SKINCARE | TIRTIR 5 Actives Power Serums Kit

 Provided by YesStyle Glow Up Giveaway. Affiliate link.   

Twice per week, YesStyle offers an assortment of products that can be claimed on their website and added for free to your order of $29+. You can only choose one product and they sell out fairly quickly so when I wanted to place an order, I waited for a product I wanted to try on the Glow Up Giveaway and saw this set of TIRTIR Power Serums and had to try it! The product you choose needs to be reviewed within 2 months which is the perfect amount of time to see what these serums can do!

SHEET MASK | VT Cosmetics Vita Light All in One 3 Step Mask

 

Purchased by me

I had high hopes for blogging more this month, but working so much this season really took it out of me so I allowed myself some grace (and naps) to catch up. I have today to Sunday off so I think I will feel MUCH better by the time Monday rolls around. I started my day off with a Dior facial (which was glorious) and a little retail therapy at Holt Renfrew. I came home after fighting downtown traffic at noon (like WTF) and had to do some grocery shopping, having not been able to do any for the last 1.5 weeks, had lunch and then promptly fell asleep for an hour while watching The Good Place. All in all, a good start to recovery!

SHEET MASK | Sephora Glow Booster Mask

Purchased by me 

How is everyone doing? Are the holidays getting to you? Or is this your favourite time of year? I definitely love the making extra money side of it and how generally people are pleasant, but then I dread the unpleasantness that comes with January...people are like extra grumpy OR they get into follow up mode. For now, I will enjoy the Christmas magic and let you know of this Sephora Collection sheet mask that was interesting...

SKINCARE | #OOTD Beauty Skincare Routine

This is a sponsored post.

I am always excited to try a new skincare routine and as I have gotten older, I am naturally a bit more selective about what I put on my face. While I enjoy my luxury skincare items, efficiency, ingredients and results are still the priority and when it comes to all three of these, Korean skincare always seems to knock it out of the park in addition to being affordable! I was recently introduced to #OOTD Beauty, a vegan Korean skincare brand, with products catering to all skin types and ingredients that are both kind to the skin and planet. Whether you are dealing with dry skin, oily skin, or looking for anti-aging solutions, #OOTD Beauty offers a range of products that deliver visible improvements.

SKINCARE | FirstBase Skincare Double Dose Vitamin C Serum

Press sample

I know that single product reviews are kind of old school, but what if something was so fantastic that it deserved to be placed on a pedestal all by itself? Founded in the midst of the craziness of 2020 by friends April Ferguson and Beth Hunt, Canadian brand FirstBase Skincare launched its first and only product last year and it is incredible. The world of skincare is a saturated one and the fact that the only product FirstBase has is a vitamin C serum MUST mean it is REALLY something and I am here to tell you that it is and WHY!

SKINCARE | Neo Naturelle C-Major 23% Vitamin C Serum, Silky Skin Natural Sugar Scrub and Aqua Harmony Moisture Infusion Complex

Science and nature are my two most favourite combinations when it comes to skincare and when a brand introduces their products by saying that not everything "natural" or "organic" is safe just because it is plant-derived or that just because an ingredient is manufactured it is toxic, I pay attention! Vancouver-based, family-owned, Neo Naturelle harnesses the power of science and lab-made ingredients to deliver maximum results from botanically-derived ingredients. Each ingredient in every one of Neo Naturelle's products has a reason for being along with a user experience that smells and feels luxurious from beginning to end!

Press samples

SKINCARE | Teaology Serum Infusion Trio

I have been excited to write about these three Musketeers as I have truly been enjoying this new trio of Teaology serums that launched this past summer! While I share a lot of skincare I use on Instagram stories, I don't often sit down and do full blog reviews of each product mainly due to time, but as I have already finished one of the serums it was evident that these deserved to be in the spotlight! Teaology products are made in Italy and look to nature for their ingredients. What sets their products apart from others in the skincare game is that instead of water, a tea infusions are used! We all know that tea is good for the insides of our bodies, but for our outsides as well as tea contains tannins which are antioxidants that neutralize free radicals. Knowing that either a black, white or blue tea infusion is in each of Teaology's products is pretty cool!

 

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

SHEET MASK | Sephora Collection Vitamin Masks

Whenever I see a new sheet mask from the Sephora Collection, I HAVE to try it no matter what. In the past, there have been some serious duds, but also some notable positives and while I wouldn't put the Sephora masks at the top of my list, they perform solidly in my top 20 favourite sheet masks as they smell pleasant, have decent results and some of the most attractive packaging! During the VIB Rouge sale, I went wild with my skincare and haircare and spotted a new trio of masks with a focus on some skin-loving vitamins and knew I would need to add these to my #100DaysofSheetMasks challenge! 

