Category Archives: Reviews

Skincare Saturday: Lush Christmas 2019

Lush Holiday 2019 Collection

Lush‘s Christmas collection is always incredibly massive, and while I have my usual staples (that Shoot For The Stars bath bomb is incredible and I stock up every year), it’s always fun to try out some of their new offerings!

Lush Christmas 2019: Satsuma soap, Happy shower gel, Cookie Dough shower scrub
Lush Christmas 2019: Satsuma soap, Happy shower gel, Cookie Dough shower scrub

I knew right off the bat that I was going to love the Satsuma soap, and it really did not disappoint. I cracked mine in two (the middle section is made up of a softer soap that binds the two halves together) and put half of it in my shower immediately. I’m a sucker for anything orange scented, and this one did not disappoint – it smells refreshing and wonderful and I love using it in the mornings when I’m showering to wake me up with that burst of citrus.

The Happy shower gel on the other hand… is definitely not a scent for me. I’ve heard a lot of people raving about it, but the combination of neroli, lemon and orange oils didn’t appeal to me that much – in fact, it’s rather revolting. Which is really sad, because the product itself lathers well and it looks beautiful! It’s this beautiful greeny-blue product shot through with glitter! But don’t worry, the glitter doesn’t stick to your skin.

Editing Chelle 2019/12/17: I was so confused by how bad this smelled to me in the shower, that I went in to Lush today to get it another sniff on site. The one in the store smelled COMPLETELY different, and very appealing. I spoke with one of the sales reps there and they told me it’s entirely possible that I got a bad batch, even if it was sent by PR (they said it may even be more likely since those batches would’ve been made first), and told me to bring in my PR sample for an exchange at their store. That’s INCREDIBLE customer service – especially for a product I didn’t even purchase to begin with. It hadn’t been my intent to get the product exchanged, I only wanted to know more about how it was possible I got one that had potentially gone rancid. I’ll be taking in my PR sample for an exchange for new Happy shower gel.

I was really excited to try out the Cookie Dough shower scrub because I’m a total sucker for cookie dough *anything*. The scent was a bit different than I was expecting – more of a chocolatey-type dough with the scent of the almond and hazelnut oils really coming through. It smells wonderful though, and I love how the scrub felt really thick in my hands, but spread onto my body really nicely.

Santa's On His Way Bath Oil Tablet
Santa’s On His Way Bath Oil Tablet

I’ve always wanted to try one of these! This is the Santa’s On His Way bath oil tablet and you use it by melting it into your bath water. You can likely just drop the whole thing in, but I found the little rope at the top was great for hanging it from the faucet while the water poured over it and into the tub. The oil tablet softens the water, turns it pink, and has a wonderful tangerine scent. I used the whole tablet for this bath, but I’d probably split it up next time and have it last over two baths.

Lush Christmas 2019: Rudolph bath bomb, Chris the Camel bath bomb and Polar Bear Plunge bubble bar
Lush Christmas 2019: Rudolph bath bomb, Chris the Camel bath bomb and Polar Bear Plunge bubble bar

Polar Bear Plunge bubble bar, like all of Lush‘s bubble bars, is really lovely. I get massive amounts of bubbles with only the smallest amount of product (also helps that I have a jacuzzi tub that really pumps up the bubble volume), and this little guy will last me easily 10-12 baths. The scent is very minty and reminds me of the gum my mom always buys (lol). Lush says it’s peppermint scented, but I definitely get more of a true mint scent.

Chris the Camel bath bomb is the only product I wasn’t able to try, but he’s next on my list to use. This one is a bit heavier scented – it’s chockful of spicy black pepper, cinnamon and cloves. AND? It’s got tiny little gold stars sprinkled into it which are going to look really neat in the tub!

Rudolph bath bomb
Rudolph bath bomb

And lastly, I tried out the Rudolph bath bomb, and WOW – the colour explosion on that made my smile so much. I removed the little paper horns (they easily pulled out, but they did break the top a little bit), and then dumped it in my tub and watched the pink and orange colours swirl together. I couldn’t quite put my nose on the scent – it was kind of soft and sweet with a touch of flowers? Lush says it’s scented like marzipan, but I really couldn’t even tell you what marzipan really smells like!

Every year I look forward to Lush‘s Christmas offerings – not only to pick up my returning favourites (if they ever discontinue Shoot for the Stars I’m going to be so, SO sad) but also to discover some new ones. Out of what I tried here, my favourites were definitely the Cookie Dough scrub and the Satsuma soap.

So now it’s your turn! Tell me what Christmas items you love by Lush – I want to check out even more!

The products featured in this post were sent to me for consideration.

Holiday 2019: Live Clean Hand Washes in Fresh Snow and Frosted Apple!

