curly hair

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?

The Review | Curls Unleashed Lavish in Lather Sulfate-Free Shampoo

I’m very aware of my recent absence around my favourite escape, my blog, but things have been just so crazy during this semester’s exam period and I have to say this exam period has been my worst – and it’s not ever yet, plus I’ve had pretty horrifying exam experiences in the last three years – but I’m back because I have a few days off to breathe before my final exam and paper and I’ve been missing this. Getting back to the point, I’ve been into putting some more styling effort into my hair and reading and watching curly/wavy hair content and have been inspired to get out more hair-related posts so I figured I would start out with a review. Phew. I had to.

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On my very last trip to Target before it closed down, I picked up the Curls Unleashed Lavish in Lather Sulfate-Free Shampoo ($10 US/$15 CDN) and I have been using slash enjoying it since. It’s marketed towards textured hair as a gentle but effective cleanser that also helps to moisturize and detangle hair and I would have to agree that it meets those claims with a few other benefits. It’s not the most detangling or moisturizing but I have dry hair that tangles like nothing else so the fact that it was not overly tangled or dry after shampooing is a sign in its favour. I don’t tend to be someone who places tons of significance on the scent of the products I use, but I totally love the soap-come-herbal scent of the cleanser that reminds me of that Deva Curl smell, likely because of the hops, lemon and rosemary. What I love about this cleanser is just how suitable it is for those like me who have finer hair and tend to be product junkies but still have fragile and dry hair and are looking for a nourishing, lightweight yet slightly clarifying shampoo. It’s more clarifying than your typical sulfate-free shampoo, yet it doesn’t strip the hair at all or contain your harshest non sulfate cleansers, or irritate my sensitive scalp in the slightest. It’s definitely a great one to grab when your hair is starting to feel a bit limp or weighed down but you don’t want to lose definition as a result and dry your hair out – it straddles the line of being lightweight and effective, whilst being gentle – and it’s definitely one to grab when you have finer hair, especially when you have loads of it like me.

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Ingredient-wise it’s impressive, formulated without silicones or sulfates while still performing in other respects. The cleansing agents are impressive ones, rather than the half-assed slightly-removed-from-sulfate-offerings that many rely on but it still manages to be concentrated and creates a delightful amount of lather.

You can pick this and the rest of the line up at Target if you’re in the US and I believe at Sally’s Beauty Supply almost everywhere. I know for certain that Sally’s stocks it online as do a myriad of other places. Obviously, I’d recommend it to those with finer hair textures looking for a gentle cleanser or really anyone looking for a bit of clarifying actions without any sort of problematic drying or stripping action.

What’s your fave shampoo?
Maggie, x.

 

The Review: OGX Kukui Oil Curl Cream

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You may already be aware that I have the kind of hair that by anyone’s standards is time-consuming and difficult to deal with, even with the best of tools but despite this, I’ve been getting back into hair lately. One of the products that I’ve been enjoying the OGX Kukui Oil Frizz-Defying Curl Cream ($9-12) as when used in addition to a holding product – my choice is the DevaCare Arc AnGel – it helps my loose wavy curls become defined, hydrated and manageable without weighing down the finer front bits that need as much help as they can get. I will emphasize, however, that it’s ot a great product to add curl that was not previously there; it’s more of one that I would deem suitable for those with wavy and curly hair naturally.

I wouldn’t necessarily agree with the absurd claim that the kukui oil would give the formula hair water-proofing abilities but it does help on the frizz front and otherwise does what it promises to. As with most curl creams, silicone is a bit higher on the ingredient list than even the oil itself (but not much and it doesn’t have that heavy feeling) and is paired with a good amount of glycerin that my hair seems to rather enjoy. The texture is lightweight but creamy with a teensy bit of of gelliness to the formula, which I rather enjoy. Unlike most of the more affordable curl creams (and a few of the higher end ones) that I’ve tried, this doesn’t weigh down the hair, coating it with that heavy sensation while still helping to do all that it promises on the smoothing and defining front.