Purchased by me

SKINCARE | Kora Organics: The Brightening Routine

We have all been bombarded with the "natural" products craze the last five years and it shows no signs of slowing down. Honestly, I love the beauty of plant-based products interwoven with synthetic ingredients so I will always be a fan of combining the two, but I have grown wary of jumping on board too quickly when a new "organic" or plant-centric brand emerges let alone one created by a celebrity or influencer. I've just become a bit jaded with all of these fast-growing Instagram brands with people blindly buying into the "natural" marketing jargon. Initially, this is how I felt about KORA Organics. 

Press samples

SKINCARE | Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum

I didn't think I would do more than my Instagram review of the new Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum, but over the 7 weeks of use I came to really enjoy how versatile this serum was. In general, I don't give into the hype of "trendy" skincare brands and while I get excited just like any other skincare lover when a flashy brand releases a new product, I look beyond what other influencers say as I am finding that more and more people just say "OMG, thank you Brand X for this amazing product" and are "so grateful" without actually doing some critical thinking. Either they are afraid that they won't receive PR anymore or merely read the marketing jargon that's given to them or better yet, don't realize that they are already 90% sold on the product because it looks pretty on their Instagram feed. Taking all this into account, I was VERY excited when I was selected to review this for Influenster back in March because the ingredients list was a lot more impressive than I thought it would be! This was a REAL vitamin C serum that also had PHAs and I was READY.

 Product provided by Influenster

SKINCARE | Derma E Vitamin C Instant Radiance Citrus Facial Peel

I thought that my first run-in with Derma E was when London Drugs started carrying it, but as it turns out, it was actually in an Ipsy Glam Bag six years ago with their Microderm Abrasion Scrub, which is one of their bestsellers! While Derma E is in the "realm of clean beauty", I have grown to like them for their plant-based approach to skincare while still focusing on efficacy. I have mentioned before that while most natural products seem nice and simple, as we hit our 20s and beyond, our skin needs actives and ingredients that peel, stimulate and target real skin issues beyond just hydration. In addition to ingredients, Derma E also has a number of environmental initiatives including making sure the ingredients used in sunscreens are coral reef safe and being aware of their carbon footprint as a company. I use so much skincare that sometimes it's hard for me to talk about it all, but for the last two weeks my skin has been craving clarity, but I didn't want to be too aggressive so I turned to a couple of products from Derma E and fell for the Vitamin C Instant Radiance Facial Peel! 

 PR gifted

SHEET MASK | Garnier SkinActive Fresh-Mix Sheet Masks

Garnier has been doing insanely well with their SkinActive line and though I have some reviews pending for their "bottled skincare", my eyes always jump to their sheet masks first as they were probably one of the earlier drugstore brands to have a solid selection of sheet masks that addressed specific skin concerns. There hasn't been anything new on the sheet mask front for awhile until I spotted these SkinActive Fresh Mix Sheet Masks on the shelf while waiting for a prescription at London Drugs and I grabbed them right away because the trend of "popping"the essence and infusing a dry sheet mask is one of my favourite Asian skincare innovations! It feels like I'm being all #girlboss with my skincare and just taking charge! 

 Purchased by me

KBEAUTY | Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop #LunarFebruary

In the Korean beauty world, there are some cult products that always get talked about, that everyone reviews and because of that, I have tuned out. While I have always known Klairs to be a solid brand, I guess there was always a more interesting KBeauty product to try since something innovative comes out everytime I scroll through Instagram! Recently, Wishtrend invited members of the CBB to review the December featured product: Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop*! This is a daily essence made with 5% L-Ascorbic Acid (the active form) and Centella Asiatica extract which is an antioxidant and incredible moisturizer with soothing properties. This is an ingredient I see often in Asian skincare and I just realized this is also known as "gotu kola" which I actually AM familiar with through some of Tata Harper's skincare and I love this stuff!

