ag liquid effects as i am dry & itchy scalp care oil treatment beauty briogeo curl charisma coil custard briogeo rice amino and avocado hydrating and defining hair mask curlsmith curl defining styling souffle curlsmith curl quenching conditioning wash curlsmith essential moisture cleanser curlsmith essential moisture conditioner curlsmith hold me softly style balm curlsmith in shower style fixer curlsmith multi-tasking conditioner curlsmith wash & scrub detox shampoo curly hair hair hair-care haircare living proof no frizz vanishing oil ouai cleansing scalp and body sugar scrub ouai detox shampoo ouidad advanced climate control gel stronger hold ouidad touch-up gel cream shea moisture manuka honey and matura oil intense hydration hair mask

The Late Winter Empties | Haircare

Somehow, the empties bag always creeps up on me, going from “almost empty” to overflowing and overwhelming me to even think about, let alone writing about in a logical way. However, I am proud that I’m getting so much better at finishing up what I have, rather than continuously purchasing without finishing products of the same variety first. I will say that there’s a lot of hair products but there’s also a lot in general. I live in a climate that’s pretty humid most of the year so the drier winter weather really plays a toll on my dry sensitive skin and drier hair and scalp. Okay so I had to split into hair and other but let’s go:

1. Curlsmith Wash & Scrub Detox Shampoo ($37 CDN | 237 mLs)

This has been my favourite clarifying shampoo for years at this point, and I didn’t even notice that they re-named it from the Detox Pro-Biotic to the much more sensible Detox Shampoo. Regardless, I haven’t noticed any formula changes (and spoiler alert, I repurchased as I’m using a new tube now), and it remains my favourite shampoo to remove buildup, cut down on itchiness and maintain good scalp health, without drying out the hair. It’s gentle but an efficient enough clarifier with the slightly gritty perlite powder to exfoliate the scalp without harsh scrub particles, several effective cleansing agents that are great at removing build-up while remaining fairly gentle and is soothing on the scalp with lactobacillus ferment and apple cider vinegar. I occasionally experiment with other things but it’s a great gentle clarifier, and it does not require me to deep condition afterwards for defined waves and curls.

2. Ouai Cleansing Scalp & Body Sugar Scrub ($54 CDN | 250g)

This had the signature Ouai scent, deliciously warm floral, and managed to both be a great somewhat-gentle scrub on the body and a scalp scrub. It both worked up a mild lather when massaged onto the scalp, functioning as a shampoo, while helping to gently exfoliate the scalp and to help with some buildup. I enjoyed that it was oil-rich and not overly clarifying but helped with a dry itchy scalp and cleansed sufficiently enough. My favourite way to use it was prior to a traditional shampoo for a spa-experience and gentle but thorough cleanse. It was lovely on the body as well. I would consider repurchasing again, especially if on sale.

3. Ouai Detox Shampoo ($43.50 CDN | 300 mL)

I promise that I’m not usually a huge scent person — especially as sometimes they can trigger headaches or allergies — but the warm floral Melrose Place scent this has is divine. It’s a great clarifying shampoo in its own right and is often more heavy duty of a clarifier than I need on a regular basis, although it’s sulfate free and not super drying. It removes silicones fantastically, buildup, even chlorine and hard-water buildup and is great at cutting through sweat and warm-weather gunk. It’s very concentrated so I’ve had the bottle on the go for over a year and I got good results using it. It kept my hair clean and and as bouncy as if I’d just gotten my hair done for ages, but I found I liked to deep condition afterwards for the best results. I wouldn’t be opposed to purchasing on sale, but it’s more of an occasional clarifying shampoo for me.

4. Curlsmith Essential Moisture Cleanser ($34 CDN | 355 mL)

I decided to try Curlsmith’s ‘newer’ more moisturizing shampoo last spring/summer and into the fall, which in hindsight was not super intuitive of me. I quite like the shampoo but during the summer months, I need more cleansing than other times in the year, as I do quite a bit of sweaty yoga and need to use a lot of hair product to combat the humidity during the weather. In other words, this is a great shampoo but it’s gentler than other ones even in the Curlsmith line, creating a mild lather, but containing oils too. I wouldn’t mind using again, but there’s definitely others that I’d try first. It would be great as a gentle shampoo for winter months or dry hair that doesn’t need a deep cleanse.

5. Curlsmith Curl Quenching Conditioning Wash ($34 CDN | 355 mL)

This is my favourite co-wash of all time and one of the few that I’ve tried that work for me. It’s my favourite in the winter or when I’m restyling my hair after some sort of fail, or my scalp has just started to get itchy but my hair doesn’t feel overly greasy or product-y. It’s glorious because it actually contains a cleansing agent that helps to clean and remove buildup and foams up a little, helping to cleanse the scalp with mechanical action of the fingertips. It’s very moisturizing, has amazing slip and gives me great curl clumps and definition afterwards. I don’t actually need to use a separate conditioner afterwards, and if I do, it’s just a little through the ends to help form curl clumps again. I’ve repurchased; it’s a cold weather staple for sure.

6. Curlsmith Multi-Tasking Conditioner ($37 CDN | 237 mL)

Despite containing castor seed oil, babassu seed oil and murumuru seed butter, I found this conditioner a little too lightweight for my high porosity hair to be ideal as a rinse-out (most of the time), and much too lightweight to be used as a deep conditioner or masque. However, it’s a dreamboat of a leave in for me, when I am reaching for one; I actually am a curl cream kind of girl for the clumping and control they provide so I’m often not using a leave in at all. I find as a conditioner, it’s a little light for me and it’s expensive from the amount of product I need to use on my pretty dense (but fine to medium in texture) head of hair. This would be great for hair that is easily over moisturized and looking for a balance of hydration, moisture and protein. It contains pumpkin seed extracts, some bonding ingredients and hydrolyzed proteins further down on the ingredient list along with some sealing ingredients but I tend to prefer a slightly heavier conditioner to really seal in juicier curl clumps. I would repurchase to use as a leave in because it definitely helps with dryness towards the back and underneath layer of my hair, tangling and all that jazz without interfering with a gel’s ability to form a cast and provide hold.

7. Garnier Whole Blends 5-in-1 Curl Conditioner ($11.99 CDN | 355 mL)

I would have linked this but it appears to be out of stock just about everywhere and I’ve heard it’s on its way out. It’s a shame because I thought it was a good widely available conditioner that was often on sale. It contains dimethicone (fair warning) and can be a bit producty but it’s moisturizing and medium weight, with glorious slip. It always gave me good curl definition after being rinsed out too and nice curl clumps, which is a must for me. It contains coconut extract, hibiscus extract and some nice oils, but it also had some isopropyl alcohol (likely to improve its texture). All in all, I enjoyed using it, but it appears to be discontinued.

8. Briogeo Rice Amino + Avocado Hydrating & Defining Hair Mask ($53 CDN | 236 mL)

This is one of my favourite hair masks but I don’t think it’s as much of an all-time favourite as the Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair option — it’s close though — and I’ve been lucky enough to snag it on sale a few times and would do so again. I find it odd that its marketed as being protein free, as there are rice amino acids high on the ingredients list, keratin amino acids and hydrolyzed quinoa itself further down, but I’m not complaining; I actually like the balance of moisture and protein for some curl enhancement and bounce. It’s fairly lightweight but moisturizing and hydrating, formulated with the amino acids previously mentioned (that aren’t going to give you that protein feeling some people are prone to) and avocado oil, castor seed oil, sweet almond oil and shea butter to help seal everything in. I’ve repurchased and would do again. Oh, and it adds great definition and sip. How did I forget that part?

9. Curlsmith Essential Moisture Conditioner ($34 CDN | 355 mL)

This is one of my favourite conditioners I’ve tried and is definitely my favourite from the brand so far (and I adore the Curlsmith brand). It’s fantastic especially in winter as it’s on the lighter end of medium weight but super moisturizing and concentrated. It offers great slip, too, even on uber-tangly hair with minimal product and leaves my hair with great curl clumps as well. It contains shea butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil and aloe so it’s great for sealing in moisture and adding slip. It helps to give great curl definition too. It’s a definite repurchase for me, especially during the winter. A little bit goes a long way, too.

10. Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Hair Mask ($14.96 CDN | 326g)

This is a great hair mask in its own right but is even more impressive as an affordable one. I will admit that I left mine open for too long and the texture kind of thickened and got weird but it still worked great; the more natural ingredients and not a ton of preservatives does mean that it shouldn’t be left out in the sun and open for too long, however. It’s a more concentrated, thicker mask that still lends a lot of slip, while having that richer texture. It’s definitely a heavier mask with coconut oil, shea butter, mango seed butter, mafura seed butter and baobab seed oil, so it’s great for thirsty high-porosity hair, and it also contains hydrolyzed rice protein towards the middle of the list for a balance of moisture and protein. It also contains honey which I noticed my hair likes and maybe it helps with having great curl clumps afterwards. My only complaint is that sometimes after rinsing out, my hair is so moisturized that I don’t get as much of a cast with my stylers. I will note that I have a wavier texture and this is intended for tighter and drier textures, but it’s still fantastic, for anyone who tolerates heavier weight products. I’ve already repurchased before.

11. Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm ($16 CDN | 59 mL)

With as enamoured with Curlsmith’s products as I am, it’s kind of amazing that this was the first travel-sized product that I’ve bought from them. Having so many products available in the travel size is actually a great idea for trialing products, especially for product hoarders and product junkies like myself. This small tube of their original curl cream actually lasted me months, and made it into my 2023 favourites because of how much I like it. It’s concentrated as it’s so moisturizing and is great for forming and cementing curl clumps with its medium weight. I’ve already since repurchased the full-size as it’s great, especially in the winter and paired with products containing more protein, as it’s protein-free and adds definition and control. If I didn’t mention before, it’s protein-free and pretty rich, with coconut oil, andiron seed oil, avocado oil and more.

12. Briogeo Curl Charisma Coil Custard ($43 CDN | 177 mL)

I love using this custard as a curl cream underneath a harder hold gel, even though it’s designed for textures much tighter than mine — I’m a wavy with some ringlets thrown in — and drier than mine, because with minimal product it really helps to form clumpy curl clumps and hold them together without weighing them down, while adding a bit of hold. It contains castor seed oil, shea butter, rice extract, rice amino acids and hydrolyzed quinoa. Please excuse my yellowed product packaging, as it lasted me quite a while and I left it in my bathroom exposed to sunlight for a long time. One thing I will say is that it’s a product that has one of those thick textures that will change over time if you haven’t used it up in a year or so if you aren’t careful. I will repurchase once I’m through some of the other creams in my stash, as I don’t go through them as quickly as gels.

13. Pattern Beauty Styling Custard ($38 CDN | 443.6 mL)

I really enjoy this super-slippery custard styler as a curl enhancer, paired with a harder hold gel on top, but it doesn’t have enough hold or humidity-resistance on its own for me and my porous hair. However, it gives me super juicy curls, great curl clumps and definitely enhances ringlets, while adding lightweight moisture and definition. I repurchased, but not to use on its own. It contains some polyquaternium-based polymers, linseed oil, irish moss, chamomile and agave so its rich in film-forming humectants and has some structure from the polymers but doesn’t contain anything truly heavy-duty in the hold department. With its lightweight slippery texture, it’s great as a refresher too. You also get a lot of product for the money so it’s not a bad deal.

14. Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Gel Stronger Hold ($29.99 CDN | 250 mL)

This was, I believe, my second bottle of this liquid-y slippery but humidity-resistant gel and it prompted the purchase of the larger size container for better value, I liked it so much. Its hold is very much in the medium-firm category depending on how much product you use — it’s very buildable — but it’s awesome for multi-day hair even in very humid east coast weather in the heat of summer. It forms somewhat of a cast but its hold/longevity can be even better than the cast would suggest when used in ideal conditions. This gel is very lightweight so it tends to give some curl-enhancement, bounce and great volume, while having ingredients that provide stronger hold, humidity resistance and moisture. It contains glycerin, shea butter glycerides, wheat amino acids, hydrolyzed wheat protein and multiple forms of the humidity-resistant polymer, polyquaternium. What this means is that it has moisture to seal my high porosity hair but also has the protein that tends structure and also gives some grit which is great for achieving volume at the roots and root curl. It’s great even on its own and plays well with other gels and refreshes super nicely, even when just glazing over dry curls. I do find you have to watch how much cream you are using with this gel or it will cut the hold drastically; however, it’s great.

15. Curlsmith Curl Defining Styling Souffle ($59 CDN | 473 mL)

You can tell that an empties post is long overdue because there’s two of the big buys of this favourite gel of mine, which is roughly what I use in a year — I do seriously love the stuff. Before I’ve described the hold as more of a medium firm but I say unless you heavily layer it, it’s more of a medium for me but it’s a medium that forms a definite cast. It’s wonderful in most seasons, even on its own without a curl cream underneath, except summer, when I 100% need more humidity resistance in my high porosity waves and looser curls. It’s rich in film-forming humectants, like irish moss, flax seed extract and aloe and oils like andiroba seed oil, avocado oil and shea butter, so it’s great at drawing moisture to the hair and sealing it all in; you can see this in the way that it gives incredible ringlets, general curl enhancement and definition. It also plays well with other products and I’ll happily repurchase again. It’s a custard with the hold of a gel, which I adore. If I didn’t already mention, it encourages curl clumps.

16. Curlsmith In-Shower Style Fixer ($37 CDN | 237 mL)

This was the first of the uber-hard-hold gels I tried with the super thick sticky-texture and texturized feel (grit) it leaves on the hair afterwards and while I did really enjoy using it, it’s not my favourite gel in this category — in fact, I prefer the Pattern Beauty Strong Hold Gel. . However, it has incredible hold that lasts through days through humidity and sweaty workouts and the thick texture gives that grit at the roots that really helps to maintain curl and lift at the roots on my finer hair texture. The product is super-concentrated and lasted a while and I got some great results but I found it could get heavy and could elongate my curl pattern. All in all, it’s a good gel and I achieved great results with it but I’m experimenting with some lighter weight options. I will say it does give great curl clumps, however.

17. AG Liquid Effects Extra Firm Styling Lotion ($22 CDN | 237 mL)

This is another one of those uber-watery slippery gels. It’s super lightweight (even though it contains a water-soluble silicone!) and is both slippery and enriched with rice extract, keratin amino acids, silk amino acids and hydrolyzed keratin to add some structure and elasticity to your texture, along with some humidity-resistant ingredients. It works on its own as a styler, but is more of a buildable medium-hold gel , is fantastic to add a bit of extra hold before diffusing in combination with other gels and its amazing for refreshes as its so lightweight and can add some definition and hold. It helps to tighten up looser parts of my texture with the protein it contains, adding both structure and bounce. It’s available at a myriad of places and is often on sale so it’s a great buy for a more affordable versatile gel. I repurchased it again, on a ridiculous sale, if I remember correctly. It’s fairly similar to the Ouidad gel but has slightly less hold and less of a cast and is even lighter in texture and more water-y and slippery.

18. Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Touch-Up Gel Cream ($26.99 CDN | 100 mL)

On days where I want to refresh a few singular curls/waves and just bring back some definition without adding in more gel, this is the perfect lightweight product. It has enough slip to re-smooth out the curl clumps and to help with tangling and adds control back but doesn’t add any sort of weight. I also suspect that the hydrolyzed proteins help to give limper curls more structure and a boost back. It works both without water as intended and dampened slightly to refresh larger sections of hair. It’s a favourite.

