Stuff You'll Love!

You'll Love: Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer


Whenever I pick up and magazine I {like every other girl on this planet} find myself drooling over the expensive products they recommend you buy. Sometimes I cave and buy them. But most of the time I opt for the less expensive but equally satisfying alternative. So I thought I would post the products I love and that I buy on a regular basis. These are all things I think are worth spending your time and hard earned money on, and I think you will love as well! 

$42

Throughout the past year I've tried a few different make-up primers {NARS and M.A.C} and I have to say that I like Smashbox's product the best! Since I have acne prone skin I need something hypoallergenic, light weight, oil-free and hydrating {for my crazy dry skin} and this product has all four! This 2012 Insider's Beauty Award Winner immediately quenches skin and seals in moisture for hours allowing make-up to go on smoothly and evenly and last all day all thanks to Hydraplex which is a hydrating extract derived from desert plants. In addition to it's amazing hydrating qualities this primer also helps fill in fine lines and pores without feeling heavy and oily, contributing to a smooth and even end result! 

Use:

Smooth a pea-sized amount over clean skin {I also use Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel Cream before hand}. Wait 2 - 3 minutes and apply make-up.

Price:

You can pick this product up at an location that sells Smashbox! I purchased mine at Shopper's Drug Mart for $42. I know it's not on the cheaper end of the scale, but you really don't to apply a lot for every day use so stretching the products life is easy!*

Stuff You'll Love!

You'll Love: Kiehl's Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub


Whenever I pick up and magazine I {like every other girl on this planet} find myself drooling over the expensive products they recommend you buy. Sometimes I cave and buy them. But most of the time I opt for the less expensive but equally satisfying alternative. So I thought I would post the products I love and that I buy on a regular basis. These are all things I think are worth spending your time and hard earned money on, and I think you will love as well! 

As you know from previous posts, I have very sensitive skin and need to you all hypo-allergenic and natural products on my face, every so often I will wander into Kiehl's to see what products they have to assist a problem I maybe experiencing at the time. One day I purchased their Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub about a year ago to help manage the dry areas on my face and to help with even make-up application. I really noticed a difference after 2 or 3 uses. This scrub is not harsh like many exfoliators can be and I usually use it as a mask rather than a scrub {which is what the sales lady suggested to do}. This exfoliator is suitable for all skin types and utilizes small pieces of actual pineapple and papaya fruit as well as finely ground scrub grains to help exfoliate your skin gently and naturally. 

Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub: $36

For the best way to use the product and to gain as many benefits as possible follow the below directions:

1. Dampen your face {I normally use in the shower}

2. Use about a pea sized amount {2 pea sizes if you want to treat your neck} on your fingers and start to massage your face. Target the problem areas of your face {for me it's my T-Zone and around my nose}

3. Leave on for 10 - 15 minutes

4. Rinse with warm water and pat dry!

After you rinse the product off you will find that your skin maybe tight (but in a goo way!} clean, and glowing. Apply your normal moisturizer!*

Stuff You'll Love!

You'll Love: Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color

Whenever I pick up and magazine I {like every other girl on this planet} find myself drooling over the expensive products they recommend you buy. Sometimes I cave and buy them. But most of the time I opt for the less expensive but equally satisfying alternative. So I thought I would post the products I love and that I buy on a regular basis. These are all things I think are worth spending your time and hard earned money on, and I think you will love as well! 


Nail art has become quite the trend lately, and I totally love it...but my artistic skills are subpar at best....I could probably handle the odd white dots on a bright coloured nail but that's about it!  When I heard about the new Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color I was pretty apprehensive about trying it, because let's be honest...the Crackle nail polish wasn't the best. But my friend had the Magnetic Color on yesterday and it looked amazing, so I went right out to Shopper's Drug Mart and picked myself up a bottle! And I love it! It's super easy to use, dries shiny {and quickly} and looks like you had your nails done professionally!