I’ve reached that stage in my life where I am dead, freaking excited for hand washes. I don’t know how or when this happened, but it has, and I’m here for it.

One of my favourite launches in the last few years has been Live Clean and their holiday hand soaps. Over the years we’ve seen them launch their Holly Berry and Vanilla Peppermint hand soaps. Then they added Gingerbread Latte to the lineup last year. This year? We get two brand new scents in their foaming hand wash formula! (But don’t worry, the scents from previous years are also available this year as well!)

Live Clean Hand Washes in Fresh Snow and Frosted Apple
Live Clean Hand Washes in Fresh Snow and Frosted Apple

And hands down these are my new favourite scents that they make.

  • Fresh Snow: It smells exactly like what it says it is. This is the scent of fresh, crisp snow on a bright, clear winter day. It smells of frost in the air and ice on your breath. It smells like I’m skating on a frozen lake or I’m at the top of a ski hill all by myself. There’s a lot of feeling wrapped up into this scent for me – I absolutely adore it.
  • Frosted Apple: I was initially worried that this would smell slightly too saccharine. I like apple scents, but when they get too heavy, or frosty, I almost always dislike them outright. Thankfully, I get less “frosted” and more “apples with cinnamon” with this scented. It also smells quite a bit like the Bath and Body Works Leaves candle, but with a little bit more apple injected into the base. This is definitely more of a gourmand taste in comparison to the crispness of Fresh Snow.

So as you can likely deduce… I’m a huge fan of these. I think they’re a wonderful addition to Live Clean‘s range of hand soaps. But now? I want them in body wash format. These would make WONDERFUL body washes, and would easily outrank all of my other body washes by the brand in terms of scent profiles.

Okay, so where can you get these, you may ask. I know finding holiday hand soaps can be a bit of a challenge, so I’ve rounded up all of the places I’ve been able to find them online.

  • well.ca is selling all three holiday hand soaps for just under $5 each
  • walmart.ca is selling all three holiday hand soaps for just under $4 each
  • terra20.com is selling all three for just under $5 each

Hopefully you’ll be able to find them in stores (try Loblaws, Sobeys and Pharmasave as well!), but if you can’t wait, try ordering from the places above. Happy (holiday hand soap) hunting!

The products featured in this post were sent to me for consideration. Post contains affiliate links.

Skincare Saturday: Hawaiian Tropic Sunscreen ft. Duo Defense Spray Review

Hawaiian Tropic Sunscreens

Sunscreen. Not the most interesting of beauty topics to read about, but undeniably the most vital product in anyone’s arsenal to keep your skin looking young. Everyone knows they should use it, but not everyone is that diligent about it. Thankfully, there’s enough options out there on the market that there should be something for everyone.

Hawaiian Tropic sunscreens: Island Sport Spray, Silk Hydration Weightless and Duo Defence Refresh Sunscreen Mist
Hawaiian Tropic sunscreens: Island Sport Spray, Silk Hydration Weightless and Duo Defence Refresh Sunscreen Mist

Hawaiian Tropic is a brand I’ve grown to love intensely in the last 6 years or so. You want a continuous spray? You got it! You want your traditional cream lotion application? You got it. You want a sunscreen spray that you can put on top of your makeup?  Guess what… they just launched one!

Hawaiian Tropic Duo Defence Refresh Sunscreen Mist
Hawaiian Tropic Duo Defence Refresh Sunscreen Mist

Say hello to the Hawaiian Tropic Duo Defence Refresh Sunscreen Mist SPF 30! Intended for use on the face (but can really be used anywhere), this handy little mister is a saviour for those who have been wanting something they can use to re-up their sunscreen after they’ve already applied their sunscreen. As far as I’m aware, there’s only one other brand on the market that has something like this, and it’s a far, far more expensive product (and I think only available in the US!).

Hawaiian Tropic Duo Defence Refresh Sunscreen Mist
Hawaiian Tropic Duo Defence Refresh Sunscreen Mist

Although I was exceptionally eager to try it out, I was initially a bit skeptical about the Duo Defence Spray. The directions actually says that you should spray the product on your hand and then apply to your face WITH your hands. I laughed when I read that, because no one is going to do it that way, and I wanted to test it out how consumers would actually use it: which is to say I was going to spray it directly on my face (with my eyes tightly shut) both with and without makeup on.

I’m most comfortable using a cream on my face because I feel like it delivers the most amount of coverage from the sun’s rays because I can SEE where I’ve applied it to my face. So I was *really* nervous that by switching to a spray mechanism for my face I was going to end up with a fried face. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case! I tried this two different ways: without makeup, as well as overtop of the makeup I was wearing on a given day. In both situations I was out for long hours in the middle of the day in roughly 30 Celsius heat, and I never once ended up with any burnt skin. I was amazed because I really thought a cream would have better overall coverage, but the spray is so good on this that it covers your face evenly  without needing to rub it in. And I assure you… if this had missed a spot, I would’ve turned a horrid shade of tomato red.