19. Living Proof No Frizz Vanishing Oil ($45 CDN | 50 mL)

This was an awesome silicone-free weightless oil. It was so lightweight, that I found I went through quite a lot of it so I wouldn’t necessarily repurchase unless it was on sale. It worked well for sealing my style on wash day and adding some polish back (and volume when fluffing the roots) on subsequent days. It contains an interesting mix of oils but remains almost weightless. It’s easily one of the lightest weight silicone-free oils that I’ve ever tried and would be great for fine easily-weighed-down hair.

20. As I Am Olive Oil & Tea Tree Salicylic Acid Dandruff Oil Treatment ($19.99 CDN | 120 mL)

This oil was the absolute best when used as a pre-shampoo oil treatment, as it contains enough salicylic acid to gently exfoliate the scalp and help with dry itchy scalp while detangling, prior to shampooing, and it helps to mitigate the dryness associated with shampooing. I don’t have dandruff but it was great for just your typical dry itchy scalp, which is what I experience. It contains castor seed oil, coconut oil, olive oil, tea tree, piroctone, peppermint oil and a ceramide to nourish the scalp and provide relief in addition to just moisturizing. It came with a lot of product and was affordable with an ingredient list designed to combat dry scalp issues, so I would re-purchase when I have less oils in the future.

What have you finished lately?

ag recoil curlsmith effortless waves curlsmith flawless finish curl enhancing hairspray innersense i create definition styling foam ouidad frizz-fighting touch-up balm treluxe aloe vera curl primer

The Edit | Recent Wavy-Curly Purchases

In more recent years, I’ve tried to calm down on the senseless product purchasing and be more intentional in my product purchasing it general. An unfortunate byproduct of that is that I’ve almost stopped talking (or writing) about products if they don’t make my yearly favourites or seasonal favourites posts, or if they don’t make it to the empties stage, or they are too mangled beyond recognition to include. However, I want to get back into reviewing more products and discussing what I’m using, so let’s get to it, but before I get into it, let me tell you a little bit about my hair: it sits somewhere between wavy and curly, with a fine to medium texture, high density and high porosity, despite being the healthiest its ever been.

1. Curlsmith Flawless Finish Curl Enhancing Hairspray Stronger Hold ($37 CDN | 283 mL)

At first, I tried this hairspray before diffusing, as I’ve heard using hairsprays then can add extra hold and lift whilst reducing drying time, which resulted in multiple failures. It completely just destroyed all of my curl clumps and added weird separation and grit to my hair. I’m happy to report that it’s excellent, however, when used either right after diffusing or when the hair is completely dry. It adds a bit of grit when sprayed into the roots, which is particularly helpful at the back of my head where my waves tend to stick flat to my head and adds some extra hold and curl definition overall. It’s not overly sticky or crunchy either, despite being on the harder hold end of things. It really does help with getting some root lift, especially on clean hair, but I can’t wait to try it out in humidity as a way to add extra hold and humidity resistance — I am a girl whose hair reacts to humidity and who loves hold.

2. AG Hair Re:Coil Curl Activator ($26 CDN | 178 mL)

Back in late 2018-early 2019, when I started following the curly girl method for the second time, this was actually the first curl cream that I tried that I enjoyed using, but it wasn’t my favourite curl cream in existence. However, I’ve heard a lot of the curly people I follow raving about it and then it was on drastic sale on Amazon, and here we are. I made sure to get the squeeze tube packaging this time, as I have ‘fond’ memories of trying to get the pump unclogged on the original bottle I had. I’m enjoying it. It’s a curl activator, compared to your standard curl cream, so it contains magnesium sulfate which helps your curls, waves or whatever spring up thanks to its shrinking/reforming action on disulphide bonds. This means that it can be kind of drying and separating on the hair — as it is epsom salt –, thus, it can really enhance curls but can also add this gritty feeling. I really enjoy the texture and curl enhancement and like “stick” to individual curl clumps this gel-cream adds, but I can find it kind of drying and separating to curl clumps when not paired with the right other products, used in the correct ratio or quantities. I do enjoy that it also contains humidity-blocking polyquats and hydrolyzed proteins and that it offers a solid light to maybe medium hold on its own, making it usable without a gel on top, and great for refreshing. It adds great grit and root volume as well, but a little goes a long way in this regard. It doesn’t give the best curl clumps in the world but the curl clumps do really stick together that it forms and it gives me great ringlets. It’s a really solid curl cream but not my holy grail, I’d say.

3. Innersense I Create Definition Styling Foam ($16 CDN | 70 mL)

For years now, I have heard great things about Innersense and had the natural line available to me but I hadn’t been overly tempted to try it, likely because lightweight super-water-soluble products aren’t my priority, and I had always associated the company with greenwashing. However, I really like this foam. I love the availability of travel sizes that aren’t terrible value for money and I enjoy how super-concentrated it is (even on my hair that seems to eat hair products) and I really enjoy the super firm hold it has. The first time I used it was a total learning curve, as I didn’t realize a foam could be this high hold with such little product, and I didn’t realize just how texturizing it could be. It adds a lot of grit to the hair which really helps with getting lift that lasts, especially at the roots, and is so lightweight that it feels like a water. I prefer the product in wash day to be used sparingly, as otherwise it can be really gritty and separate my clumps more than I’d like, but it’s also a fantastic refresher for when your curls are looking a little limp and need a boost and some hold back. Looking at the ingredient list, I have no idea what is giving this product all the hold; is it sorcery? It relies on sucrose, polysaccharides and aloe, with some seed extracts and oils thrown in at the bottom of the ingredient list. Also, this travel size is going to last me ages and ages.

4. Treluxe Soothe & Restore Aloe Vera Curl Primer ($30.99 CDN | 236.5 mL)

While this isn’t the first product of it’s kind, to aid in the detangling process either for before or after shampooing, it’s pretty unique in that it’s also marketed to be used as a leave-in product to help style curls as well. Most of my experience with this product has been as a pre-poo, either applied before dry detangling or before detangling in the shower. It works great in this regard, as it adds a lot of slip, making the detangling process physically easier, as well as easier on the psyche, as someone with hair that is prone to tangling-snarling. Applying it prior to shampooing also helps protects the lengths and ends of the hair from the drying effects of shampooing. I’m curious to try it as a curl-clumping refreshing product, as it’s so lightweight, but I haven’t experimented with it yet in that way. I have tried it as a leave-in product before applying curl cream and I will say that it gave me beautifully smooth curl clumps while styling, but the two slippery products did end up interfering with the hold of my gel. I will need to experiment with it further, it seems. It contains glycerin, aloe, hydrogenated castor oil, a couple of polymers and other humectants so it remains lightweight without any real hold properties.

5. Curlsmith Effortless Waves Styling Spray ($37 CDN | 237 mL)

This was kind of a stupid hair-product-hoarding-slash-purchasing choice for me as my hair is absolutely not weighed down by the traditional Curlsmith stylers from the original line — and I love the definition and control they provide — and that I tend to find wave sprays annihilate my curl clumps and create frizz. Nevertheless, I bought this because it was specifically marketed to wavy hair and my hair falls on the wavy side of the spectrum, as it doesn’t universally curl from the roots (even though parts of my hair do form into loose ringlets and spirals). While I find that it doesn’t provide enough hold as a wash-day styler and breaks up curl clumps more than I’d like, I do enjoy it as a refresher spray. Unfortunately, I’m not someone who can just haphazardly spray refresher spray all over their hair without creating a frizzy mess, but when glazed in or sprayed on specific curl clumps, it adds some grit and texture that helps with root volume (especially at the back of my hair that can lie flat especially after sleeping on it or working out) and contains some curl-enhancing ingredients to help the hair spring up. It contains flaxseed extract and chia extract, which aren’t hydrolyzed proteins but do contain proteins and can give hair that bounce, vp/va copolymer to add light flexible soil and has hydrogenated castor oil along with humectants to add lightweight moisture to the hair.

6. Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Frizz-Fighting Touch-Up Balm ($27.99 CDN | 56g)

The Featherlight Touch-Up Gel Cream from this line has been an often repurchased product of mine, as I love that it can refresh hair without water or adding weight, so I had to try the richer oil-based balm in the same line. Despite being marketed primarily in humid conditions, it’s great for sealing ends, especially in drier weather conditions (i.e. winter in the northeast). It definitely seals overall and is not too heavy for my high-porosity waves. When applied to individual strands it lends overall control, can help to scrunch out the crunch and add some definition. It is not water soluble, however, containing candelilla wax, shea butter, murumuru butter, castor seed oil and numerous other oils so will need a shampoo of some variety in order to remove. Overall, I really like it, however, only time will tell whether or not it adds something above and beyond what the oils and serums I usually use provide, for taming controlling and re-defining curls as a next-day.

Any thoughts?

briogeo curl charisma conditioner bumble and bumble bond building repair oil serum charlotte tilbury rock n kohl curl smith curl defining styling souffle elf putty bronzer in tan lines paula's choice skin recovery hydrating treatment mask verb curl shampoo

Current Fall Essentials

I could make up another excuse as to why I haven’t put together any posts other than the occasional empties but I’m not going to. Instead, here are some of my favourite products as the weather has changed and fall has finally made an appearance. In the northeast, we had an unprecedented hot and humid summer and it was a long one, and here are the products I’ve been leaning on as the weather changes and my skin has been freaking out and my hair needs have changed.

Verb Curl Shampoo ($22-$27 CDN | 355 mLs)

I’ve mentioned before that doing yoga is essential to my well being and several times a week it gets sweaty and I only like to wash my hair twice a week — and that is dictated when my hair starts to feel gross and my scalp gets itchy — so I often rely on products that can lead to build up on my hair in order to last through these workouts with just minimal refreshing. This has been the happy medium between (and kind of both) a gentle-sulfate free shampoo and something with a little more grit to get my scalp happy and nice and clarified. It’s mildly sudsy while still being creamy and busts well through buildup, with ingredients to both remove hard water buildup, silicones, oils or humidity-resistant ingredients (and sweat). It does contain a water-soluble silicone and amodimethicone but that doesn’t pose as an issue for me because I’m a shampoo-er who does clarify, and it keeps it gentle and creamy. It also seems to be helping with warding off that dry itchy scalp I’m prone to as the weather gets cooler.

Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Shea Curl Defining Conditioner ($38 CDN | 236 mLs)

I’ve been loving this conditioner to both give my hair the slip and moisture it needs while being lightweight enough to encourage my mixture of waves and curls to bounce up, despite being desperately in need of a haircut (it’s been booked!). The overall formulation is lightweight but it contains some great slip ingredient — tangling is the bane of my existence –, rice extract, shea butter, avocado oil and rice/keratin amino acids. I find the protein gives some structure and curl enhancement to my hair and the shea butter and other nourishing ingredients help with the juicy curl clumps. Another thing I love is that I don’t have to use a ton to get the results I want in my fine to medium but high density and high porosity hair.

Curlsmith Curl Defining Styling Souffle ($36 CDN | 237 mLs)

I feel weird including this product in a seasonal favourites post because I’ve listed it time and time again as an all-time favourite over the last two three years, but fall-time is when I’m reminded by how much I love it. It heavily relies on film forming humectants for its medium buildable hold which aren’t quite enough during the uber-humid (and long) summer we had and it’s great for forming bouncy curls that last and stay moisturized/protected. It contains a fair amount of oil, which means it will require some sort of shampooing to remove, but it helps to seal higher porosity hair, locking in moisture and curl clumps. There’s also something special that the irish moss and flaxseed does for creating juicy ringlets.

Bumble and Bumble Bond-Building Repair Oil Serum ($61 CDN | 48 mL)

As someone with high porosity hair that tends to transform in humidity, sealing with a hair oil is a priority for me and I’ve been loving this one, both after the hair is completely dry to help scrunch out whatever cast is left and on days after to smooth out my waves and curls, minimize frizz and maintain moisture. It’s silicone-free and is moisturizing but relatively lightweight, with an interesting milk texture and contains some interesting oils and bond-reinforcing ingredients and honey. It’s neither heavy nor is so lightweight that I find myself going through it overly quickly.

Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Hydrating Treatment Mask ($29 US | 118 mL)

It’s not my first rodeo with this product, however, I forgot just how much moisturizing mask you get for your money and how great it is for raw irritated angry-skin-barrier eczema skin. It never burns, you get so much product and it really helps to heal barrier function. It’s thick but cosmetically elegant enough that it works underneath makeup when things are looking tight and flaky and contains some really nice plant oils, fatty acids and other barrier replenishing ingredients.

Charlotte Tilbury Rock n Kohl in Bedroom Black ($37 CDN)

While it’s true that I wear makeup less often that I’ve gotten older and my confidence (and skin) have gotten much better, there’s something about eyeliner that makes me feel a million times better. And this is the best one I’ve found so far for the waterline and my needs in general. I tend to do a bit of a wing with liquid but I find that the darkness in the upper waterline makes the biggest difference for making me look awake and just looking like my best self. This sharpen-able pencil has made it super easy for me as it transfers dark to my sensitive waterline with minimal pressure, doesn’t transfer to my bottom waterline, stays precise and doesn’t dry out. It also doesn’t irritate my sensitive eyes which has been divine; it also does not smudge noticeably on my oilier eyelids — how do I have oily eyelids with such dry skin still? — nor is it a complete menace to remove. It also makes me feel fully done up even when I barely have any makeup on.

Elf Putty Bronzer in Tan Lines ($7.99 CDN | 0.35 ounces)

Even when I’m not wearing a full face of makeup, I am definitely a cream bronzer kind of girl, and I’ve been enjoying this one. It’s a nice neutral brown that helps to sculpt the face and add subtle warmth and it’s light enough that I have to build it, even on my moderately fair skin tone, which means the blending is foolproof. It wears well and I like that it lasts without setting to a matte finish, which suits my dry thirsty skin. It’s remarkably non-orange and cool, which would be particularly good on those paler than me and with cooler undertones, but what I like is that it’s good on dry flaky skin with texture.

Any favourites to share/general thoughts?

belif the true cream clinique take the day off cleansing balm dr ceuracle vegan kombucha tea essence dr dennis gross stress rescue super serum kate somerville goat milk moisturizing cleaner missha night repair probio ampoule neogen real ferment micro essence the inkey list brighteni eye cream the inky list oat cleansing balm the ordinary caffeine 5% + ecgc depuffing eye serum

Fall Empties | Skincare

As much as I want to gush about and play tribute to the products that have gotten me through this transition into fall, I think I’m going to lose my mind if I have to stare at this full overflowing bag of empty products for much longer… and this is just the skincare empties to start with.

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm ($44 CAD | 125 mL)

This is the gentlest balm cleanser that I’ve ever tried and suitable for every single skin condition that I can think of (and trust me I’ve suffered with a few) and absolutely annihilates makeup and sunscreen without irritating any part of the face or eyeballs. It doesn’t really use traditional oils that some report as clogging, so it would be appropriate for those who are oil-hesitant, has a super minimalist ingredient list and doesn’t include fragrance or anything irritating. I’ve actually been venturing out from using this one because it’s gone up in price, the fact that I love the balms with more traditionally oily and nourishing textures and the variety of balms on the market that I want to experiment with.

The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm ($13 CAD | 150 mL)

This is another uber gentle fragrance-free cleansing balm, but it has packaging that has its limitations and it is nourishing and soothing in ways the Clinique is not. I’m quite a fan of the tube packaging for ease and sink-counter storage but it can be an absolute pain to squeeze out at times — but I don’t have really have significant issues with that and seem to actually have the determination to get the product out. It features sweet almond oil, oat kernel oil and a plant-derived wax to melt down makeup and and these in combination with the oat kernel flour leave the skin hydrated and calmed. It isn’t quite the makeup annihilator that the Clinique is but it will remove mascara and waterproof eye makeup with a little bit of patience. It does emulsify but many will find the film kind of unappealing and likely due to the tube packaging and the oils it contains, the mixture can come out kind of separated — but melts down with ease in the way that coconut oil and shea butter does. I have a fresh one to start on after I go through the cleansers I’m working on and currently have in my stash and will likely particularly enjoy during the winter.

