New to Mary Kay is their Naturally skincare line, which is made from naturally derived ingredients. Click the link to learn more about the collection and continue reading below for my thoughts on the products

Mary Kay Naturally Purifying Cleanser ($29cad/4.5oz)

We all love a good cleanser that helps to rid your face of impurities, grease and dirt without making it feel squeaky clean and almost stripping. This is a creamy cleanser that leaves your skin feeling hydrated and refreshed. 

Mary Kay Naturally Moisturizing Stick ($32cad/0.38oz)

While I am not used to using a moisturizer in stick form, I use this more as a targeted moisturizing component. I apply it to my eczema flare-ups on my hand, or on dry patches of my skin and it helps to create a non-greasy barrier. 

Mary Kay Naturally Nourishing Oil ($55cad/1 fl.oz)

This light-weight and fast absorbing oil is best used with the facial massager in my opinion! IT does not contain any silicone, mineral oil or alcohol so this is just the ultimate moisturizer for your face that leaves you feeling hydrated. 

Mary Kay Naturally Exfoliating Powder ($39cad/2.64oz)

I am slowly starting to see my exfoliating powders come to the market vs the traditional style that is almost like a paste. You can use this however you wish, make your own exfoliating cocktail by mixing it with water, cleanser or even the facial oil. If you mix it with the cleanser you're doing two steps in one to save you some time. It gently exfoliates your skin as the granules aren't too big and helps to buff away any dullness.

A brand new line of skincare that has been introduced to me recently is called Veriphy. The company was created in 2018 and is 98% natural, 100% cruelty free with no animal testing done at all! They are Canadian and proud of it - their products are developed and manufactured in Canada using sustainable packaging and practices. Bonus, it is a women-founded and led company and supports Women in STEM (fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). 

Currently, they have three products to their range: 

Veriphy Power Trip Facial Serum ($105 cad/30mL)

Described as "An AHA serum with a powerful blend of Lactic Acid and PhytoSpherix^® (phytoglycogen) that exfoliates the skin, revealing a fresh and revitalized complexion. Arnica and Calendula Extracts help to calm and soothe the skin, making this product suitable for all skin types." 

Veriphy 20/20 Eye Cream ($82 cad/15mL)

The site describes this product as "This firming and smoothing eye cream uses the power of PhytoSpherix^® and Peptides to firm and hydrate the eye area. Niacinamide and Cucumber Extract work to visibly reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness". 

Veriphy Self Absorbed Facial Moisturizer ($85 cad/50mL)

On their site, the product is described as "A luxurious moisturizer that harnesses the power of PhytoSpherix^® and Hyaluronic Acid to plump the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Deeply hydrating without feeling heavy or greasy, leaving a soft and velvety finish." Other ingredients include Algae, Green Tea & Licorice Root Extract, to brighten and make your skin more radiant and Avocado Oil to soothe and moisturize the skin as it is high in omega-6 fatty acids. 

** It is important to note that all of the products above do not contain sulfates, parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, silicones or fragrance. **

I have been an avid follower of asian skincare ever since I was a teen, to be honest it was really one of my first exposures to skincare from my mom. Growing up in Hong Kong, it was much easier and seeing what my mom used all the time that made her skin so nice also helped feed my interest in it. While I grocery shop at T&T Supermarkets, I like to sometimes wander into their skincare/beauty section and I saw this brand NARUKO that I had never heard about. As fate would have it, I had the opportunity to review some of their items a short time after! 

A few items were sent to me from the Tea Tree Shine Blemish Control Series which included:

Live Clean has added two new products to their haircare collection ~ Super Fruit Waters Quenching Curls Shampoo and Conditioner. It is formulated with a certified organic blend of watermelon, papaya and aloe leaving your hair super soft and tamed. The one great thing I love about Live Clean products is that it is made with quality ingredients and on top of it all they are free of: phosphate, paraben, silicone, phthalate, DEA, SLS, and petrolatum free.

The scent is impeccable. it is refreshing and juicy. It has a very light-weight formula, I only have to use about a nickel size on the palm of my hand for my medium shoulder length hair. I use a bit more of the conditioner, about a quarter-sized and work it from the middle to the end. 

My hair did feel very hydrated after, I do not have curls so the curl-friendly portion of this product wouldn't be applicable to me. Regardless, like I said, the shampoo and conditioner left my hair feeling cleansed, hydrated and not dry nor was there any residue leftover. 

Until next time, XO - M.

*products were sent to me for consideration, all opinions are my own. 

This Fall/Winter collection from OPI is called Good Girls Gone Plaid. The nailpolishes retail for $13.30 canadian each and come in the following formulations: GelColor, Infinite Shine and Nail Lacquer. There are 12 shades total in this collection in a mixture of cream and shimmers that contain various shades of purple, blue, red and other pops of fall colors like orange, dark green and dusty a gorgeous pinky mauve taupe shade. 