Not unexpectedly, this does add a layer of shine to your face. If you are expecting to wear this on top of foundation, I would recommend wearing a matte foundation that day. No matter how much you like dewy skin, this will add the dew factor in, so you don’t need to double up with a luminous/dewy foundation AND the sunscreen spray (unless you actually want to look like an oil slick!). I applied this over top of bronzer, blush, highlighter as well as eye and brow makeup and had no ill effects to the makeup!

Hawaiian Tropic sunscreens: Island Sport Spray and Silk Hydration Weightless
Hawaiian Tropic sunscreens: Island Sport Spray and Silk Hydration Weightless

While I loved the Duo Defence Spray, I still need to mention other options because I’ve been loving these other two products for quite some time.

The Hawaiian Tropic Island Sport range comes in both a liquid and spray formula. They both perform equally, so it’ll really depend on which format you like the most. I do enjoy this formula immensely for running or playing soccer during the hot days as it doesn’t slide into my eyes when I get a sweaty forehead. For me, I prefer the liquid version over the spray because I grew up using sunscreen creams, and it makes me feel like I’ve got more control over where I’m putting it. BUT, the Island Sport spray is great for quick and easy touch ups when you need that extra layer applied.

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Weightless
Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Weightless

If you’re looking for a more traditional formula, Hawaiian Tropic has their Silk Hydration Weightless Sunscreen. While I do love this sunscreen, and have gone through many, many bottles of this stuff since it was introduced into their range in 2016, I do have to point out that I don’t feel that it’s totally weightless on the skin. I have a tendency to glob my sunscreen on, and no sunscreen brand out there has ever managed to achieve that “weightless” feeling on my skin. It’s sunscreen, after all! I love this one though, and it’s handy that the pump pushes the bottom up so you can see exactly how much you have left in the bottle.

All of the Hawaiian Tropic sunscreens mentioned in this post offer up to 80 minutes of water-resistance (I won’t buy sunscreen without water resistance built into it), and I find they do hold up in the water. That being said, I do always re-apply once I get out of the water (as should you) because I’m extremely vigilant about always having a layer of protection between my skin and the sun. All of their sunscreens are winners, but I’m really excited by the Duo Defence Spray – it’s a wonderful product and one I’ll continue to stock in my skincare cabinet.

Hawaiian Tropic sunscreens can be purchased at shoppersdrugmart.com (and there’s a whole whack of them on sale right now including the Duo Defence Spray!) or on walmart.comwalmart.com.

The products featured in this post were sent to me for consideration. Post contains affiliate links.

Skincare Saturday: Soap & Glory Original Pink

Soap & Glory Original Pink

I’ve been quite a fan of Soap & Glory for what feels like a very long time. Their Breakfast Scrub (with maple scent!) is my absolute favourite body scrub ever and has been for a number of years now. Their Sugar Crush range with the delicious sweet lime scent is also really good and fun to use. And I’ve dabbled a bit in their Original Pink range… but I wasn’t aware that they had THAT many products with that scent profile!

Soap & Glory describes their Original Pink scent as being a “fruity-floral, summery fragrance with rose, peach, strawberries, bergamot and a twist of citrus”. Honestly, I don’t think my nose can handle putting all of those scents together, so for me, the overall scent is what I’d call a thick creamy scent with a hint of freshness. And oddly, it reminds me of Christmastime, but that’s because I think I first tried out the Original Pink range in December many years ago.

Let’s take a peek at the range that’s sold at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada:

Soap & Glory Original Pink - Hand Food, Heel Genius and The Righteous Butter
Soap & Glory Original Pink – Hand Food, Heel Genius and The Righteous Butter

Starting off with the moisturizing products, we’ve got:

  • Hand Food: A hydrating hand cream that doesn’t feel too thick or too thin. It gives me the right amount of moisture without being greasy. I’ve used up a full bottle of this one before!
  • Heel Genius: I’ve long lamented the fact that I’ve got crummy heels – they crack and can look gross AF unless I keep them moisturized. This not only works on heel cracks but helps to moisturize your whole foot and keep those cuticles in order too. I often only think to put this on my heels, but I really need to focus more on getting my toe cuticles in better condition… because between soccer and running… I don’t exactly have the nicest feet!
  • The Righteous Butter: A body butter packed with shea butter and aloe vera to help smooth out any dry patches on your skin. This one is slightly thicker in consistency when compared to Hand Food.
Soap & Glory Original Pink - Clean On Me, The Scrub of Your Life, Flake Away and Fizz-a-ball
Soap & Glory Original Pink – Clean On Me, The Scrub of Your Life, Flake Away and Fizz-a-ball