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cleanser ($53 CAD | 120 mL)

This cream cleanser was one of those things that I didn’t realize I loved until I was at the very end of the tube. I was lucky enough to be able to purchase two backups on sale, which speaks to how much I’ve grown to love this cleanser. It’s a real treat in cleanser form. There’s enough oil content that it melts makeup well, but doesn’t remove tenacious eye makeup with quite as much ease as a cleansing balm or oil. The cleansing agents are really gentle, the grape seed oil, jojoba seed oil, avocado oil and coconut oils are high enough on the ingredients list to really nourish the skin and the honey and lactic acid add a boost of humectants to the formula. It’s scented but not with essential oils and after I use it, my skin always feels soothed, comforted and less dehydrated afterwards.

Neogen Real Ferment Micro Essence ($49.99 CAD | 150 mL)

I adored this watery first essence in the summer when it was beyond hot, humid and muggy as anything, and I finished it at the tail end of the summer. However, the water-light texture wasn’t ideal for my thirsty easily irritated skin, especially as things got cooler and my skin did its temperamental thing. Ingredients-wise, this essence relies on the probiotic-rich bifida ferment lysate, soothing humectant saccharomyces ferment, green tea, a variety of amino acids, replenishing ingredients and barrier-supporting niacinamide. It was rich in humectants, soothing ingredients and antioxidants but I’m not sure the texture was for me. It was super refreshing in the summer, without the irritation of essential oils or menthol or anything among that variety. I’m not sure the water-like texture is for me, however.

Dr Ceuracle Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence ($43.69 CAD | 150 mL)

If the Neogen was a product that’s great but not the ideal product for me, this essence exemplifies the kind of essence essentially for me. It’s a more traditional essence to be used later on in the routine but is also a milky moisturizer on steroids simultaneously. It contains emollients, glycerin, green tea, saccharomyces ferment, sunflower oil, sodium hyaluronate, cocoa seed extract, centella asiatica and ceramide np. It’s a kind of separated liquid consisting of tea and separated emollients that becomes a beautiful milk when shaken before use. It’s gloriously soothing, hydrating and moisturizing, even on compromised and irritated skin. It’s wonderfully anti-inflammatory and plumping and doesn’t even require a separate moisturizer. I often used it without a moisturizer over the top and I’ve already ordered a backup.

Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Probio Ampoule ($37.29 CAD | 50 mL)

This “ampoule” quickly became my favourite gentle daily non-active serum. It’s currently in the mail from Stylevana and the name is changed but the ingredients look identical. It does contain niacinamide but not in a ridiculous percentage that could lead to irritation and rather helps support the skin barrier. I would guess that it contains somewhere in between 3-5%, which is the sweet spot for many of its benefits. It also contains bifida ferment lysate, ten different probiotic ingredients and extracts, glycerin, panthenol, sodium hyaluronate and some oils including essential oils, which oddly enough don’t bother my skin whatsoever — but they are towards the end of the hefty ingredient list. I love this serum because it’s a great humectant, supports the skin barrier in a variety of ways and is instantly soothing. It helps that it never stings over a thoroughly pissed off skin barrier. It’s the perfect serum when you don’t want to come near your face with anything irritating and want to nourish and rebuild it instead.

Dr Dennis Gross B3 Adaptive SuperFoods Stress Rescue Super Serum ($96 CAD | 30 mL)

Thanks to the 2020 Caroline Hirons Summer Kit, I was able to try this pricier serum. I used it primarily last year but then I kind of left it towards the back of my skincare organizer, only to finish up recently. I really enjoyed this milky serum and the ingredients worked for my skin concerns but unfortunately some of the essential oils the formula contains irritates my skin around the mouth and cheeks with consistent use. It contains barrier-supporting niacinamide as the fourth ingredient, sweet almond oil, squalane, a bunch of antioxidant rich plant extracts and fatty acids. It’s a shame really but the essential oils were just not suited for my skin.

The Inkey List Brighten-I Eye Cream ($12.99 CAD | 15 mL)

This eye cream was a great everyday one for my sensitive dry under eyes, especially in the mornings under makeup and around tired eyes. It doesn’t sting like the majority of things do around my sensitive allergy-prone eyes, and the metal tip felt very soothing and awakening in the morning. The subtle cosmetic brightening effect was great for brightening dark circles. It contains glycerin, mafura seed butter, a man made antioxidant, mica, ginseng and centella asiatica. It was brightening, laid amazing under makeup, was soothing and affordable.

The Ordinary Caffeine 5% + EGCG Depuffing Eye Serum ($6.70 CAD | 30 mL)

I’m not sure why I slept on this product for so long; the ingredient list makes this one of the most robust and sophisticated formulas that The Ordinary has produced. My eyes are a problem area, being sensitive, dry, suffering from dark circles and prone to creasing with any kind of makeup, but I do not suffer with puffiness which is the primary concern this product corrects. I enjoy the thick gel texture that doesn’t migrate, adds substantial moisture with its oilier texture and doesn’t make my eye area burn randomly. It contains a number of antioxidants, glycerin, hyaluronic acid and lactic acid. Caffeine and the green tea derived antioxidant both are potent antioxidants with anti-inflammatory activity and have some research to support that they help with dark circles. I would repurchase because it actually has helped with the appearance of my under eyes and I enjoy it in the way I have enjoyed the Niod Fractionated Eye-Contour Concentrate at a fraction of the price. It doesn’t have the same sophisticated formula of peptides and amino acids but I get the same experience using it, especially when being incredibly sleep deprived.

Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb ($50 CAD | 50 mL)

This was an awesome moisturizer especially in the warmer weather months because of the cushiony lightweight cream texture and kind of refreshing feel it leaves behind. It contains a bunch of antioxidant-rich plant extracts including a number of fermented extracts, macadamia oil, panthenol and oat kernel extract. It’s really plumping, soothing and moisturizing and really helps with dull potentially flaking skin. I normally shy away from jar packaging but I’m willing to look beyond it for this product. It’s not fragrance free either but it didn’t irritate my skin and I would happily use again. It’s great for skins with dryness and irritation that helps without feeling suffocating.

What products have you finished?
Maggie, x.

aveeno creamy oil moisturizer briogeo curl charisma curl-defining conditioner bumble and bumble bond building repair oil serum cerave acne foaming cleanser charlotte tilbury rock n kohl in bedroom black curl friend collective silk hair scarf curl friend collective silk scrunchies curl smith core strength shampoo curl smith essential moisture conditioner curlsmith curl defining styling souffle curlsmith frizz rescue curl retainer curlsmith frizz rescue finishing serum curlsmith hold me softly style balm dior lip glow oil in rosewood isntree hyaluronic acid natural sun cream laneige water bank blue hyaluronic cream moisturizer natasha denona my dream eyeshadow palette ouidad featherlight touch-up gel cream pattern beauty strong hold gel paula's choice skin recovery hydrating treatment mask paula's choice triple active total repair serum raw der concentrate ceramide plus serum verb curl shampoo

Top 23 Products of 2023

One would think that selecting your favourite products over the last year would be easy and not lead to overthinking and borderline existential doubt, but that was not the case for me. I tried to focus on new (to me) products I’ve tried in 2023 but I also included products that I included last year that I’ve still been loving and using and products from before that I’ve re-solidified my love for. For context, I have fine to medium, high density, high porosity wavy to curly hair and drier eczema-prone skin.

1. Verb Curl Shampoo ($22-27 CDN | 355 mLs)

This shampoo has been great as an addition to my routine, as it can remove silicone, oils, product build-up without drying out the hair afterwards and impacting curl definition when used without deep conditioning afterwards. I would describe it as a regular shampoo but it has the ability to remove buildup quite successfully and helps to keep on top of a dry itchy scalp that tends to flake. It serves me well as someone whose hair require a lot of product and who does fairly sweaty yoga throughout the week without washing in between. It does contain both a water-soluble silicone and amodimethicone (not water-soluble but doesn’t build up on itself), which I suspect are helping to add moisture back into the hair, along with sunflower seed extract and other humectants after thoroughly cleansing the scalp.

2. Curlsmith Core Strength Shampoo ($36 CDN | 355 mLs)

This was a newfound discovery and favourite last year when it was easily my most used shampoo by a wide margin — I think I used it most times I washed my hair — and while I experimented with other lines, I immediately repurchased to use when I finished those up. It’s a lightweight but very gentle shampoo that contains some protein and has the ability to remove buildup (and silicones and general funk) out of the hair, while being just cleansing enough. The formula is quite concentrated so it lasts me like a year with regular use, which is divine. It’s pretty slippery as well and hydrating which minimized the amount of tangling that occurred during the washing process.

3. Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Shea Curl-Defining Conditioner ($38 CDN | 237 mLs)

2023 was the year of finding great rinse-out conditioners for me. This one is concentrated — which is super important because I have a lot of hair that drinks up a lot of conditioner and this is expensive — and both has the right amount of protein to help add bounce and life to the lazier waves and loose curls I have and add some curl-enhancement, while having enough moisture to encourage juicy curl clumps. It has great slip, really seals the moisture into the hair while being light to medium in weight but offering pretty substantial moisture. It contains shea butter, avocado oil, sunflower seed oil, rice amino acids, keratin amino acids and hydrolyzed quinoa for an ideal balance of moisture and protein, especially during the humid part of the year.

4. Curlsmith Essential Moisture Conditioner ($34 CDN | 355 mLs)

This is my absolute favourite moisturizing conditioner that I think I’ve ever tried and I was lucky enough to grab two backups at 50% off on the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale. It’s my absolute favourite conditioner in dry winter weather — keep in mind that I live on the east coast so the rest of my year is rather humid — and it’s a great moisturizing conditioner year round. In weight, it’s light to medium but the moisture is rich and the best part is the slip is great and it’s concentrated enough that a single bottle lasts me months. Also, I find the moisture lasts until my next wash day, thanks to the sealing ingredients, and contributes to great curl clumps. It contains your usual emollients, slip agents, shea butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, sunflower seed oil, aloe and numerous plant extracts; I find it to be so moisturizing that it compares to many deep conditioners on the market without being too heavy. My only complaint is that it can make the hair so moisturized that it can be difficult to achieve any sort of grit in the hair afterwards with certain styling products.

5. Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Style Balm ($37 CDN | 237 mLs)

Despite being a fairly devout Curlsmith user for years now, I had never tried their original curl cream until 2023 and I found it to be really good. It’s really moisturizing and on the heavier side of medium in weight but when a small amount is used, it really imparts control to the hair and gets super juicy curl clumps. I really like that glycerin is up so high in the ingredient list as it tends to give me hydrated juicy ringlets, that it contains starch to form great clumpy curls and contains a cocktail of sealing oils, coconut oil, andiroba oil, avocado oil and olive oil. It’s rich and protein free but adds great control to the hair and is especially good in drier conditions. Paired with a gel, it gives great curl definition, and it’s great int he winter.

6. Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer ($37 CDN | 237 mLs)

When I saw the highlighted ingredients for the new Anti-Frizz Recipe Line and then heard that the styler did not have hard hold, I was not interested. Boy was I wrong about both of the stylers in Curlsmith’s new line. This jelly is kind of a cream gel or custard that works for me either on its own (with a little bit of harder hold gel glazed over the top to up the hold), as a curl-enhancer underneath a harder hold gel and as a refreshing product a few days in. It contains sunflower seed extract for a little bit of non-penetrating protein, starch to help form great curl clumps and watermelon seed oil, coconut seed butter, squalane and argan oil to seal everything in. It gives really great juicy curl clumps with hold that’s on the lighter end of the medium scale. It’s surprisingly versatile and I’m really enjoying adding it to my routine, but I will say the ingredients suggest to me that this won’t be great as a main styler in the humid summer months, as they offer more limited humidity resistance. However, it is super moisturizing and has great sealing ingredients.

7. Curlsmith Curl Defining Styling Souffle ($37 CDN | 227g)

While this is easily my favourite gel of all time — and I’m a girl who loves gel and has tried out many — I did fall back in love with this kind of custard-gel hybrid this year. It does well year round, but in the summer humidity, other gels provide more humidity resistance — as in, it can get fluffy and require some extra refreshing when it’s that humid. The rest of the time, it’s perfect, with buildable medium-strong hold, curl-enhancing and moisturizing without being too heavy. It relies on regular humectants, film-forming humectants like irish moss and flax seed extract and plant oils so it really gives enhanced bouncy waves and curls that do not feel product-y but last days.

8. Pattern Beauty Strong Hold Gel ($38 CDN | 425g)

If I remember correctly, I included this in last year’s favourite post as a new buy towards the end of the year. In 2023, I actually re-purchased it in full-size and really enjoyed using it, so it’s another repeater. It has a super thick and sticky gel texture but it’s less heavy than some other gels in this category. It’s great for keeping moisture in the hair and keeping the hair from drying out, and it’s amazing for humidity resistance but still gives me great grit and texture, especially in the roots. It has strong hold but is more flexible than some gels and it really can set curl clumps in place for long lasting hair. It contains PVP, polyquaternium and VA/VP copolymer for hold, and has glycerin followed by film-forming humectants and a number of plant oils. A little bit goes a long way so in the long run it’s surprisingly affordable, even on my dense high-porosity hair.

9. Curlsmith Frizz Rescue Finishing Serum ($38 CDN | 74 mL)

Curlsmith’s new Anti-Frizz Recipe line was a surprising hit for me, despite there not being a strong-hold styler, or a curl cream, and even though I ordered this during the Black Friday sale as an after thought in order to qualify into a specific threshold, I’ve been borderline obsessed. It’s defined as a serum but it’s silicone-free, so it instead relies on oils, conditioning agents and polymers. A little goes a little long way which is great and it adds a bit of control to the hair when it’s applied and has a touch of hold, while removing any sort of cast and adding some definition. I use it in the place of a hair oil, often in the morning, especially when I’m not doing a refresh. A little bit goes a super long way and it can feel heavy if you overdo it, it does help with frizz and the packaging is super user-friendly and neither annoying to use or breakable, which I really appreciate.

10. Bumble & Bumble Bond-Building Repair Oil Serum ($61 CDN | 48 mL)

I really enjoy this “oil serum”, but I find it to be more of a milk-oil more than anything else and I use it on dry hair, which is likely not the way it’s designed to be used. I use it to either scrunch out the crunch and seal or on subsequent days to tame the mane. I enjoy the durable packaging — it really can make a difference on these products — and I like that it’s lightweight but hydrating and moisturizing, contains bonding ingredients with research a decent way up on the ingredient list and definitely helps with moisture retention. It contains honey, hydrogenated castor oil, apple seed oil, bond building ingredients and glycerin.

11. Ouidad Featherlight Touch-Up Gel Cream ($25.39 CDN | 101 mL)

The wavy/curly hair refresh — my hair sits somewhere between the two — is something that has taken me years to master and yet again this year, I loved and repurchased this product. It’s my favourite for when you aren’t quite at the point of needing much product or a full on wet but need to either spot fix some curls or just smooth things out overall. I either use it as is or dilute with a bit of water to refresh specific curl clumps and it always adds some bounce, reforms curls and minimizes frizz without adding weight and reactivating some of the product already in the hair. Protein is in the first couple of ingredients which both works to re-form the film and adds some structure back and it has humectants and wonderful slip which really helps bring back ringlets. I recently purchased my third tube if that says anything.