PR sample and affiliate links featured 

KBEAUTY | Entia No Filter Moisturizing Mask #100DaysofSheetMasks

You may have noticed that over the last 4 months I have been loving sheet masks. Nay, OBSESSED with sheet masks to the point that seeing them in my house, in someone else's house, in a store makes me so happy. I know it's a bit weird, but I'm a fairly pragmatic person who doesn't get excited often and though I am sensible when it comes to most things, I have completely lost all sense of sensibility when it comes to sheet masks. It is like a beast has awoken inside of me and all it wants to do is sheet mask myself and all who come in contact with it. I have had a few people tell me that they started going through their own stash or buying sheet masks because of my #100DaysofSheetMask Challenge and that genuinely makes me SO HAPPY. There is a lot of crap going on in the world right now, but for 15-20 minutes every day, we can all relax and have happy skin. No one can argue with that! 

SKINCARE | Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Combination Antioxidant Serum Review

Over the summer, I have had the pleasure of trying a number of new skincare products. There are times when I feel like I am in lab with my potions and lotions cocktailing what will be going on my face. Skincare comes in a range of comfort levels and when I first started taking my skin more seriously, I wanted a routine that was easy and didn't require too much thought. Now that I have the main parts of the routine figured out, it's time to mix things up! I have dabbled with treatments like chemical peels and microderm abrasion, but when it comes to "scientific skincare" Skinceuticals has always at the forefront. My first exerience with Skinceuticals was in 2011 when I received a sample of the Hydrating B5 Gel in a Topbox. It was the most fascinating thing in the world because it was a gel and yet when I applied it to my skin, every crack in my skin seemed to fill up and look seamless. Scientific sorcery is what that was!

After a quick consult via email of my skintype and concerns, I was sent three products in the summer to try out. Each product deserves their own review because I guarantee, if I try to talk about all of them in one post I would be cheating you of what they are all about. Skinceuticals is most well-known for its "antioxidant science", being the first cosmeceutical company to have a clinically proven topical vitamin C formulation. Much of the motivation behind their, now extensive product line, is that sunscreen is not enough. Photoaging is caused by free radicals that still make their way into our skin which lead to signs of aging. Antioxidants are able to neutralize them which is why we are always on the hunt for the next free radical fighter! Vitamin C is the current craze in the world of skincare now so the Skinceuticals C E Ferulic* (30mL/$162.00) was the first product that I absolutely had to try. 

"C E Ferulic is a revolutionary antioxidant combination that delivers advanced environmental protection against photoaging by neutralizing free radicals that can accelerate the appearance of aging."

SKINCARE REVIEW | The Perfect Tan Without the Damage with Paula’s Choice Skincare!

Please note that the following is a sponsored post for Pretty in my Pocket. All opinions are my own.

I was a skincare junkie before, but now that I have worked in the industry for over a year (I use past tense as this will no longer be the case in a few weeks) the addiction has intensified and I have learned so much about the skincare industry, ingredients and obviously what’s great and what’s not. I have been following the infamous “Cosmetics Cop”, Paula Begoun, for a few years and have been wanting to try Paula’s Choice products for awhile considering her stance on effective ingredients in skincare products. The Beautypedia is a reference of sorts for me and I am always curious to see what she and her crew think. Sometimes I agree and sometimes not, but either way I am grateful to have someone like Paula around who can reference medical journals for her reasoning and basically take the BS out of skincare marketing jargon for the average consumer.

Since it’s the first day of summer today, I have been wanting to be tan ready since February, but I am opposed to tanning beds and long-term sun exposure as I think most of us are nowadays with the higher incidence of skin cancer. In addition to skincare for every possible skin type and concern, Paula’s Choice also offers a self-tanning regime without the damage and is one that can be easily integrated into your existing skincare routine. After a consultation with a Paula’s Choice skincare expert, I received a regime of products best-suited to my skin type (normal, dehydrated, no sensitivities) as well as a new found love for glycolic acid peels!

Molecular Nails–Juicy Vitamin C!

It’s summer and I can’t stop thinking about all things citrusy so I figured a refreshing orange and lemon manicure would alleviate some of my thirst! With summer here, Vitamin D is probably on our minds the most, but I think Vitamin C runs a very close second! Its molecular structure wasn’t too hard to do although it does look a little bit cramped being forced to live just on my thumb. The yellow dots represent OH/O groups and as usual I chose not to represent double bonds because things just get too crowded! I added a touch of gold glitter to represent the texture of the orange and lemon rinds and of course to add a little bit of sparkle!

As for the colours used, the yellow is Barielle – Lemondrops and the orange is SH Xtreme Wear - Sun Kissed.

Mmmm, I feel like topping this manicure off with one of the new Starbucks Refreshers! I tried Cool Lime with Black Tea Lemonade yesterday and it was TO DIE FOR! Have a great day everyone!