And to keep you clean and smelling like their Original Pink range, Soap & Glory has the following to offer:

  • Clean On Me: This one initially threw me for a loop. I had used their Peaches and Clean face wash before, and assumed that Clean On Me would the same kind of product (probably because the names are somewhat similar). Turns out this is a body wash, although I’m sure it can be used on your face too since it’s so creamy in texture.
  • Peaches and Clean face wash: Soap & Glory *really* know how to do body scrubs. They’ve nailed down the perfect consistency: gelatinous but thick in texture with just the right amount of scrubby bits to deeply exfoliate your skin. I love this one so much!
  • Flake Away: Another body scrub/polish that is basically identical to The Scrub of Your Life. Aside from the visual difference (Flake Away looks less gelatinous than Scrub of Your Life), they perform identically. They’ve both lovely, so pick your preferred format of delivery: Flake Away comes in a tub whereas The Scrub of Your Life is in a squeeze tube.
  • Fizz-A-Ball: A bath bomb for those who’s just like to bask in a bathtub with the scent of Original Pink in the air!

And there we have the latest round up of products I’ve tried from Soap & Glory! I’d used some of their Original Pink products before, but I didn’t realize the range was so extensive. How about you… are you a fan of Soap & Glory?

The products featured in this post were sent to me for consideration. Post contains affiliate links.

Skincare Saturday: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Additions

Neutrogena Hydro Boost

I’ve sung the praises of Neutrogena‘s Hydro Boost skincare many, many times. It’s a range I’ve come to rely on year ’round. It’s not only good for the summer months when you want something hydrating but not too thick on your skin, and it’s also SO hydrating of a range that even though it’s thin in consistency, it can still get me through a cold, harsh winter. And really… that kind of versatility in a product range is absolutely key.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost - Hydrating Cleansing Gel and Multivitamin Booster
Neutrogena Hydro Boost – Hydrating Cleansing Gel and Multivitamin Booster

I’ve reviewed the Hydrating Cleansing Gel before, but it’s always worth mentioning a second time. It’s marketed as a makeup remover as well, but I only strictly use it as a face wash. The Hydrating Cleansing Gel is a lightweight gel that washes away any grubbiness on my face with little work. I’m also not left feeling like my skin is dried out when I get out of the shower either. It’s hydrating enough that if I forgot to apply moisturizer that day (it happens!) it wouldn’t be an issue.

I was initially a little bit confused by the Multivitamin Booster. Like… what is it? Aside from fun to look at, that is. (I love the little suspended bubbles!) At its essence, the Multivitamin Booster is a serum (so, apply this after your toner). It has purified hyaluronic acid which helps to improve your skin’s moisture barrier against dryness.  The little suspended balls of product are actually rather mushy, and they dissolve as soon as they’re pushed through the dispenser onto your hand.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost - Water Gel Sunscreen and Body Gel Cream
Neutrogena Hydro Boost – Water Gel Sunscreen and Body Gel Cream

Two enormous favourites here: the Water Gel Sunscreen and the Body Gel Cream.

The Water Gel Sunscreen is really, really lovely. I’ve been wearing it when going out for a run in the sun, and to play soccer, and I can happily report that it doesn’t slip and slide all over the place. Which means it stays put on my skin despite profusely sweating under that dang hot sun. I’ve dealt with a few sunscreens over the years that have dribbled into my eyes in the heat, and I just don’t have the patience for that. The Neutrogena Water Gel Sunscreen stays put and keeps me from getting burnt – love, love, love!

And finally, the Body Gel Cream. I believe this is their latest addition to the Hydro Boost range and I was SO excited to try this out when I saw it being added to the range. I really love the Hydro Boost range not only for the effects it has on my skin, but also for the scent. It’s a deliciously watery, aquatic scent, and having that in a full body moisturizer was making me a really happy camper! I do find the moisturizer has a little bit more stick to it than the rest of the range though. I don’t find this sinks into my skin completely for several hours, so I do end up with my sweatpants sticking to me a little bit after I’ve applied this to my legs. That being said, the hydrating effect along with the scent definitely beats out any slightly stickiness, so I do really quite like this stuff!

Have you tried out any of the Neutrogena Hydro Boost range? If you have, what were your thoughts on the products?

The Neutrogena Hydro Boost range can be purchased at ulta.com, walmart.com or on shoppersdrugmart.ca.

The products featured in this post were sent to me for consideration. Post contains affiliate links.