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polyquaternium-69, Polyacrylamide, Fragrance (Parfum), Aleurites Moluccana (Kukui) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Extract, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Dimethiconol, Styrene/VP Copolymer, DMDM Hydantoin, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Yellow 6 (CI 15985).
Have you tried this curl cream?
Maggie, x.

An Affordable Curly-Hair Styling Duo

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If you have hair like mine — fickle, naturally difficult, tangly and long with a variety of curl patterns and limited coherence — a styling cocktail is a difficult feat to discover in itself and it’s even more difficult to find one that doesn’t beat the bank so when I discovered this duo of products that leaves my wavy curls looking their best without breaking the bank due to ridiculous hair porosity. Err, I don’t know if it’s like this for any of you with a similar texture but I have hair that soaks up product like a sponge and I require loads of it to get the intended result so I can get frustrated with pricy products fast.

What are the two products in question, one might ask? Well, they are the OGX Kukui Oil Frizz-Defying Curl Cream ($8-11 CDN)and the Dove Style + Care Nourishing Curls Mousse ($6-8 CDN) and together in my warm-weather hair, create texture and bounce in my hair in a nourishing and controlled manner and I scrunch a moderate amount of the light cream and a much more generous amount of the whipped mousse through my mass of soaking-wet hair when exiting the shower and I later haphazardly diffused it with my ancient hair-dryer and these are the results.

Curl creams are a difficult thing for my hair as they don’t seem to work throughout the cooler months of the year and can seem to not really do anything productive but in pictures where I like my hair, there is always some sort of curl cream going on and this one is a nicer one that I’ve tried, especially at this price point. Rather than being heavy and greasy, this cream has a hydrating but lightweight texture that helps to define curls whilst keeping the hair hydrated and less of a tangly mess. Paired with the Dove mousse as the holding product in the duo, I’m left with texturized, bouncy wavy curls that don’t just hang there. This mousse offering won’t be for everyone, I’m afraid, as it has that creamy texture that does contain some silicones; I’m not usually a fan of silicones but in this product, they seem to keep the hair soft and nourished whilst providing hold and some lift at the roots, rather than leaving the hair a little bit parched. The results aren’t perfect but my hair has been the best I’ve seen it in a while with these products so I can’t complain even slightly.

Do any of you share in my hair woes?

Maggie, x.

 

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Haircare Additions #1

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Lately I’ve been in a bit of a hair mood; although adding Pureology’s Precious Oil Masque has made a world of difference, I’m still working on the routine (my hair is rather problematic), after our exam I celebrated with a few friends, going out to lunch and we decided to hit up the drugstore (Shopper’s Drugmart if you’re curious) as well and this happened. I have hair that resides in the space between wavy and curly and is perhaps the tangliest thing in existence (I get those horrid clumps) and it’s dry but can get kind of dead-looking so I’m someone who really can benefit from some product cocktailing and TLC…

L’Oreal Oleo-Therapy Oil Infused Conditioner ($10.50 CDN)

As life-changing as the aforementioned Pureology masque is, it costs $50 for a container and I have the kind of hair that just drinks up conditioner regardless of how concentrated it is and therefore I’ve been on the lookout for a lower-priced product to alternate with without sacrificing the nourishment. As I’m a fan of the whole sulfate-free range from L’Oreal and being someone whose hair loves oils, I snapped up this product as soon as I spotted it on the packed shelf. It smells divine and I’m feeling optimistic about the high concentration of oils in the ingredients.

Organix Kukui Oil Frizz-Defying Curl Cream ($8 CDN)

I believe this curl cream is also a new product, as I haven’t seen it before and I was pleasantly surprised to find it for a few dollars off. I’ve always been a fan of curl creams (generally used along with a holding product) as they tend to nourish the hair while defining it and preventing it from going as crazy as my hair usually does but after being completely disappointed with the Garnier offering, I haven’t been tempted to pick up another one but my dry tangly hair needs all the help it can get right now.