The polish comes in 8 metallic shades {shown above} and includes the magnet. First apply a thin base coat to all 10 nails and let dry.  Next, apply a thick coat of color to one nail and immediately hold the built in magnet over the nail with the build in rest just under your cuticle. {Make sure you DO NOT touch your wet nails with the magnet, just hover}. Hold the magnet in place for 10 seconds, repeat for all 10 nails one at a time, let dry!  The iron filings in the polish rearrange themselves under the magnet to create the wave design on your nail. 

I chose Graphite Gravity, which is the darkest of the collection and I love it! The wave design shows up as a silvery colour which tones down the darkness of the polish, perfect for fall!

I think you'll LOVE this polish! You can purchase it at your local drug store for $9.99 a bottle!*

Stuff You'll Love!

You'll Love: Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo


Whenever I pick up and magazine I {like every other girl on this planet} find myself drooling over the expensive products they recommend you buy. Sometimes I cave and buy them. But most of the time I opt for the less expensive but equally satisfying alternative. So I thought I would post the products I love and that I buy on a regular basis. These are all things I think are worth spending your time and hard earned money on, and I think you will love as well!


I literally have to wash my hair every night in order for it to look clean and manageable the next day. My hair dresser keeps telling me to stop washing everyday because it’s bad for my hair…. “You need to train your hair” she says…well…I don’t have the patience to do that! Thank god for dry shampoo! I’ve tried a few different brands. Tresemme and Aveeno, but I found they just added to the oil and dirt of my day old hair, and tried to mask any smell with a gross baby powder scent. A few girls at my office recommended I try Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo, and it made a world of difference. You really get what you pay for ($17.95/bottle).

Following the directions on the can is key! Shake the can well, and then hold about 6-8 inches away from your head. Spray the product lightly focusing mainly on roots, wait 2 minutes before brushing out excess product, and VOILA refreshed, volumized day old hair! Instead of adding to the daily dirt and oil in your hair, Big Sexy Hair absorbs excess oils, dirt and product build up, adding volume to limp hair, UV- protection, and helps extend colour life by lengthening time between washes! PLUS… PLUS…PLUS!

Which dry shampoo do you love?!*

Stuff You'll Love!

You'll Love: Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel Cream

Whenever I pick up and magazine I {like every other girl on this planet} find myself drooling over the expensive products they recommend you buy. Sometimes I cave and buy them. But most of the time I opt for the less expensive but equally satisfying alternative. So I thought I would post the products I love and that I buy on a regular basis. These are all things I think are worth spending your time and hard earned money on, and I think you will love as well!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again….my skin has gotten crazy dry since moving to Alberta. I think I’ve gone through 2-3 different facial moisturizers that have been recommended on various blogs for dry skin and none cured my skin. Finally, I went to speak to the cosmetician, at Shoppers Drug Mart of all places, and she recommended a gel cream {she obviously recommended a higher end brand} but never having tried a gel cream before I opted for the Garnier Refreshing Gel Cream to start out. This Moisture Rescue Gel Cream locks in moisture and blocks out dryness, combining pure antioxidant fruit water extract {Grape Extract} and skin conditioning vitamins {Vitamin E} for an ultra-light hydration.


Grape Extract and Vitamin E?

Grape Extract is rich in mineral salts and oligo elements, refreshes tones and intensively hydrates dry skin. While Vitamin E helps in the purification, conditioning and soothing of your skin while strengthening its natural protective barrier.

I really love this cream. My dry skin is basically gone, and my skin doesn’t feel heavy or oily like it did with the other moisturizers I’ve used in the past, and even my complexion and the tightness of my skin has improved. For $10.99 {50ml} you really can’t go wrong. I’m on the fence with weather I want to spend an extra $30 for a more prestigious product or stick to what is working right now {I’ll keep you posted because I’m running low}. But you really can’t beat the lightness and hydrating qualities of this moisturizer, not to mention it smells delicious! Have you used gel creams in the past?

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart and wherever Garnier products are sold!*