12. Curlfriend Collective Emerald Dreams Silk Hair Scarf ($79.95 US)

I never thought I would be the type to rave about high quality hair accessories but here I am. Most of the time, I sleep with the top layer of my hair in a silk scrunchie with this silk hair scarf on top. It’s super silky (great high quality silk) and is actually large enough to stay on my large head while covering the majority (or all) of my hair’s surface. I also love the jewel tones in this one and find that it looks nice enough to wear out and about, especially when twisted into a headband to hide crown frizz. It really helps to reduce tangling in my super-tangly hair and makes it easy for me to get to day 4-day 5 hair.

13. Curlfriend Collective Silk Scrunchie ($24 US)

The second part of my overnight wave preservation relies on this silk scrunchie usually. It’s mulberry silk, doesn’t make me overheat, and preserves volume when I use it to pile the top layer of my hair on the top of my head overnight underneath the hair scarf (or bonnet). I will also use it to pull up my hair throughout the week but I love it for preserving my waves and curls. It’s also great for keeping my roots from flattening overnight.

14. RNW Der. Concentrate Ceramide Plus Serum ($24.79 CDN | 30 mL)

This was a delightful milky humectant serum that I actually really noticed a difference after I stopped using. It’s fragrance free from what I can see and contains glycerin, niacinamide, oat, numerous forms of ceramides towards the top of the ingredients lists and peptides. I found using to really help lock in moisture and give me soothed, plumped and hydrated skin. I surmise that this was great in terms of barrier health and it’s affordable!

15. Paula’s Choice Triple Active Total Repair Serum ($48 US | 30 mL)

It’s becoming quite clear to me that milky serums are my favourite serum texture, as this is another one of them, but it’s more of a state-of-the-art serums targeting smoothness, brightness and barrier function, the latter being what actually tempted me to purchase. It contains 5% niacinamide for barrier function amongst other things, along with other antioxidants, a retinoid and a skin tone evening antioxidant, along with her usual beneficial ingredients. As a regular tretinoin user, I can’t really speak to the results yet but I am enjoying using thus far, and it’s not a product I’ve heard much talk about.

16. Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cream Moisturizer ($54 CDN | 50 mL)

This moisturizer proved itself to be a real favourite for me, despite not having an ingredient list full of all of the bells and whistles and it coming in jar packaging and being quite fragranced. It contains glycerin, squalane, lactobacillus, panthenol, hyaluronic acid and a ceramide, but in use, it’s quite plumping, nourishing and soothing. It’s a great moisturizer that does exactly that nicely and is not overly pricy of a moisturizer. Makeup also sits very nicely on top of it.

17. Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Hydrating Treatment Mask ($29 US | 118 mL)

Years and years ago, I remember using this moisturizing mask and liking it but now I adore it. It’s reasonably priced and you get a whole bunch of product for that price and it’s perfect for using with irritating actives, or on skin that’s flaking or dealing with any sort of dermatitis. It’s definitely a thick cream but it sinks into the skin and contains replenishing borage oil, a couple of other plant oils, fatty acids and antioxidants. It also burns minimally on super irritated skin and makes things better overnight.

18. Cerave Acne Foaming Cleanser ($20.97 CDN | 150 mL)

Despite this being a creamy gel cleanser targeted for the face, I bought it entirely for use on the body and I’ve really enjoyed using it to minimize armpit odour (TMI sorry but I’m a stress sweat-er) and to minimize breakouts on the body. It did not flare up my eczema, unless used under the arms excessively, and actually had a creamy non-drying texture which my drier skin enjoyed. It helped to mitigate the effects of sweat in terms of exacerbating body breakouts which was entirely delightful, and I’m sure it would work in the same way on the face, whilst being mild. It contains benzoyl peroxide in a low concentration to reduce the burden of bacteria and reduce the formation of breakouts.

19. Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Natural Sun Cream SPF 50+ ($32.85 CDN | 50 mL)

I find that this mineral sunscreen leaves more of a white cast than I’d like when used on my face, without makeup or sunscreen over the top. However, it was my favourite sunscreen for my neck, chest, back and shoulders in the warmer months. It contains niacinamide and a bit of sodium hyaluronate but the real reason why I enjoyed it was that it was irritant free and it was cosmetically elegant, leaving just a sheer white cast that would go away on its own and a nice moisturized feel that was neither greasy or had that tight velvety feel that I’m not in love with. It did well in sunscreen testing and I found it to deliver really great protection. Any sort of actual tan or burning I developed while using this was 100% user error.

20. Aveeno Creamy Oil Moisturizer ($13.99 CDN | 354 mL)

Back in the warmer weather, I picked up this oil-lotion hybrid product and was pleasantly surprised. In the summer, it alone kept my eczema fairly in check, without using much else, when applied right after bathing. Now, in the winter, it would not be enough on this own consistently — I’m currently trying to be good and work through other products so I can’t test — but I found myself enjoying the gentle non-irritating fragrance and the lightweight but rich consistency the oils provided. As my comments suggested, there are numerous oils in the top of the ingredients lists, along with dimethicone and their signature soothing oat, and because of this it’s light but the moisture lasts without that tight, itchy feeling seeping back in for a good while.

21. Charlotte Tilbury Rock n Kohl in Bedroom Black ($37 CDN)

Strangely enough, both my most used makeup item of the year and my favourite makeup item of the year was this black eyeliner. The formula is impeccable, transferring easily to the upper waterline with full pigment, without transferring to the lower waterline and sets in place, without being impossible to remove and it does not irritate my sensitive eyes whatsoever. I have larger eyes and I find that using eyeliner inside the upper waterline really makes a difference in how complete my liquid liner looks and this one is great. I also enjoy that it’s a normal pencil so it can easily be sharpened for easy application and all that jazz. I also once spent many hours looking for this eyeliner when in reality it just was hidden under my bathroom rug.

22. Natasha Denona My Dream Eyeshadow Palette ($89 CDN)

This is a repeater from last year but I pretty much haven’t reached for anything else eyeshadow wise, since I tried it in late 2020. I love the warm-tinged neutrals that leans kind of plummy and taupe-y, as they stay in that neutral family but are interesting and the kind of shades that I enjoy and suit me (as they are warm). The shadows are easy to work with and last really well for me, and I enjoy the selection in the palette of shimmering lid shades of a variety of depths, options for the crease as well as smokier shades. I’ve been particularly fond of the taupe this year and when I’m in the mood, I really enjoy the plums. It’s versatile.

23. Dior Lip Glow Oil in Rosewood ($54 CDN)

In the past few years, I’ve really gotten out of the habit of wearing any sort of lip makeup. However, this year I’ve been enjoying using this expensive non-sticky balm-gloss hybrid. It’s legitimately moisturizing and imparts just enough colour, adding a kind of my-lips-but-better warm rosy shade. It’s super low maintenance and suits easily chapped sensitive lips and is visible on its own, or looks great paired with lip liner.

What were your favourite products of the year?

anessa perfect uv sunscreen mild milk for sensitive skin banila co clean it zero cleansing balm beekman 1802 milk drops cerave hydrating cleanser cosrx advanced snail mucin 96 power essense cosrx advanced snail peptide eye cream dr ceuracle vegan kombucha tea essence drunk elephant protini resurfacing serum fenty beauty fat water hydrating milky toner essence ilia super serum skin tint kate somerville delikate recovery cream kate somerville goat milk moisturizing cleanser kate somerville squalane+hyaluronic hydrate and plump serum l'oreal bambi eye mascara l'oreal bambi oversized eye mascara l'oreal brow stylist micro ink pen l'oreal revyitalift filler eye cream for face l'oreal voluminous lash paradise mascara laneige water bank blue hyaluronic cream moisturizer missha time revolution night repair ampoule paula's choice resist advanced replenishing toner paulas choice omega complex moisturizer summer fridays cloud dew gel cream moisturizer tarte knockout tingle treatment toner

More Summer Empties | Skincare & Makeup

It seems like I go through phases of not emptying anything and just letting it all accumulate up, followed by periods where the empties back seems to explode seemingly overnight. So before I even think about writing about anything else, I want this overflowing bag out of my life. Now, let’s get onto the good stuff:

An aside: How on earth have I used up to many skincare products??? I must have had a bunch of near empties…

Banila Co Clean It Zero Purifying Cleansing Balm ($32.64 CDN | 100 mL)

I really enjoyed using this cleansing balm and it lasted a while. It had a subtle spa scent that came from synthetic fragrance, which means it did not irritate my skin or sting my eyes — some of us have a tumultuous relationship with essential oils — and did a great job of melting down makeup and then emulsifying to a milk. It sometimes left a film in my eyes but these cleansers all tend to but it didn’t sting and worked on more tenacious makeup. In terms of extra ingredients, it contains antioxidant-rich plant oils and soothing extracts including centella, which made my skin always feel a bit calmer after. I’d purchase again and I have given it as a gift to several people.

Cerave Hydrating Cleanser ($21.99 CDN | 355 mL)

I can say with full confidence that I have never paid full price for this cleanser, and likely wouldn’t, as it’s always on sale somewhere; the issues occur in terms of it actually being in stock, as its gotten popular. I have enjoyed using this non-foaming lightweight lotion cleanser for years, although I will say it can sting if I’ve overdone it on the acids/active ingredients and it is not a intensive makeup remover. It’s a gentle staple for me that I often keep in the shower as a second nighttime cleanse, and it’s great for not drying your skin out while cleansing. I will say when I repurchase, it’ll either be on sale or be one of the house brand varieties chains are coming out with. It contains ceramides, barrier-reinforcing ingredients and hyaluronic acid, along with gentle cleansing agents.

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cleanser ($60 CDN | 120 mL)

Despite lasting me up to or around six months, I seem to have accumulated two empties of this cream cleanser. It’s my favourite but it’s expensive so I try to stock up when I see it on sale. It’s a great treatment cleanser for dry sensitive skin, never burns and has lots of great quality plant oils to soothe and moisturize, lactic acid, honey and hydrating goat’s milk. It removes makeup well while being super gentle and has a rich cream texture that leaves my skin soothed and generally happy afterwards. It would take something spectacular or just generally more affordable to knock this out of its place. It does not leave my skin dry or tight after use, even with nothing applied after.

Fenty Skin Fat Water Hydrating Milky Toner Essence ($46 CDN | 150 mL)

This milky essence-come-toner is seriously moisturizing, soothing and loaded with beneficial ingredients including squalane, niacinamide, apple fruit extract, hyaluronic acid, natural moisturizing factors and plant oils. There’s something in it that can sometimes be slightly sensitizing but nothing major — it’s probably the amount of fragrance it contains and one of the plant extracts — but I still adore it; the other thing to note would be that it needs to be applied on pretty wet skin or it can start to pill products applied afterwards. I loved it in the drier cooler weather and I love it now, seeing as I repurchased it.

Dr Ceuracle Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence ($51.27 CDN | 150 mL)

I finished this essence/milky-toner hybrid late in spring and I missed it tremendously, but I did wait for myself to finish the other milky toners I was working on before repurchasing. It has a cool consistency that kind of emulsifies when shaken into something super creamy. It’s great for replenishing the skin barrier and adding hydration, moisture and replenishment after cleansing, especially on my dry sensitive skin that is eczema-prone. It contains multiple probiotic ingredients (kombucha and saccharomyces) that are both soothing and function as antioxidants, along with plant oils, sodium hyaluronate, xcentella and a replenishing ceramide. It’s fragrance free and super calming.

Paula’s Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner ($26 US | 118 mL)

This is another favourite milky toner of mine, but with more hydrating and barrier-reinforcing ingredients and less plant oils. I’ve repurchased it many times over the years and it’s a good one, but it’s easy to go through quickly. It contains glycerin, fatty acids, sodium hyaluronate, numerous antioxidants and skin soothers. I’m sure I will pick it up the next time I make a Paulas Choice order. It’s great on sensitive or compromised skin as its fragrance and fairly irritant free. It’s very plumping and is a god-send for binding moisture to the skin.

Tarte Knockout Tingle Treatment Toner ($53 CDN | 150 mL)

This is not an acid toner for the faint of heart but I enjoyed it as a seasoned acid exfoliant user, even if I couldn’t tolerate using it as often as I could with gentler exfoliants. Its an approximately ten percent complex of lactic acid, citric acid, gluconolactone, malic acid, phytic acid and salicylic acid, formulated at what likely is a quite low pH (thanks to the vinegar and other ingredients) so it’s a bit zingy, but it gives good results, especially with the niacinamide so high in the ingredient list. I’m inclined to say that one of the plant extracts I find kind of irritating when used too often but otherwise it really helps with congestion and skin texture and leaves my skin bright and glowy.

Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Ampoule ($56.99 CDN | 50 mL)

I think this was my second empty bottle of this serum and I repurchased when it was on sale for a great price and I think I’d buy again. It’s a great non-active-lead serum that contains niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and not much else in that kind of concentration. It contains numerous fermented probiotic ingredients that tend to act as humectants but also help with the skin barrier, which is always a focus for me and my dry sensitive skin. It contains some antioxidant ingredients as well but the highlights are really the niacinamide and the probiotics. It contains some essential oil derived fragrance but it doesn’t seem to be an issue in terms of skin sensitivity for me and actually seems to make my skin feel stronger and generally happier.

Beekman 1802 Milk Drops Ceramide Serum ($45 US | 0.95 ounce)

I really enjoyed using this ceramide-infused and barrier-restoring humectant serum, but it’s kind of a pain to get ahold of regularly so I don’t think I’d make the effort to repurchase. I was lucky enough to find it at a discount from a FabFitFun sale and the ingredients intrigued me enough to try it. The goat milk derived ingredients are interesting and soothing/hydrating, the ceramide is promising, and I quite enjoyed the rest of the formula as well, made up of probiotic bifida ferment lysate, sodium hyaluronate, squalane and honey. It was a humectant serum that did more that I really enjoyed using, especially when my skin was visibly stressed and I had visibly overdone things.

Kate Somerville Squalane+Hyaluronic Hydrate + Plump Serum ($98 US | 30 mL)

This is a really sophisticated and well-formulated hyaluronic acid based humectant serum but it’s very expensive for something I tent to go through quick; it’s one of those skincare things I enjoy but only purchase on a good sale. It’s a super juicy hydrating serum in a milky vehicle, with squalane, glycerin, panthenol, adenosine and multiple forms of sodium hyaluronate. It’s a super gentle, non-stingy and non irritating formula and tends to give me hydrated plumped, juicy looking skin.

Drunk Elephant Protini Resurfacing Serum ($111 CDN | 30 mL)

This serum is expensive but might just be worth the money for me because of the results it gives me and the good six months (or more), it lasts with typical use. It’s 10% lactic acid that does double duty as a chemical exfoliant and a nice humectant serum. It features squalane, some lovely plant oils, numerous peptides and skin-identical ingredients to fortify the skin barrier. I love how it contains nothing irritating and easily fits into my routine a few times a week. It’s pricey but I’ll repurchase after I’m done playing with the current exfoliants I have on the go because I do miss it. It really helps with texture and keeps my skin looking generally plump and bright.

Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence ($33.70 CDN | 100 mL)

This “essence” is my favourite humectant serum — honestly don’t know what makes it an essence compared to a serum but I won’t complain as you get a lot of product for your money –, mainly consisting of barrier-repairing and healing snail secretion filtrate, but has sodium hyaluronate and allantoin thrown in there too. It’s great for plumping up the skin and holding onto moisture and minimizing irritation and dryness. I even repurchased multiples last time I ordered this. It’s my go-to.