John Freida Frizz-Ease Dream Curls Daily Styling Spray ($11 CDN)

I’m someone whose hair becomes flat and undefined after being slept on but my hair is much happier when it’s washed quite minimally (twice a week on average) so I struggle with my hair in the morning. I always thought that these refreshing sprays weren’t worth their price tag and then I almost convinced myself to pick up the much pricier Bumble and Bumble alternative but then I saw this – the magnesium sulfate should help define curls, the glycerin and olive oil should help condition the hair and the use of amodimethicone should prevent it from weighing my hair down.

It feels weird doing another ‘products I bought’ type post so soon but I was excited for these three things and I’ll definitely keep you all posted. Have you tried any of these? Hair recommendations for me?

Maggie, x.

 

Top 13 of June 2013

makeup products
Makeup Beauty Favourites

June Beauty Favourites - Skincare and Haircare
June Beauty Favourites – Skincare and Haircare

 

1.Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in 100 Ivory: I’ve been really into natural looking glowy skin and this seems to be the perfect product for this. It provides excellent effortless light-medium buildable coverage. The shade range is atrocious, however and now that I’ve gained a wee bit of colour the lightest shade is almost perfect for my fair but not porcelain skin – I’d say that this shade is a touch lighter than a MAC NW20 and slightly more yellow.

2. Make Up For Ever 5 Concealer Cream Palette in 1: What I really like about this concealer palette is that the five colours together serve all of my concealing and correcting needs. The lightest colour is a nice brightening shade (particularly when I’m at my fairest), the second lightest shade is a perfect match for my skin which is somewhere around an MAC NW15, the yellow-toned shade is perfect for concealing blemishes that are red-toned or simply red-toned areas without having to layer a corrector with the concealer, the green correcter is perfect for correcting redness and the orange corrector is great at offsetting my frighteningly dark undereye circles. Their lasting power is good, their coverage is definitely full and they can be blended into the skin very easily. The only thing I find is that on my dry undereyes and patches, the concealer is a touch too dry.

3. MAC Harmony Powder Blush: This is a great contouring powder that suits a variety of skintones – fair to medium (and perhaps a bit darker, but I’m not completely sure). It is very pigmented and for this reason, I have to be quite careful with my application of the product and I find it easier to use when I have a bit more colour. The powder contour is a medium-toned brown with reddish undertones (without an ounce of orange in it) that creates a natural yet effective contour especially for those of us with cooler-undertones (although it still looks nice on those with neutral and warm undertones). Although it is not golden, I can use it to both contour and add a bit of colour elsewhere.

4. MAC Dazzlelight eyeshadow: The highlighting shade has a lovely sheen without being overly shimmery – I don’t feel like it contributes to shimmer overkill when worn with other shimmery colours – and is a light golden-champagne that leans quite yellow. I use it both to highlight my eyes (I have also used it as a face highlight and it worked nicely!) and as a light lid colour for everyday. It also has a really nice texture to work with.

5. NARS Kalahari eyeshadow duo: What really stands out about this duo is its smooth and blendable texture and the uniqueness of the shadows. The lighter colour on the left of the duo is a shimmery pale gold that is fairly neutral-toned but it pulls slightly cool. The darker colour on the right of the duo is a medium taupey-brown that has mauve undertones and a sheen to it. For easy and quick everyday makeup I wear the lighter shade on the lid and the darker in the crease and it looks great on my blue eyes but they also are great shadows when playing with other colours. The shadows have really great lasting power under a base/primer on my creasing-prone eye lids.

6. MAC Stereo Rose Mineralize Skinfinish: I’ve used this product in both of my looks that I’ve posted and I’ve really making good use of this product – I use it as a blush but it can also be used as a highlighter, it depends on your skintone – this month. It’s a very smooth, shimmery but not overly glittery pink-based coral with bronze-veining that lasts for a good amount of time on the skin. It’s quite a versatile colour, going with many different looks and does not require additional highlighter. It’s limited edition but has been repromoted several times – I talk about alternatives to this colour in my Naked Palette FOTD.