Left to Right:

You've Got That Glas-Glow - A muted dusty nude pink (cream)

Edinburgh-er & Tatties - Brown Beige nude (cream)

Boys Be Thistle-ing at Me - Eggplant Purple with silver iridescent glitter (shimmer)

OPI Grabs The Unicorn By The Horn - Ocean Blue (cream)

Nessie Plays Hide & Sea-K - Indigo Blue with duochrome shimmer that reflects green/gold (shimmer)

Things I've Seen in Aber-Green - Olive Green (cream)

Left to Right:

Suzi Needs a Loch-Smith - pumpkin orange (cream)

Red Heads Ahead - true red (cream)

A Little Guilt Under the Kilt - ruby red with red glitter (shimmer)

Nice Set of Pipes - gray purple (cream)

Good Girls Gone Plaid - dark purple (cream)

Rub-A-Pub-Pub - dark grey (cream)

My entire life, I had been using your traditional cotton pillowcases and really saw no need to invest in satin or silk ones, no matter how luxurious they looked, I just didn't know if it was worth the price tag. I thought they were only for aesthetic purposes vs. having actual beneficial properties. When I had the chance to try the CILQUE 100% silk pillowcases, I definitely had to say yes. I took time to educate myself on the benefits, that it helps to defy wrinkles, sleep creases and prolong blowouts. It is hypoallergenic and breathable and helps to cool you in the summer and warm you up in the winter. In addition to all those traits, you are said to get a soft and luxurious sleep. 

Do you have a sensitive scalp and want to find an affordable product that works? The Garnier Whole Blends Oat Delicacy line offers a collection of products that are gentle enough and helps nourish, cleanse and hydrate. The products have a very gentle powdery soft fragrance of oat milk and rice cream, it is relaxing and doesn't overpower or overwhelm. 

Oat Delicacy Shampoo

This shampoo is a creamy formulation that lathers beautifully. You only need about a nickel size on the palm of your hand and I find that it is enough to cleanse my medium length hair. It cleanses the scalp well and doesn't leave behind any residue nor does it feel stripping. 

Oat Delicacy Conditioner

The conditioner works well to detangle the hair and smooth everything out, it has the same scent as the shampoo and I typically like to use a bit more of this product than the amount of shampoo just because I want to make sure my bleached ends get some extra nourishment.

Oat Delicacy Dry Shampoo

This dry shampoo works amazingly well to suck up and absorb any oiliness in the scalp. I spray it in the roots, let it sit for 2-3 minutes and then massage it in. It adds a bit of volume, texture while refreshing the hair. It does not leave behind a white residue (make sure you massage well) and it helps me go an extra day between washes. 

Oat Delicacy Gentle Rinse-Out Mask

Once or twice a week, I like to go for the extra hydration and treat my ends to a hair mask. I take a dollap of the mask, and massage it from mid to ends of my hair and let it sit for 5 minutes or so. I typically apply this, then wash my body and face and then rinse everything off together. This mask works wonders and I no longer purchase expensive hair masks anymore as this honestly works just as well at a fraction of the price. 

Have you tried this line from Garnier? What's your favorite Garnier hair product? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, XO - M.

*products were sent for my consideration, all opinions are my own.

Soul Story is a skincare brand that uses high quality ingredients sourced from Korea and Europe. Their products are said to give you healthier, smoother and more radiant skin. Is natural and suitable for all skin types and delivers a brighter and more youthful complexion. The products are formulated and manufactured in Korea and are free from toxic ingredients, parabens, ethanol, mineral oil, talc, synthetic pigments, sulfates, lanolin (and more) . Being free of these harmful products truly means that you are getting quality ingredients with no compromises and which is why it will also work for those with sensitive skin. 

I was generously gifted with the Sun Warrior as well as the Purifying Cleansing Foam.

Of the two products, if I had to pick the Sun Warrior is my favorite. I can admit that I usually avoid sunscreen products on my face because I hate the heavy or greasy feeling, and if I found a product that didn't have those two traits, I didn't like that it gave me flashback or that it was just one more thing I had to put on in addition to my primer, etc. I just find that sunscreen makes my oily combo skin even oilier? If that makes sense. Well, this product has changed all of the above for me. It is so lightweight, it blends out to a weightless finish on the skin and best of all it has a silky matte and smooth finish that acts like a primer as well. It can be used on both the face and neck and protects against harmful UVA and UVB rays.  This product is truly amazing and I can proudly say that I use sunscreen now! OH! bonus fact, it has SPF 50+!

Next we have the Purifying Cleansing Foam, it has a rich whipped texture that is pH balanced to gently yet effectively rid your skin of dirt and bacteria. It is suitable for all skin types, is fragrance free and has properties in it to help calm and gently brighten the skin and add some natural radiance to it. This product did effectively help rid my skin of all traces of dirt and makeup as when I use a cotton pad to it with toner afterwards, there was no evidence of any makeup. I did use micellar water to remove eye makeup first (but that is something I do no matter what cleanser I use). 

Overall, these two products are fantastic, their price point is also very reasonable - the cleanser is $12 and the sunscreen is $30. You can also purchase it together $37.50 and save some $. The cleanser is compact and great for travelling to take on the go, and the sunscreen comes in a durable yet sleek harder case that feels sturdy and luxurious. It's solid so when I shake it up to use it, it won't go flying out of my hand or get damaged if I take it in my makeup bag with me on the go.

Until next time, XO - M.

*products were sent to me for consideration, all opinions are my own.