L’Oreal Revitalift Filler [+Hyaluronic Acid] Eye Cream for Face ($25.99 CDN | 30 mL)

I’m kind of shocked that I haven’t really seen any coverage on this value-sized eye cream, considering how delightful it is. It’s great for a sensitive eye area, as it’s fragrance-free and doesn’t really contain common irritants. The pump packaging is super efficient and lets you easily get all of the product out without compromising the stability with any of the antioxidants or other ingredients, and it lasted me ages. The fourth ingredient is a fermented extract, known for functioning as an antioxidant and skin-soother (fermented black tea and saccharomyces ferment), and it’s followed by shea butter, pro-xylane, a cell-communicating ingredient, caffeine, another notable cell-communicating ingredient, sodium hyaluronate and ascorbyl glucoside. My experience in using this eye cream were plump, bright and non-irritated under-eyes. I primarily used as an eye cream and I will repurchase after I finish what’s in my stash.

Cosrx Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream ($37.28 CDN | 25 mL)

I finished my second bottle of this snail secretion filtrate based eye cream and happily snagged another when I saw it on sale. Again, it’s a really well formulated eye cream, formulated without fragrance or any sketchy extracts. It contains the super repairing snail, along with brightening niacinamide, arganine, sodium hyaluronate and peptides that function at the very minimum as humectants. It never burns or stings and makeup wears nicely on top of it.

Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Mild Milk SPF 50+ ($40.47 CDN | 60 mL)

This is a great sunscreen in terms of both UVA/UVB protection, sweat/humidity resistance and is both easy to tolerate and cosmetically elegant. It’s both drying alcohol and fragrance free, while still being super lightweight and dries to this soft-focus velvety finish on its own. The matte finish isn’t my favourite on myself because it tends to cling to dry patches and just leaves me feeling more dry and heavy than I’d like — but I’m someone who prefers dewy formulations with drier skin to begin with as a preference. It’s a combination sunscreen with some of these newer generation potent filters that are available in Asia and it has a minor and manageable white cast. It never runs into the eyes or stings during workouts or heavy sweating, I will say. I finished it, using it for sweaty yoga practices on my chest neck and shoulders but i also enjoyed it for the occasions when I was sweating heavily and needed serious sun protection. I would be curious to try a different formulation from the brand.

Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cream Moisturizer ($30 CDN | 20 mL)

Looking at the ingredient list for this moisturizer, I was pretty meh, as it includes squalane super high on the ingredient list but not much else of note, other than hyaluronic acid, allantoin, beta glucan, a ceramide and lactobacillus ferment lysate, all at the bottom of the ingredient list. However, once I tried it, I couldn’t stop using it. It has a subtle spa scent that does not come from essential oils — so it agrees with my skin — and it has a really nice cushioning cream texture that soaks into the skin and leaves it hydrated and plump. I’ve already repurchased.

Summer Fridays Cloud Dew Gel Cream Moisturizer ($61 CDN | 50 mL)

This is a great water-cream moisturizer that I’ve heard fantastic things about and wasn’t too expensive, but it’s just not rich enough for my dry skin. I actually used it up on my chest and neck and loved it that way but won’t be repurchasing. It contains multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, glutamic acid, numerous amino acids, ascorbic acid and a ceramide but does not have that cushioning-feel and emollients/occlusives my eczema-prone skin craves. I will note that it’s fragrance-free and non irritating.

Kate Somerville DeliKate Recovery Cream ($103 CDN | 50 mL)

This moisturizer is as expensive as I am comfortable spending — and I always shop around and try to stock up when its on sale — but it’s been my go-to since early quarantine era. It has a great whipped balm texture that feels lightweight while adding comfort to dry tight skin and is fragrance free and is formulated without those plant extracts that can sometimes be an issue for me. It has shea butter, ceramides, peptides, honey, a few cell-communicating ingredients and some soothing plant extracts. It is concentrated enough that it lasts forever, is great under makeup and is great for healing a damaged skin barrier without any risk of stinging.

Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer ($37 US | 50 mL)

This moisturizer has a texture that is similar to the Kate Somerville, which may explain why I love the two so much, but is even more whipped and cloud-like in airless pump packaging. It’s also about half the price. It too is fragrance free and formulated without anything that I’ve ever experienced irritation with and does not sting. It’s loaded with omega-rich plant oils, fatty acids, ceramides, squalane and a bunch of barrier-repairing ingredients. I never know when the product is empty until it is, which is my only complaint and I always repurchase when I place an order.

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 in Tuluum ($65 CDN | 30 mL)

It’s so rare that I finish a foundation-class kind of product but I’ve been reaching for this sheer-to-light coverage tinted sunscreen for the last year or two as my go-to. It applies pretty well over dry patches, has a dewy finish, always makes me look a bit better and is sheer enough that I’m actually using enough to get sunscreen coverage. It’s fragrance and alcohol free and has shea butter, niacinamide, squalane and sodium hyaluronate for skin benefits. I’ve repurchased already, as it suits my everyday base needs, and it has such an impressive colour selection for a sheerer product.

L’Oreal Bambi Oversized Eye Volumizing Mascara in Intense Black ($15.99 CDN)

I typically love L’Oreal mascaras but this spin-off of the original Bambi mascara was not a favourite. As someone with sensitive eyes, looking volume, separation and a little bit of drama, this brush was a little too spiky and I didn’t enjoy the comb-like brush. The formula seemed quite wet and didn’t do anything special after it dried out any. I also have never used a lash curler so I obviously do not need to be chasing a lifting mascara. It did offer good length, definition and separation. I didn’t find it that volumizing, either.

L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara in Mystic Black ($13.46 CDN)

This is the drugstore mascara that I measure all other drugstore (and non-drugstore) mascaras against. It’s a fairly dry formula — but even so, I prefer it once it starts to dry out — and the packaging tends to be a mess, smeared with old dried mascara but it gives great volume, some length and curl too with minimal product. It does not irritate my eyes or feel heavy on my lashes and gives some drama and the large natural bristle brush is great. It gives some volume, is conditioning and adds some drama that is definitely buildable. The only downside is it can be kind of difficult to remove, despite not being waterproof. I have used many tubes of this and given many tubes to friends as gifts.

L’Oreal Bambi Eye Mascara in Extra Noir ($15.99 CDN)

This is another drugstore mascara that I’ve repurchased and I really enjoy using. Like the others, it does not irritate my sensitive eyes and actually does feel pretty conditioning and lightweight. It’s a happy medium between a dry and wet formula, has a plastic brush that does not have that stabbing-your-eyeballs feel. It has a football-shaped brush with short bristles that really does give like a thickening wide-eyed effect while adding some length. It does not clump easily and is a great everyday mascara that removes easily and even works when I’m dealing with seasonal allergies. It’s buildable too but I don’t find it to be the most drama-inducing mascara in the world.

L’Oreal Brow Stylist Micro Ink Pen in Dark Brunette ($13.28 CDN)

Another thing L’Oreal does super well is brow products, as they come in great typically-ashy shades and have sophisticated formulas while remaining fairly inexpensive. I really have come to love using their brow pens as an everyday brow staple. They pull super natural and read as actual hairs for the most part and work to fill-in more sparse areas of the brows for a more uniform look, which suits my needs well as someone with a lot of brow hairs but definite sparse areas. They wouldn’t work as well for someone looking for a full-on defined brow or someone looking to dramatically alter their brow shape. I quite liked the darker shade for the outer half of my brows but I think I prefer the light brown shade overall, which is what I’ve repurchased.

What have you finished lately?

briogeo don't despair repair hair mask briogeo don't despair repair rice water protein and moisture strengthening treatment cerave itch relief moisturizing lotion cerave moisturizing cream curlsmith bond curl rehab salve curlsmith core strength shampoo curlsmith curl defining styling souffle curlsmith feather-light protein cream devacurl ultra defining gel ole henriksen beam cream ouidad featherweight tough up gel cream ouidad heat and humidity gel stronger hold pattern beauty strong hold hair gel paula's choice daily replenishing body cream paula's choice 5% niacinamide body serum topicals like butter mist

Early Summer Empties | Hair & Bodycare

It goes without saying that it’s been a hot minute since a post and I wanted to do something wavy/curly hair related to update you on what I’ve been using on my hair and the results I’ve been able to achieve on a daily basis. However, I took a quick inventory on my empty products and they have kind of taken over the bedroom and bathroom so I wanted to talk about them and recycle them before they expand further. Hair-specific posts to come, I promise, and speaking of hair, let’s start there:

Curlsmith Core Strength Shampoo ($33 CDN | 355 mL)

This lightweight but slippery and moisturizing clear shampoo does it all as a standard everyday kind of shampoo for me. It’s gentle, actually helps to detangle my hair rather than worsening snarls that I’m prone to and removes gunk from heavier styling products and even silicones. The gentle surfactants do not exacerbate my eczema, which is a blessing and make my scalp feel generally pretty happy. The formula contains some protein and amino acids which may help give me some bounce and structure to my hair — I’m iffy how effective they are in a shampoo, however — and lasts a long time. I’ve already repurchased.

Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Hair Mask ($53 CDN | 236 mL)

Was this my third tub of this? I’ve honestly lost track. I don’t say this lightly but it’s likely my holy grail deep conditioner, either for the full-on meal deal deep conditioner with the deep conditioning cap and all or just left on for 5-15 minutes in the shower. It’s lightweight but incredibly hydrating, moisturizing and slippery and gives me the best curl clumps and bounce in my curls and waves afterwards. It contains plant oils without heaviness, biotin and hydrolyzed proteins, along with some lovely slip agents. I’m currently using the Briogeo Curl Charisma Hair Mask, another favourite, but I’m sure I’ll be repurchasing this one afterwards. It’s magical how it can be lightweight but also gives a good number of uses for the money.

Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair Rice Water Protein + Moisture Strengthening Treatment ($59 CDN | 148 mL)

Given the depth of my love for the original hair mask, I had to try the dual-chambered accompanying treatment. I quite like it but it’s nowhere near as essential to me as the mask. It’s a more concentrated protein treatment, accompanied with a moisturizing and hydrating second chamber, with squalane and sweet almond oil. It contains rice water, rice protein and biotin and gives my hair the protein boost and bounce without the weight or moisture of the mask. I don’t use it as described, on the same wash day as the mask but instead as a conditioner or paired with a regular conditioner. I did repurchase but only because I wanted to test it again and it was a great deal with Fab Fit Fun.

Curlsmith Bond Curl Rehab Salve ($39 CDN | 237 mL)

I’ve been enjoying using this bond-builder treatment come protein treatment, but I use it primarily to add some bounce back to my waves and to maintain the condition of my hair with the frequent diffusing I do and mechanical damage that can occur from brush styling. I haven’t used it on truly damaged hair so I can’t speak to it’s ability to restore hair that has already been damaged. I would like to continue experimenting with it so I will likely repurchase with a sale. It contains an intriguing complex of bond-reinforcing ingredients, creatine, chia seed extract and sweet almond oil for moisture. I do notice that some curls that have gone limp do tend to tighten up after use.

Curlsmith Feather-Light Protein Cream ($36 CDN | 237 mL)

This is my favourite curl cream that I’ve ever tried and despite being concentrated, I have finished my third tube of it. I’m pretty sure I had a replacement around the time I was about a third of the way through the tube. As someone with high porosity, fine to medium waves and curls, who has pretty soft water, this helped to clump my curls together and add some grit and structure to my curls that can get kind of soft and limp and lame in parts. The high concentration of protein definitely helps to encourage ringlets and the formula is otherwise light to medium in weight but fairly moisturizing with sweet almond oil and shea butter. It’s a brainless combination under a medium-to-strong hold gel for me.

Curlsmith Curl Defining Styling Souffle ($52 CDN | 473 mL)

I won’t pretend to have any clue what bottle or tub I’m on at this point but this is my most repurchased styling product and probably my favourite overall. I went through a phase where I wasn’t loving it as much over the winter but that’s probably because I was heavy handed with it — which can make it go stringy — and it was so dry and mild that I wasn’t in need of the humidity protective quantities. I also think it may have been an older bottle with slightly less hold but I’m uncertain. I’ve repurchased again. It’s a moisturizing medium-weight custard-y gel that contains flaxseed, irish moss and other film forming humectants and oils to help seal the hair. It’s concentrated and buildable, offering medium to strong hold and juicy curl clumps that last when used properly. Despite being protein-free, I find it quite curl enhancing. It’s good in a humid climate, just not quite as humidity resistant as some of my glue-like gels.

Ouidad Heat & Humidity Gel Stronger Hold ($29.99 – 36 CDN | 250 mL)

This is one of those gels that sits somewhere in between medium and strong hold, depending on the amount use and the amount of moisturizing products underneath, but never forms too much of a cast to scrunch out. It’s super lightweight so it offers control in humidity with polymers and film-forming humectants while still giving volume and bounce. The wheat amino acids and hydrolyzed protein is likely responsible for the curl enhancement I get. I’ll be repurchasing another because it’s so lightweight and good in humidity while being curl enhancing. It’s also among the most frizz-reducing gels that I’ve ever used.

DevaCurl Ultra Defining Gel ($19 CDN | 89 mL)

I’ve always been a fan of the pre-controversy gel formula and I have to say I enjoy the new one too but not quite as much. I think I miss the hydrolyzed proteins in the original formula and the curl enhancement they added. The new formula has a very similar experience but I don’t find that it’s quite as curl enhancing/defining as the formula I remember. I do enjoy the grit and texture it gives to my first day hair and quite enjoy using it right before diffusing as an extra touch of hold. It’s a medium-firm hold gel for sure that gives decent curl clumps. I would repurchase again to play with more when on sale; I find it really expensive now, but there is still something special about it.

Pattern Beauty Strong Hold Hair Gel ($12 CDN | 85g)

As a white female with wavy hair, I really have enjoyed the Pattern Beauty products, but I acknowledge that they are not meant for me. This one is marketed as for mainly slicked-back styles but it’s my favourite for a good ol’ washday. It’s a thick strong-hold gel that is great on high porosity hair in a humid climate, but doesn’t weigh down my fine to medium (2c-ish) waves when used properly, and locks in my curl clumps for days. It’s a good one, especially as someone who does moderate intensity yoga five or so days a week and only washes my hair twice and is looking to minimize having to restyle their hair completely. It contains a polyquat for humidity resistance, PVP and VP/VA Copolymer to lock in hold, a number of plant oils including curl-enhancing flaxseed oil and a few film forming humectants and really locked in curl definition. This was merely the trail size and it lasted me a while but I would definitely go-for the larger size.

Ouidad Featherlight Touch-Up Gel Cream ($25.39 CDN | 100 mL)

Although my ability to successfully refresh my hair has gone way up as my hair has gotten healthier and better at holding onto moisture, it’s never been something that I can easily achieve on my hair. Sometimes, when I go to refresh my hair for instance, ends up This lightweight cream, however, makes refreshing a breeze. It’s a cream that can be applied on dry hair (or dampened hair) to add a bit of hold and smooth down frizz and is so slippery that I can touch up brush-styling on barely damp sections. I’ve repurchased it because it’s been such a game-changing refreshing product for me that works without being producty, flaky or gunk-y. It’s a lightweight gel cream with some protein that helps with perking up my waves and curls, especially in lazier sections.