7. Bobbi Brown Rose Pot Rouge: Lately I’ve been using this warm rose cream product on my lips as an everyday sort of colour – it’s flattering on me without being very dramatic at all. It’s very versatile, as it can be worn with pretty much any look and I apply it in two different ways – patted onto the lips for a bit of colour or applied more intensely with a lip brush.

L-R: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation, MUFE Concealer palette swatched from l-r as they appear in the palette, MAC Harmony, MAC Dazzlelight, Nars Kalahari, MAC Stereo Rose MSF, Bobbi Brown Rose Pot Rouge, Maybelline On Fire Red
L-R: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation, MUFE Concealer palette swatched from l-r as they appear in the palette, MAC Harmony, MAC Dazzlelight, Nars Kalahari, MAC Stereo Rose MSF, Bobbi Brown Rose Pot Rouge, Maybelline On Fire Red – without flash

same as above with flash - I apologize for the messy swatches :)
same as above with flash – I apologize for the messy swatches 🙂

8. Maybelline ‘The Vivids’ Colorsensational Lipstick in On Fire Red: I adore the look of a red lip, but I usually find them high-maintenance and difficult to pull of but neither of the aforementioned things are issued with this lipstick. Because of the glossy but not frosty or shimmery finish of the lipstick, it is not particularly long-lasting, however on a more positive note it is a nice moisturizing formula. The colour is a bright red that leans slightly cool – it’s a very true red. Whenever I want to look glamorous and polished, I reach for this lipstick.

Note: So, I’ve been rather skincare obsessed and because of this obsession, a blog post on my routine is underway and therefore I’ll try to keep my descriptions brief.

9. Caudalie Vinosource Quendching Sorbet-Creme: This is a soothing, lightweight, fast-absorbing yet very hydrating moisturizer. I think it may be my favorite moisturizer that I have ever tried (and I’ve tried a lot). It contains antioxidants in stable packaging (which is nice) and the only downside is its inclusion of potentially-irritating fragrance.

10. Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion: This is a really great exfoliating toner that contains 0.5% BHA (salicylic acid) to exfoliate beneath the surface of the skin and improve clarity of the skin without any of the harsh irritants (fragrance and drying alcohols). This is a very effective yet gentle chemical exfoliant.

11. Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser: This is one of those extremely gentle cleansers that does not contain any of the common irritants (alcohol, detergents, etc.) and does not strip the skin whatsoever, It doesn’t lather, is somewhat difficult to rinse and does not remove makeup well but nevertheless I adore it! I mentioned this before in my Drugstore Essentials post (and will talk about it again when I talk of my routine).

12. L’Oreal Professionnel Intense Repair Nutrition Masque: I’ve always liked the L’Oreal Professional masques (although I’ve always used them as a regular conditioner) but this one by far is my favourite. I have very long hair that is curly, is prone to split ends and is rather dry and using this product I noticed a definite improvement in the health of my hair and it went months longer without developing split ends. My only annoyance is that is does contain silicones (amodimethicone- which is not water soluble but does not build up on the hair and is not an issue for me). It is ultra-hydrating, provides great slip for detangling and does not weigh my hair down. I believe it contains low amounts of protein.

13. Devacurl b’Leave In: I have an insane amount of fine-textured wavy-curly hair and this product really gives my curls a boost, making them bouncier and more voluminous. The name of the product is rather misleading as it is by no means a leave-in conditioner but rather is a leave-in protein treatment (wheat protein so not ideal for those with gluten-sensitivity) but is the only product I’ve ever tried that gives this sort of boost to my hair. It should be followed by a holding product for best results as it has no hold on its own – i also use gel and/or mousse.

I was thinking about making the top 13 essentials for every month a series – any thoughts? I would love to hear about what everybody else has been loving!