum Jelly Beauty Myths and Benefits, August 2014). Retinyl palmitate has also come under scrutiny, but again the results have been inconclusive. For those  wanting to err on the side of beauty caution, I can understand wanting to avoid these chemicals.

I certainly have not been using this product for 6 months to see the results that others have seen and this research is so new that the published results so far will only be available this coming December.  Although I cannot attest to the reversal of premature aging, this is an all-body sunscreen, but at $48 for 30mL I don’t think I will be using this on my body! Perhaps my arms and décolletage area because I do not want that weird wrinkly cleavage we’ve seen on certain celebrities, but on my legs? I’d be going through 3-4 tubes of this stuff every month!

It is also recommended to wear additional sunscreen if there is prolonged exposure to the sun. For the summer, I want to keep things simple so the fact that I have to layer two SPF products makes me just want to use a regular sunscreen on its own. What I did like about this product was that it didn’t leave my face shiny and was fairly matte in finish. Even with the presence of mineral oil, my face didn’t feel greasy and I was able to comfortably wear foundation on top. I have some hyperpigmentation on my nose (from the sun) that I am still waiting to see a difference with so I might have an update in a few more months to see if there is a difference. Fingers crossed!

3 other vitamin creams are available to address other skin conditions such as eczema and rosacea and are available for purchase online or at the following retailers.

*Summer Skincare* RoC | Soleil Protexion+ Invisible Touch Sunscreen SPF 45

Summer is finally here in full force and the excitement of finding the perfect go-to sunscreen begins! Spray-on sunscreens took awhile for me to get used and I still alternate between spray and lotion, but I hate getting lotion stuck in my rings when I’m out and having to reapply which is when the spray is perfect! RoC Soleil Protexion+ Invisible Touch SPF 45 ($27.00 also available in SPF 30) is a broad spectrum continuous sunscreen spray that protects and reflects both UVA and UVB rays while containing vitamin E to also condition skin.

The spray nozzle was super comfortable to use! It was incredibly ergonomic for ANY spray needs and had the perfect curve for any finger. It was the first thing I noticed as I hate spray nozzles that are flat and don’t give any grip. I couldn’t seem to capture a great angle of the nozzle so you will just have to trust me/Scientist Jayne.

Final Verdict: I found this sunscreen spray completely non-sticky which is what most of us look for in any form of sunscreen. With sprays, it always feel a bit uncomfortable during application, but when I touched my skin there wasn’t any tackiness or sticky residue. The mist is also very fine so try not to inhale! It is a truly seamless sunscreen! It still smells of sunscreen, but not like coconuts or anything overpowering (I can’t stand sunscreen that smells tropical). Honestly, if it weren’t for the scent I wouldn’t have known that I had any sunscreen on at all! Sunscreen sprays feel like a bit of a luxury, but when you need a touch-up or just don’t feel like getting your hands dirty they are perfect. If you are in the market for a truly invisible-feeling sunscreen pick up RoC Soleil Protexion+ Invisible Touch! There are a couple of other products in the Soleil Protexion+ line for the face as well which I will also be reviewing soon! I’ve also seen a few value sets in places like London Drugs that are a great opportunity to give these items a try! 

PR sample sent for review.