Ole Henriksen Beam Cream Smoothing Body Moisturizer ($49 CDN | 190 mL)

This moisturizer contains both lactic and glycolic acid in addition to crambe oil, shea butter, mango seed butter, caffeine and numerous other plant oils and despite the inclusion of synthetic fragrance and inclusion of citrus peel oils towards the bottom of the ingredient list, it actually helped lock moisture into my eczema-prone skin and help improve the texture of my skin overall. I quite enjoyed the bright citrus scent and felt luxe and rich. I would consider picking up again if I saw a sale.

Cerave Moisturizing Cream ($31.99 CDN | 539g)

While there’s never been a cure or panacea for my eczema, this cream is a staple for decreasing flares and minimizing the dry and itchy, especially when applied on wet skin after bathing. I love the practical jar with a pump on it packaging and how much product that you get, even for the money. I don’t find the cream stingy at all — a miracle at times — and the mix of ceramides, petrolatum, hyaluronic acid and other skin identical ingredients moisturize and help with barrier function while sinking into the skin without any residue. I think I’ve probably used over ten containers of this cream and will continue to do so.

Cerave Itch Relief Moisturizing Lotion ($22.99 CDN | 237 mL)

Despite the fact that this contains an actual analgesic ingredient, I don’t think I actually experience notable relief from itchiness compared to a well formulated cream alone. This lotion was lightweight but moisturizing and contained barrier-strengthening niacinamide towards the top of the ingredient list, which I tend to enjoy, but I will comment the ceramides were lower on the ingredient list, compared to other products by Cerave . I enjoyed using it as my daily moisturizer but I don’t think I’ll go for this version again.

Paula’s Choice 5% Niacinamide Body Serum ($29 US | 118 mL)

I tried out this body serum on my last Paula’s Choice order in hopes that it might help to improve my eczema that I was definitely battling in the winter. Unfortunately, I found that I definitely had to top it off with a moisturizer to keep the eczema on my legs under control and didn’t witness a significant benefit on my eczema with its use. I will say, I did notice a difference on my chest, shoulders and back with uneven texture and marks from previous blemishes. I have no immediate plans to repurchase but I enjoyed using it. I will say that using it reminded me of how much I love niacinamide in my body products; I just found I went through it too quickly for my liking.

Paula’s Choice Daily Replenishing Body Cream ($25 US | 200 mL)

On the other hand, I tried this lightweight but comforting moisturizer this winter and I loved it instantly, regretting not dipping my toe into their body moisturizers sooner. It was remarkably non-stingy and soothing on my dry and flaky winter skin and maintained its richness while still being lightweight — sorcery, I tell you –, with shea butter, a number of plant oils, glycerin, the ceramide trifecta, squalane, allantoin and some barrier-restoring ingredients. With regular use, it helped keep eczema at bay and I will be repurchasing (likely many times).

Topicals Like Butter Hydrating & Soothing Mist ($39 CDN | 100 mL)

This was one of those impulsive Sephora VIB Sale purchases that I regretted afterwards. I admit, it’s likely my fault as I bought it after I missed the alcohol on the ingredient list, which is something I’m particularly sensitive to and flares my eczema. It was a lovely fine mist with niacinamide, centella, allantoin, liquorice root, urea and a bunch of antioxidant or soothing plant extracts; however, I didn’t get the benefits of the other ingredients because I found it kind of irritating. I can see people loving this body mist, provided that they are not sensitive to the ingredients and love a lightweight moisturizer.

What have you finished?

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Top 22 of 2022

Because I lack the appropriate organizational skills and planning and the end of 2022 is busy, this post is coming a wee bit late, but I’m still going to make it happen. These are the new products I discovered or new products I fell in love with in 2022; I tried to leave out products that I’ve consistently talked about before 2022, but these still apply. These posts are my favourite to read or digest in any form as they are a longer-term view of the products, as opposed to initial impressions. There are some repeats from last year, but these were only on products that I included last year when they were pretty new; I felt I needed to include them again as I continued to love them.

Banila Co Clean It Zero Purifying Cleansing Balm ($31 CDN | 100 mL)

Despite the fact that I wasn’t the greatest with using sunscreen daily and didn’t wear much makeup, I really enjoyed using this cleansing balm, either for a double cleansing routine or on its own. It has a subtle calming scent that comes from good ol’ synthetic fragrance, that my skin tends to tolerate better anyway, and is enriched with evening primrose oil, argan oil, centella, green tea and licorice root. It melts down makeup and sunscreen well and keeps the skin feeling calmed and nourished afterwards. It also doubled as a moisturizing mask when left on while having a bath or doing some self care.

Fenty Skin Fat Water Hydrating Milky Toner Essence ($42 CDN | 150 mL)

I’ve been loving this super moisturizing milky toner since I bought it from the Sephora VIB Sale. I don’t find that I can use it every single day on top of tretinoin and chemical exfoliants without starting to feel it, as I find the fragrance in the formula (it’s not subtle) or one of the plant extracts kind of irritating on sensitized winter skin. It contains a significant amount of barrier-healing/reinforcing niacinamide, squalane, hyaluronic acid, a number of amino acids, apple fruit extract, watermelon oil and coconut oil. The end result is skin that looks bouncy and plump, moisturized and soothed. It’s very rich but is great on dry winter skin.

Drunk Elephant Protini Powerpeptide Resurfacing Serum ($108 CDN | 30 mL)

I tried this lactic-acid chemical exfoliant and serum after buying it in the November 2021 Sephora VIB Sale, and it was love at first use. I included this serum as an early favourite in last years favourite post and I’m pleased to report that my feelings haven’t changed. I use this serum 2-3 times per week and I find that it gently resurfaces my skin and refines my skin texture, but it also performs as a barrier-supporting humectant serum, making it great value for money, despite being a bit of an investment. The peptides are plumping, the amino acids help to fortify the skin barrier and the lactic acid is a great gentle exfoliant. I’m also partial to the inclusion of sodium hyaluronate and fatty acids.

Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence ($16.99 CDN | 100 mL)

I had to check previous yearly favourites posts to make sure that this was a new inclusion, but somehow it is. This is described as an essence, but in all honesty, it’s my favourite humectant serum and you get enough of it that it can be used liberally. It’s 96% snail mucin so has that snail-y snotty gel texture but it really helps to draw the moisture into my dehydrated skin and helps repair anything that’s going on barrier-wise, if I’m in an eczema flare or if I’ve overdone it. It also has the amino acid betaine, sodium hyaluronate, panthenol, arginine and allantoin and gives me bright, plumped skin. It helps minimize dry patches and texture, too, without using any irritating actives.

Cosrx Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream ($25.99 CDN | 25 mL)

Despite not traditionally being an eye cream kind of gal, as I find they are often kind of irritating and are a glorified moisturizer, I’ve happily purchased this eye cream twice. I have a uber-sensitive eczema-prone under-eye area and tend to have issues with any sort of makeup clinging to that dryness and texture; this eye cream doesn’t sting or anything, adds moisture and maybe a hint of brightness to the area and makes concealer and face makeup sit 100x better on the area. The niacinamide and adenosine is likely what is helping with the brightness and barrier improvement and the snail and peptides work well as humectants. I enjoy that the texture is a rich lotion (although the texture does make it easy to over-use) without that heavy over-occlusive feeling. I also enjoy that the formula is sophisticated without being expensive.

Sunday Riley ICE Ceramide Moisturizer with Vitamin F ($86 CDN | 50 mL)

My last minute recent skincare favourite of 2022 has to be this moisturizer. It’s occlusive, so I don’t find that I’m going through a ton of it with my super thirsty often-angry skin, but it will pill up if you go to town with it. However, it contains ceramides, lanolin, fatty acids, sodium hyaluronate, squalane, algae extract and sugar-based humectants so it’s well equipped to reinforce the skin barrier and protect the skin during drier winter months, especially when paired with tretinoin and sleep deprivation. It contains fragrance that is quite marzipan-y but it doesn’t irritate my skin in the way that essential oil laden formulas do and really helps to lock in serums, toners and essences.

Cerave Baby Healing Ointment ($13.49 CDN | 85g)

Strangely enough, you can’t purchase the regular Cerave Healing Ointment in Canada, unless you want to pay extra to an Amazon third party seller; However, the baby version seems to be absolutely identical. I swear by this healing ointment, first as a lip balm that actually works to heal chapped lips and as a healing ointment over any eczema patches or any form of dermatitis/sensitivity. It’s petrolatum-based so works beautifully for any sort of slugging, if that’s your thing. It also contains three different ceramides, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid, panthenol and phytospingosine, which gives it extra barrier-healing power over your traditional petrolatum ointments.

Paula’s Choice Daily Replenishing Body Cream ($25 US | 210 mL)

I shouldn’t have been surprised by how much I loved this cream moisturizer, given Paula’s Choice’s track record of irritant-free sophisticated formulas, but I was impressed. It’s remarkably un-stingy even when my eczema is flared up and is helping me to keep it at bay. It contains shea butter, plant oils, ceramides, antioxidants and skin soothing ingredients and has a rich but lightweight texture. It’s comforting on dry itchy winter skin and definitely helps with an upset skin barrier, and leaves my chronically tight and dehydrated skin moisturized for a substantial amount of time.

Curlsmith Core Strength Shampoo ($36 CDN | 335 mL)

This was my happy discovery of my just right everyday shampoo — not everyday in the sense that I wash my hair but my standard shampoo. It doesn’t contain the harsher sulfates, thus, I haven’t had any allergic episodes to it (sulphates tend to irritate my scalp and give me generalized allergic reactions), but it also is cleansing enough to keep my scalp happy and to remove product buildup (with the help of a clarifying shampoo from time to time). Despite not being a typical fruity scent lover, I do enjoy the luxurious fruit scent and I enjoy how it’s gentle and moisturizing, while providing some lather. I love that it doesn’t exacerbate my hairs tangliness and has great slip. It also contains some proteins, which aren’t a game changer in rinse-off products, but it’s no wonder I love it — my high porosity hair tends to respond well to proteins.

Curlsmith Curl Quenching Conditioning Wash ($33 CDN | 350 mL)

I’m usually a shampoo kind of girl but every once in a while, I like to alternate with a co-wash that has actual cleansing abilities, like this one. It contains cocamidopropyl betaine, so it actually has extra ability to remove product buildup and cleanse the hair than standard conditioner washing, but is still super gentle and moisturizing. I love that it has wonderful slip, is uber moisturizing and works as a 2-in-1 product for me on lazier days. The slip is incredible and the shea butter seems to give me nice curl clumps.

L’Oreal 10-in-1 Professional Cream-in-Mousse ($32 CDN | 250 mL)

Years ago, when I first started styling my hair wavy, I really liked mousses. However, since I started following the curly girl method — and very loosely at the moment — I barely have been using, and the ones I’ve tried, I haven’t been a fan of. This one I really like, however, and it reminds me of the L’Oreal one I loved ten years ago. It does contain a drying alcohol but remains moisturizing, with glycerin, urea and fatty alcohols. It’s silicone-free and doesn’t offer much hold, but it’s moisturizing and gives me great curl clumps.

Pattern Beauty Styling Custard ($32 CDN | 443.6 mL)

While plenty of people seem to be using this supper-slippery custard as a gel or single-styler, I’m much happier with it as a curl enhancer, sandwiched between cream and gel. On its own, it doesn’t provide the hold and humidity-resistance that I’m looking for but it’s super slippery and moisturizing, giving me some of my most defined hair in general and juicy ringlets. It contains irish moss, flaxseed oil, a few polymers and glycerin. The end-result seems to be springy shiny clumped waves and curls.

Curlsmith In-Shower Style Fixer ($36 CDN | 237 mL)

This year, I tried this mega-thick glue-like gel and I have to say that I’ve enjoyed using it. It’s so thick and sticky that it needs to be used on soaking wet hair and you can’t overdo it, as it can be kind of heavy. However, it has amazing humidity-resistance and gives me curls clumps that last and last, even throughout heavy humidity in a maritime climate. It also gives some great grit that helps hold curl higher up in my hair, where my strands tend to lie flatter against my scalp. If you go to town on this gel, however, it can have an aggressive cast…

Pattern Beauty Strong Hold Gel ($32 CDN | 425g)

Another gel with even more hold, initial crunch and cast is this one and I enjoy it because of just how concentrated it is and how life-resistant is this one from Pattern, It gets product-y quickly and can totally build up in the hair if you aren’t clarifying appropriately. However, I often get 4-5 days with like no refreshing with this one, which is rare for me. The irish moss extract and linseed oil also help this formula give super juicy curl clumps, that set it apart from other super hard hold gels. The cast can also be aggressive but gives the most humidity-resistant and life-resistant curls. It’s so concentrated that I’m still using the mini.

Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Heat and Humidity Gel Stronger Hold ($36 CDN | 250 mL)

This gel was not new to me in 2022 (or new in general). However, I fell in love with it last year. It’s featherlight but has medium-strong hold and actually holds up well in high humidity. It gives me light, spiral-y waves and ringlets that feel product free and have more bounce. This is one of those light slippery gels that refreshes well, holds up for days on wash day when used correctly and offers curl enhancement with the protein it contains. It holds up alarmingly well, despite being lightweight, on those rainy muggy days.

Ouidad Featherlight Touch-Up Gel Cream ($25.39 CDN | 100 mL)

As someone with a curly hair product hoarding problem, I’ve previously found refreshing-specific products gimmicky and unnecessary. However, this jelly-like product is the best product I’ve ever found for refreshing dry day 3-4 hair into more defined curls. It adds a little bit more hold (but no real added crunch) and helps to smooth frizz, reduce fuzziness and bring back definition. It’s quite hydrating and has some protein to add structure to the hair. Because it works smoothed over dry hair, it’s amazing for laying down frizz and adding control without being product-y.

Living Proof No Frizz Vanishing Oil ($42 CDN | 50 mL)

In the past, I was always a hair oil kind of girl but after I started following the curly girl method, I abandoned them, as most are very silicone-y or weirdly heavy. Believe me, I tried a few at the start of my journey and my results weren’t great. Since reintroducing this oil back into my routine, I’m in love. It’s lightweight silicone-free and sealing, helping to seal my hair against humidity, locking moisture in and helping to break any sort of crunchy cast. Not only is this a way to help maintain my style, it tends to lend a more polished feel to second, third and fourth day curls, smoothing out crown frizz and the like.

As I Am Dry & Itchy Scalp Care Oil Treatment ($19.99 CDN | 120 mL)

As someone with hair that gets incredibly tangly (and has a lot of hair to detangle), using an oil before washing and dry detangling can be a life saver, and this is a great pre-shampoo oil. It has castor oil, olive oil, coconut oil, salicylic acid to help with itchy scalp, olive oil, tea tree and even a ceramide so it’s more of a sophisticated formulation than your standard oil. This really helps to minimize a dry itchy winter scalp, while helping hugely with detangling and minimizing the tangling that occurs when I wash my hair. My high porosity hair also soaks up this stuff and looks great after being washed out.

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 ($62 CDN | 30 mL)

This tinted moisturizer come skincare-makeup hybrid featured in my previous year’s favourites post, however, it was included as a really new product. I had to include it again as a 2022 favourite because it was basically the only foundation-like product I reached for in 2022. The coverage is sheer to light, but it has a great shade selection, and it features a solid SPF 40 which honestly I use for sun protection in cooler months when I’m not outside; plus, it contains a few forms of hyaluronic acid, squalane and niacinamide in terms of skincare ingredients, and is fragrance free. I love that I don’t even need to set it and then it clings minimally to dry patches, even when I’m sick and/or I’ve overdone the tretinoin.

Clinique Airbrush Concealer ($36 CDN | 1.5 mL)

I’m quite picky about concealers, having under-eyes that are quite dry, sensitive and prone to creasing. This illuminating concealer pen has been a favourite of mine. The coverage is only light to medium but it illuminates the under eye area and minimizes dark circles without clinging to texture or becoming overly creased. As someone who is more into lighter coverage bases, this is the perfect complement.

L’Oreal Infallible 24H Fresh Wear Bronzer in 250 Light ($19.96 CDN | 9g)

L’Oreal has always made my favourite drugstore bronzers but the current iteration might be the best formula yet, and it certainly has the best assortment of shades. It starts pretty fair, rosy and cool toned — I’m not the palest shade, I wear the warmer second shade — and continues in decent increments until a fairly deep shade and it has a creamy formula for a powder, not accentuating texture imperfections and has good longevity. The colours are remarkably golden and non-orange and it works as a great matte eyeshadow too. If I haven’t been using cream bronzer, I’ve been happily using this.

Natasha Denona My Dream Eyeshadow Palette ($87 CDN | 1.28g)

This eyeshadow palette is pricy — but not as pricy as the larger format Natasha Deanna palettes or the Pat McGrath palettes — but I love the quality and selection of neutral warm leaning shades with that hint of plum. The eyeshadows have that rosy purply undertone that Urban Decay Naked 3 had but is executed a million times better, and probably warmer (which is my preference). I enjoy the selection of more unique paler shimmery shades that are perfect for the lid, the practical matte black and mid-toned matte crease shades, the plums and some of the more unique metallic shades. I don’t think I’ve used another palette since I grabbed this one from a Sephora sale.

What were your favourite products of 2022?

ag curl fresh definer aveeno creamy moisturizing oil clinique turnaround revitalizing lotion curlsmith curlsmith bouncy strength volume foam curlsmith curl defining styling souffle curlsmith multitasking conditioner curlsmith post biotic conditioner curlsmith super slip primer dr ceuracle vegan kombucha tea essence drunk elephant slaai makeup melting butter cleanser empties espa soothing bath oil ouidad vitalcurl+ styling gel paula's choice defense essential glow moisturizer

The Empties | Fall 2022

Recently, I had a comment (which I love, don’t be afraid to reply to any of my posts) about my earlier curly-wavy hair product posts, asking if I was still doing them. I certainly am and even when I’m not actively posting about hair products, I’m compiling lists and thoughts. However, I wanted to get my reviews of the products I finished out of the way first (and the bag of clutter out of my life additionally); I find these posts particularly valuable as a consumer because it gives longer-term feedback about products that were valued enough to be finished. These certainly will invariably include a selection of hair products that I finished, many of which would be put in the favourites category:

Curlsmith Super Slip Pre-Biotic Primer ($37.99 CDN | 355 mL)

This was/is a slippery pre-shampoo detangler, rich in fermented rice water, some bond building ingredients — totally not advertised — and prebiotics to help with scalp flora and microbiome. By this, I mean that is protects against drying, tangling, friction-inducing effect of shampoo. This slippery product works well but is not crucial for me, because I can use a conditioner in its place to detangle and protect against shampooing. Luckily these days, my scalp health doesn’t necessitate using something with these microbiome-supporting ingredients.

Curlsmith Multi-Tasking Conditioner ($35.99 CDN | 237 mL)

This is a great lightweight conditioner in its own right but it’s my favourite leave in conditioner because of how light but moisturizing it is, the slip it provides and the bit of protein it contains (protein really boosts the uniformity of my waves and curls on my head). It serves as a great base for brush styling on my incredibly tangly hair, lending smoothness to the finished style without weight in combination with my hold products. It contains castor seed oil, babassu kernel oil, jojoba seed oil, murumuru seed butter and shea butter without any heaviness and pumpkin seed extract, hydrolyzed hemp sed and hydrolyzed rice protein for strength and structure. When I started using it last winter, I noticed it was particularly amazing in dry winter weather in the tangly fragile underlay of my hair that’s constantly being aggressed by scarves, coats and precipitation.

Curlsmith Post-Biotic Calming Conditioner ($37.99 CDN | 355 mL)

This was a nice lightweight conditioner without silicones or a lot of butters and oils (but it does contain shea butter and castor oil halfway down the ingredient list), enriched with menthyl lactate for that soothing cooling sensation, tea tree oil and peppermint oil and humectant plant extracts, The essential oils and menthol derivative weren’t irritating on my eczema prone scalp but I found the conditioner a little light for my hair needs. The slip was moderate, but I think I benefit from some more oils and butters. My favourite way to use this conditioner was probably as a co-wash, and I didn’t mind using it in any way. It’s not for me but it’s a great lightweight conditioner for those who struggle with build-up and are looking for something featherweight.

Ouidad Vitalcurl+ Tress Effects Styling Gel ($31-36 CDN | 250 mL)

This gel sits between medium to strong hold for me — but keep in mind I have high porosity hair that seems to absorb the hold of products so it might be stronger for some — that’s quite moisturizing without being heavy in the slightest but lacks a lot of humidity resistance. By this, I mean that in my humid climate, I find it frizzes and loses definition in muggy summer weather. It contains barely any protein, some film-forming humectants, film-forming polymers and a variety of plant oils. It performs much better in cooler weather on my finer high porosity hair and humid environment, not that I wouldn’t use again, but there are other Ouidad gels I prefer.

AG Haircare Curl Fresh Definer ($28 CDN | 178 mL)

This sleek tube houses a cream-gel that’s marketed more as a cream but offers light-medium hold on its own (and adds some hold when you put a gel on top), adding volume, grit and some curl enhancement. It has a rather strong scent of cake batter, combined with essential oils and is not uber moisturizing (thanks to the somewhat drying but pattern-enhancing magnesium sulfate), but regardless, it’s a potent but lightweight styler. I don’t find this to be the most clump-enhancing cream but it definitely tightens up some of my pattern, adding volume, texture, hold and control. I would definitely consider repurchasing after I use up some of the creams and curl enhancers currently in my stash.

Curlsmith Curl Defining Styling Souffle ($52-$55.99 CDN | 473 mL)

This gel gives me the closest thing to my soul hair that can be achieved through natural means (and if I play my cards right can even beat curling iron curls), which should not shock any regular readers because I’ve talked about this many times before in empties posts and favourites posts. It’s very moisturizing, — especially for being a gel — light to medium in weight but has flexible medium-strong hold; it gives me clumpy bouncy ringlets that lasts through sweaty workouts and humidity for days when styled correctly, without feeling or looking product-y in the hair. It contains lots of humectants, film-forming humectants and sealing oils. It contains irish moss and flaxseed extract to really enhance my 2c-ish waves and curls.

Curlsmith Bouncy Strength Volume Foam ($34.99 CDN | 222 mL)

Despite the fact that I love every other product in the Strength Recipe line, my first foray into mousse/foam in years has not been love at first use. Unfortunately, I find that when I use this in any amount on my wet hair, it destroys my curl clumps. My theory is that the grit it adds tends to do this in my unique hair. It can work for me, used in moderation in my roots, for some lift especially at the crown where my hair likes to fall limp when left to its own devices. It contains a few proteins in the first few ingredients on the list and a bunch of extracts that I normally love, but I think the gritty texture it adds tends to break apart ringlets in my wet hair, without adding any hold or curl enhancement. The good news is that it’s actually a great refreshing product on dry or damp hair after detangling on day 3-4 hair; it’s just not a day one all-over hair product for me. I do want to experiment with more products of this type, especially for refreshing and some help at the crown/back of my hair that is much looser than the front of my hair.

ESPA Soothing Bath Oil ($46.75 CDN | 100 mL)

My eczema usually does not get along with essential oils at all but I actually really enjoyed using this essential oil based bath oil. The scent was super calming and spa-like with sandalwood, myrrh and rose and the oil really helped to combat the transepidermal water loss from soaking in a tub full of water, leaving my skin with a little bit of moisture afterwards. I was lucky enough to snag this in a Fab Fit Fun sale and would probably repurchase at a discount again.

Aveeno Creamy Moisturizing Oil ($14.99 CDN | 354 mL)

Throughout the humid summer, I happily was using this as a body moisturizer daily after bathing. It was good for combatting my dry itchy legs when my eczema was not flared up — it’s an entirely different story now unfortunately –, and actually locking moisture into the skin. It’s described as an oil but in my experience, it’s more of a oil-based moisturizer (as the sesame seed oil, sweet almond oil and oat kernel oil is blended with glycerin, dimethicone and oat kernel flour) or a body oil-moisturizer hybrid. It has a subtle calming scent — that is synthetic and generally not irritating — and is lighter weight than a traditional cream. It wouldn’t be enough for me on it’s own for my eczema-affected areas but I’m tempted to pick it up again.

Drunk Elephant Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser ($45 CDN | 110g)

I love using cleansing balms in general because of how soothing and nourishing they are and the ease that they dissolve makeup and sunscreen with, and I really enjoyed using this essential oil free balm cleanser. It’s also fragrance-free, just smelling of the sweet almond oils and the other rich oils that the formula contains. In terms of balm cleansers, it’s very rich and dry-skin friendly. It really annihilates makeup, even of the waterproof or sweat-resistant variety, and emulsifies with water, leaving the skin with a nourishing film unless followed with another cleanser. It’s concentrated, but expensive, yet repurchase worthy.

Clinique Turnaround Revitalizing Lotion ($53 CDN | 200 mL)

Completely unbeknownst to me, Clinique has had this Asian-style essence-toner in their repertoire for years and I didn’t even know it was a thing, and it’s good. It has a water-light kind of jelly texture and features saccharomyces lysate extract, centella asiatica, caffeine, bifida ferment lysate, acetyl glucosamine, lactobacillus ferment, caffeine and sodium hyaluronate, to help soothe, brighten and hydrate the skin with a wide variety of humectants. It left me with plump skin that was calm and even and contains the probiotic ingredients that intrigue me. I tend to prefer richer toners and essences with more oil content but I enjoyed this.

Dr Ceuracle Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence ($42.90 CDN | 150 mL)

Speaking of milky essence-toners, this one is my absolute favourite. In the summer, I finished my second bottle and I miss it tremendously, especially as the weather is getting warmer and my skin is getting drier. I’ve been trying to hold off on repurchasing, making myself finish what I’ve currently got on rotation first but it’s a losing battle. Regardless, it’s a beautiful milky essence-toner, especially for dry sensitive skin, looking for some barrier support. It’s fragrance free, contains tea extract, saccharomyces ferment, green tea, sunflower oil, sodium hyaluronate and centella asiatica and absolutely nothing irritating. When I use this, my skin is calmer, dewy and plump and generally less angry.

Paula’s Choice Defense Essential Glow Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 ($33 US | 60 mL)

Paula’s Choice has definitely moved from being a fairly affordable brand, just a little more expensive than your traditional or quintessential ‘drugstore’ brands to more of a midrange or premium drugstore brand. However, there are still a good number of their products that I find to be a good value for money; their well formulated sunscreens are some of these products. This one is a mineral sunscreen that is moisturizing, luminizing and doesn’t accentuate dry patches and texture like most mineral sunscreens do. Basically, it overcomes many of the cosmetic shortcomings of mineral sunscreens and it’s great for dry, sensitive skin. It has a grey-tinge that translates to a slightly blurring finish without a white-tinge for those with fair to medium skin. The dewy and luminous finish is not ideal for those trying to achieve a matte look or those on the oilier side of things. I have and would buy again.

What products have you finished?

banila co clean it zero costs advanced snail 96 mucin power essence curlsmith core strength shampoo curlsmith curl defining styling souffle curlsmith in shower style fixer natasha denona zendo eyeshadow palette ouai cleansing scalp and body sugar scrub pattern beauty styling custard

Summer Essentials

As I started to write and compile this post, the Canadian east coast has been in a heatwave constantly for well over a month, which wouldn’t be so bad if, a, I actually enjoyed this level of heat and if, b, it wasn’t accompanied with the constant mugginess of entering a sauna. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve written a blog post — make that a hot and humid minute — but here are the products I’ve been loving most recently:

Editors note: It may almost officially be Autumn, however, the weather hadn’t leaned at all that way until the present week.

Ouai Cleansing Scalp & Body Sugar Scrub ($50 CDN | 250g)

This was a product that I chose to try from FabFitFun. It was an obvious choice once I knew it was sulfate free — I occasionally have multiple site allergic reactions and get horrific scalp eczema when I use either sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate — and had that signature warm rose floral ‘melrose’ scent that several Ouai products have. It did not disappoint. I actually really enjoy using the scalp scrubby cleanser when I want a gentle cleanse but need some scalp TLC — especially in this weather, with a fairly sweaty yoga regime and a scalp with a general tendency to become unhappy — or as a first cleanse before following with a gentle shampoo. I say this because, the cleansing agents are gentler and it’s not much of a latherer on its own, and I kind of appreciate that, not having an oily scalp. I will say that it’s an oil enriched gritty scrub texture so I can see many people not loving it as much as I do, but I quite like the nourishing sweet almond oil, coconut oil and fermented ingredients. It’s also a gorgeous oily body scrub that doesn’t irritate my eczema.

Curlsmith Core Strength Shampoo ($34.99 CDN | 355 mL)

Another product really contributing to my scalp not lashing out at me was/is this gentle slippery clear shampoo. It’s sulfate free but contains ingredients that remove silicones and other forms of buildup, which has been helpful because having fine-ish high porosity hair in this kind of humidity, I’ve had to go to town on humidity-blocking ingredients like polyquats, oils and I’ve been using some silicones– gasp.Not only does this keep me from getting any buildup on my scalp — in combination with using a clarifying shampoo every little bit –, it has enough slip, letting me detangle my hair with ease, even after washing. I like that there’s some protein as well, as every little bit helps (although it would help more in a leave-in product). It’s also gentle and moisturizing, without heaviness.

Curlsmith In-Shower Style Fixer ($35.99 CDN | 237 mL)

As someone who has the kind of hair that requires lots of product or hold to maintain its structure, high porosity hair that seems to absorb everything in sight and high density hair, I love a good potent humidity-blocking gel. Did I mention that I live in a humid east coast climate with hair that is very impacted by humidity?; In fact, my hair’s reaction to humidity was why I embraced my wavy curls in the first place. With high-hold and humidity-blocking polyquaternium-69 as the second ingredient in this gel, followed by sealing oils and the film-forming humectant, aloe, this has been a god-send for lending maximum control to my hair. True to its name, it has to be used with lots of water, provided you want to be able to distribute its super thick and sticky texture — unless you are refreshing a super-stubborn piece of hair and don’t mind the concentration, that is. It’s very moisturizing and is medium-heavy in weight, but my density and porosity can support heavier products. It’s not the most curl enhancing gel I’ve ever tried, but it holds clumps together beautifully through humidity, sweat and even getting rained on slightly. And it gives the hair some grit, which I enjoy but it can destroy curl clumps if over-used.

Curlsmith Curl Defining Styling Souffle ($35.99 CDN | 237 mL)

I couldn’t go without mentioning my holy grail gel that — happily for me — works well in my high porosity waves in every season, even though I will combine it with the former gel to get extra control, hold, and humidity-resistance, to get hair that lasts for 4-5 days with minimal refreshing, even in borderline-repulsive humidity. This gel is moisturizing but is lighter in weight and has much more slip, offering lots of curl enhancement and bouncy curl clumps. It contains a number of film-forming humectants which I’m sure is why I love this gel so much (irish moss, aloe and flaxseed to name a few); film forming humectants prevent moisture loss in my hair and minimizes the frizz and loss of hold in a humid climate. It’s really flexible too, with medium-strong hold, working well in both soaking wet hair, damp hair to refresh and on dry hair to fix wonky curls.

Pattern Beauty Styling Custard ($32 CDN | 443.6 mL)

While I don’t find this true liquid-y custard to have enough hold on it’s own in my humid climate, I’ve found this huge tub of product to be great as a curl-enhancer to sandwich between cream and gel for some extra help in encouraging clumps and ringlets and adding control. It has some polyquaternium for humidity protection, curl enhancing flaxseed and film-forming irish moss. It’s also a great refresher when you get to the point of needing more product without adding crunch when you aren’t completely drenching your hair. It’s super slippery too, which is a help with fine to medium tangly hair, especially when refreshing on less-than-fresh hair.

Banila Co Clean It Zero Purifying Cleansing Balm for Sensitive Skin ($31 CDN | 100 mL)

I’ve been happily relying on this balm cleanser to remove sunscreen and makeup (on the off-chance that I was wearing it) and to just cleanse my face. It has a light kind of spa-like scent that I find rather calming and doesn’t irritate my skin, even around my eyes when I’m using it to melt down tenacious eye makeup. It’s great at removing waterproof makeup and water-resistant sunscreen and leaves my skin feeling soothed and hydrated afterwards. I have been known to just splash it off and not even follow it with another cleanser when I can’t be bothered — it has not been a summer with a lot of complex skincare rituals in the equation. The evening primrose oil, argan oil, centella, green tea and licorice root are a nice (albeit unnecessary) touch, as is the non-greasy texture.

Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence ($19.25-$35.25 CDN | 100 mL)

After finishing up some other serums, I’ve been reunited with this snail-based humectant serum. This has been an essential, especially as the weather has been so muggy that I haven’t craved layering more occlusive products and I’ve been really slacking on the skincare in general. The snail itself is very soothing and plumping and is enriched with allantoin, panthenol and sodium hyaluronate, leaving dewy and bright skin. I love this as a humectant serum that really helps to support the skin barrier.

Natasha Denona Zendo Eyeshadow Palette ($87 CDN | 19.25g)

Given that I have been minimally bothered even with skincare in the summer we’ve had here, it shouldn’t be a shocker that I haven’t worn a whole lot of makeup, either. When I’ve been wearing makeup, I’ve exclusively reached for this palette. I have discovered that particularly love when doing basic 2-3 eye shadow looks with this palette, as the finishes and subtle nuances of the shades really stand out with a more pared-down palette. The shimmers have gorgeous sheens that can lean somewhat metallic but the payoff is buildable and the mattes have that muted buildable quality as well. That is not to say that there aren’t bolder buttery metallics in the teal section of the palette, but in all honesty, I’ve been enjoying the more muted warm tones of the palette with a bit of winged liner.

briogeo curl charisma hair mask cerave moisturizing cream cosrx advanced snail radiance dual essence curlsmith curl defining styling souffle curlsmith feather-light protein cream curlsmith wash & scrub detox probiotic drunk elephant protein power peptide resurfacing serum drunk elephant protini polypeptide firming moisturizer kate somerville delikate cleanser kate somerville delikate recovery cream kate somerville goat milk cleanser paula's choice omega+ cleansing balm paula's choice resist super light daily wrinkle defense soap and glory the righteous butter sunday riley juno

The Empties | Early Spring

Mark my words, I know that it’s been well over a month since spring officially started. However, until somewhat recently it’s been blizzard-ing, so forgive me if I consider it still pretty early(ish) in the spring season. I used to worry these posts were boring to read, as I rarely used to finish up much of anything and there was little variety of what I did finish up, always trying out new things, rather than finishing what I had on the go. However, in the last couple of years, I have become a more savvy and restrained shopper, buying less and finishing more:

Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm ($28 US | 103 mL)

After disliking the Paula’s Choice Perfect Cleansing Oil, I’m happy to report that I loved this balm cleanser for nourishing the skin and breaking down makeup and sunscreen. It broke down waterproof eyeliner, mascara and tenacious face products easily enough — but it wasn’t an annihilator in the way that some of these super-oily balms are — with easy-to-use tube packaging and nourishing non-irritating ingredients. It’s fragrance free, doesn’t contain any irritants and actually features lots of fatty acids and some nourishing plant oils to offset any sort of barrier disruption while cleansing. It doesn’t leave a film or anything afterwards. I would buy again, with some sort of sale.

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cleanser ($57 CDN | 120 mL)

This is my expensive treatment cleanser of choice and I went onto another back-up that I purchased on sale shortly, after emptying the tube. It’s an oil-rich cream cleanser that removes makeup, soothes the skin without being drying in the slightest. It has a subtle fragrance that doesn’t bother my skin because it doesn’t come from essential oils and is enriched with honey, lactic acid and goat’s milk, along with the grapeseed oil, avocado oil and coconut oil. My favourite part is that my skin is left calmer and moisturized after rinsing.

Kate Somerville Delikate Soothing Cleanser ($57 CDN | 120 mL)

This was a fine gentle fragrance-free milk cleanser but was nowhere near special enough to justify the cost for me. It wasn’t irritating or drying whatsoever and removed easily but it didn’t deliver long-lasting soothing or hydration like the former. It contains fatty acids, ceramides, cholesterol, aloe and miscellaneous other soothing and barrier-repairing ingredients. It kind of reminded me of Cerave’s cleansers with slightly less of a tendency to sting on an impaired barrier.

Drunk Elephant Protini Powerpeptide Resurfacing Serum ($108 CDN | 30 mL)

Last year, I picked up a half-sized sample of this lactic-acid based serum and I’ve happily been using it around 3-4 times per week as a chemical exfoliant and serum in one. It contains 10% lactic acid which helps with overall clarity, brightness and smooths texture, along with amino acids and peptides for hydration and barrier-reinforcement. It’s lighter in texture but contains squalane and some nice rich plant oils along with the myriad of humectants it has. I repurchased a full-size; it’s expensive but lasts a while and is special.

Cosrx Advanced Snail Radiance Dual Essence ($40.99 CDN | 80 mL)

I did love using this plumping brightening humectant serum, however, going for the niacinamide-enriched version of the essence was completely unnecessary for me, as I have multiple other niacinamide-rich brightening serums on the go. I do love me some niacinamide… This is a dual chamber version of their cult favourite fragrance-free essence, with snail secretion in the one chamber and 5% niacinamide in the other. It also contained panthenol, medowfoam seed oil, sunflower seed oil, allantoin, macadamia oil, sodium hyaluronate and argan oil. I found my skin looked bouncy, plumped and soothed while using this serum but I sometimes had to watch to make sure I wasn’t overdoing it on the niacinamide. I will be repurchasing the original version of the essence that is even more economical.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Firming Moisturizer ($89 CDN | 50 mL)

I ended up trying this pricy moisturizer because it was sold in the set with the serum, and while I ended up liking it, I’m really not sure it’s special enough for the price for me. It has a lovely comforting plumping texture that’s moisturizing and hydrating without feeling occlusive in the slightest. I enjoyed the myriad of peptides and amino acids it contains to help support the skin barrier and help to bind moisture into the skin and the plumping cushion-y texture, but I didn’t find it concentrated enough or special enough to warrant repurchasing at this price. I did enjoy the airless pump packaging and the lack of fragrance or other irritants.

Kate Somerville Delikate Recovery Cream ($99 CDN | 50 mL)

This is another pricy moisturizer I finished, but on the other hand, it’s special enough to warrant repurchasing, especially when we’re lucky enough to be able to find it on significant sale. It’s a whipped balm that sinks into the skin without stinging in the slightest, soothing the skin and supporting the skin’s barrier — especially a damaged one, like mine certainly tends to be. The texture spreads really far, only requiring a little bit of product, even on my drier and tighter skin, and it offers moisture, comfort and repair without leaving a shiny finish. It features shea butter, ceramides, honey, peptides, plant oils and other soothing ingredients. It’s also beautiful under makeup, helping to minimize the appearance of dry patches and any sort of texture. It also doubles as a wonderful eye cream for those with a sensitive eye area and is wonderful for calming the skin after an allergic reaction. It’s been that kind of spring thus far.

Cosrx Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream ($32.57 CDN | 25 mL)

I loved this gentle, fragrance-free eye cream for my delicate and sensitive eye area so much so that I went through it more quickly than I could have, occasionally using on my face in addition to the eye area. I will be repurchasing for sure. It contains snail mucin, niacinamide, sunflower seed oil, sodium hyaluronate and a few peptides. It’s good for plumping up and hydrating the eye area without irritation and wears great under makeup — and I have dry sensitive under eyes that tend to get eczema and allergy-induced irritation.

Sunday Riley Juno Antioxidant + Superfood Face Oil ($95 CDN | 35 mL)

This was one of the first good essential-oil-free oil blends on the market and it remains to be a longtime favourite of mine. Sunday Riley used ‘superfood’ in its actual meaning — as in harvested from fruits and cold-pressed with a variety of antioxidants — and not as a wellness culture bullshit hype-word, which I appreciate. I’ve long-term appreciated the omega rich blend of oils for soothing, antioxidant protection, locking in moisture and helping to eradicate dry patches. I do not tolerate essential oils well so I’ve always appreciated that this was blended without, without skimping on the benefits of these fruit oils. I’d buy again, especially if I found it on for another deal but I might explore more affordable options, even though the bottle does last for ages. I quite like smelling like a salad dressing, which is precisely the scent the natural oils have without essential oils in the mix.

Paula’s Choice Resist Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 ($35 US | 60 mL)

I was really slacking on the sunscreen front over the winter, mainly due to laziness. Once I got myself in gear this season, I found myself finishing a tube of the semi-matte finish tinted sunscreen that I had on the go. Because of the slightly mattifying semi-matte finish of the sunscreen, I tend to need to moisturizer underneath. However, the slightly blurring and smoothing finish coupled with the sheer light beige tint, is really flattering on naked skin. I have a backup and I’ll happily enjoy using as it gets hot and humid over the warmer months. It contains a bunch of antioxidants as well, which I enjoy seeing in a sunscreen.

Cerave Moisturizing Cream ($27.99 CDN | 539 mL)

This cream is probably the closest thing I’ve found to an eczema cure with consistent use. It helps to keep the dry and itchy skin at bay that I scratch and turn into a hot mess. The formula is bland, with fatty alcohols, three kinds of ceramides, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid, dimethicone and petrolatum. It stings less than most creams on the market — I’m prone to stinging — and contains ingredients to help rebuild and reinforce the skin barrier. It’s probably a forever repurchase from me. I also love the jar with a pump on it packaging; the pump is super easy to use and it’s practical to be able to screw off the lid to get the remnants out of the container.

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter Body Butter ($18 CDN | 300 mL)

If I’m not using a fragrance-free barrier-repairing kind of body moisturizer, I’m using one of the Soap and Glory options as a treat because I can actually tolerate them on my eczema prone body, as they have a rich emollient texture and contain fragrance that I love, that isn’t essential oil based, which poses the greatest problem for me personally. My skin can be a bit of a diva, evidently. It’s a warm citrusy floral scent that I find super comforting and the formula has shea butter, coconut oil, cocoa seed butter, glycerin and rosehip oil to help prevent trans epidermal waterloss and the itchy feeling from returning to my body skin. It’s a favourite for a reason. I also enjoy that it’s rich enough to actually make a difference and for me not to go through the tub so quickly.

Curlsmith Wash & Scrub Detox Pro-Biotic ($37.99 CDN | 250 mL)

Another one bites the dust; I’ve finished another tube of my favourite clarifying shampoo. It doesn’t contain traditional sulfates so it’s not overly drying or stripping but it does enough to keep my scalp from getting itchy and flaky and keeps my waves and loose curls looking great. Another bonus is that it doesn’t turn my hair into tangle city, as most clarifying shampoos do. It contains perlite to gently exfoliate the scalp (without real traditional scrub particles that can be irritating), probiotic ingredients to help strengthen the skin barrier — which is obviously a priority of mine after reading this post –, apple cider vinegar and gentler clarifying agents with the ability to remove silicones and heavy oils. It will be another repurchase for sure.

Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Hydrating & Defining Hair Mask ($49 CDN | 236 mL)

Another long-term favourite of mine are these Briogeo masks and deep conditioners. This one was a primarily hydrating mask (that packed a punch despite being lightweight), with some protein, in the form of amino acids in the mix. Interestingly enough, it’s actually advertised as being protein free, despite the fact that there are amino acids high on the ingredient list, and scattered throughout; regardless, I don’t think it’s protein-rich enough to trigger alarm in those with a protein sensitivity. It’s moisturizing and hydrating, with wonderful slip that glides through the knottiest of strands (I can confirm this from experience) while being lightweight yet concentrated. It features sodium PCA, rice amino acids, avocado oil, castor seed oil, sweet almond oil, shea butter, linseed oil, chia seed oil, keratin amino acids, rice extract and hydrolyzed quinoa. I found after using that my curls had a bit of a boost, clumping nicely together. I’m currently using their original mask, but I would definitely consider picking up this one again.

Curlsmith Feather-Light Protein Cream ($35.99 CDN | 237 mL)

This was my second or third tube of what I would have to describe as my holy-grail curl cream. Despite its name, it’s a medium moisture but fairly lightweight curl cream with a hefty dose of protein. I’m onto another tube of this curl cream, as it’s reached backup status in my collection. It simultaneously enhances curls with some bounce, adds control and keep clumps defined and intact. It offers light buildable hold on its own, which makes it great for refreshes, using on its own or layering under a gel, as I do in my humid climate on my high porosity strands. It can give a bit of a fluffier look when used on it’s own, which I’ve grown to enjoy the texture and volume from at this point in my hair journey; this is less of a factor when paired with a harder hold gel. It uses sweet almond oil, hydrolyzed rice protein, hydrolyzed hemp seed extract and shea butter for a good protein-moisture balance on my fine, high porosity but abundant strands.

Curlsmith Curl Defining Styling Souffle ($55.99 CDN | 473 mL)

My go-to combination of stylers on any wash day that I know will give me great results is the previously mentioned cream in combination with this gel-souffle. It’s more of a medium weight gel, offering medium moisture, curl enhancement, humidity-resistance, medium-strong hold and good control. It’s a super concentrated product so this jumbo size squeeze-bottle lasts for months even on my thirsty high porosity waves and curls and it helps encourage my waves and loose curls into a more defined spiral-y shape and it helps my hair to last 3-4 days with minimal refreshing. It uses glycerin, babassu, irish moss, linseed extract, andiroba seed oil and avocado oil and is the most moisturizing gel that I’ve ever tried, without weighing down my fine waves and curls. Seeing as this is my most repurchased hair product of all time, it’s not shocking that I just opened another one of these jumbo-sized bottles for the warmer weather months…

	Greta Babineau on The Essential: La Roche-Posay…
	Vitor Rubiao on I USED UP PRODUCTS #1
	Tucker Cooper on Urban Decay Naked Palette
	beautylit on The Edit \| Curly Girl Method…
	Amber on The Edit \| Curly Girl Method…

7. Garnier Whole Blends 5-in-1 Curl Conditioner ($11.99 CDN | 355 mL)

What have you finished lately?

Any thoughts?

Any favourites to share/general thoughts?

As much as I want to gush about and play tribute to the products that have gotten me through this transition into fall, I think I’m going to lose my mind if I have to stare at this full overflowing bag of empty products for much longer… and this is just the skincare empties to start with.

What products have you finished?Maggie, x.

1. Verb Curl Shampoo ($22-27 CDN | 355 mLs)

What were your favourite products of the year?

Banila Co Clean It Zero Purifying Cleansing Balm ($32.64 CDN | 100 mL)

What have you finished lately?

What have you finished?

What products have you finished?
Maggie, x.