eczema

The Review | Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Polish

I’m not one that has experience with body scrubs because I have always regarded them as a needless expense and an unnecessary stage in the whole bath or shower routine that I did not want to take extra time doing – also there is the fact that my easily bothered skin, suffering from eczema, has a reactive tendency towards abrasive products has my much less temped to try any sort of products of this variety. Despite this hesitation, I picked up the Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Polish ($18/300 mL) when Shopper’s Drugmart was offering a 3/2 promotion months back and I’ve grown to really enjoy it even with all of the odds stacked against it.

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The scrub is marketed towards flaky skin, particularly on the legs, and promises to smooth the skin, turning “scaly legs from reptilian to radiant”, which it does while being suitable for skin that’s sensitive, irritated and broken out in some mild to moderate eczema patches, smoothing out flaky patches of skin. Because it includes sea salt as the main exfoliating ingredient, the packaging warns against applying the scrub to irritated skin or abrasions, however, I find that it can be applied sparingly without problem to all skin except the most severe patches and abrasions, likely because there are no microbeads and it instead uses gentler salt, sugar and peach seed powder particles and is formulated with with rich butters and oils that lasts even after the product itself is removed. The residue is lovely, allowing for an easy smooth shave with the most minimal irritation and the smoothest legs afterwards, even on those of us with legs of the reptilian variety.

Ingredients: Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Maris Sal (Sea Salt), Sucrose, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysorbate 20, PEG-100 Stearate, Parfum (Fragrance), Prunus Persica (Peach) Seed Powder, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Dipropylene Glycol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, BHT, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone.

I also adore the lingering scent that Soap & Glory refers to as the ‘Original Pink’ fragrance; its an unoffensive warm scent that reminds me of Miss Dior with a bit of vanilla-esque sweetness, spice and calming sophistication.

The bottom line? The Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Polish has converted me to scrubs because of its ease of use even on irritated skin, actually actively helping a bit with eczema patches, leaving everything smooth and much less flaky, rather than being irritating. It hits the perfect midpoint between being effectively smoothing, sloughing off dead skin cells without being abrasive.

What’s your favourite scrub?
Maggie, x.

The Essential: La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP

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I do apologize for bombarding you with posts featuring the La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP Anti-Irritation Anti-Scratching Lipid-Replenishing Body Balm ($29.99/39.99) with this raving review after featuring it in my recent empties post but it’s due time that I share my intense love for this product in due detail. This is likely going to sound oxymoronic, however, the amazing thing about this body moisturizer is that while it doesn’t perform instant miracles, the ingredients are backed and the product as a whole does what it says; there’s no sort of ridiculous marketing gimmick. As the lengthy descriptive title would suggest, it’s supposed to provide anti-scratching relief to dry skin for 24 hours by replenishing lipids while having a fast-absorbing and rich creamy texture. I don’t agree that the intense relief after merely applying it once, but otherwise I do agree with the claims, as it presumably helps to stop the cycle of itchy skin through rebuilding the moisture barrier and it does certainly replenish and soothe severely, dry itchy skin. My only warning with the soothing thing is that it can really sting when applied over skin that you have already scratched and irritated because of the nature of applying cream on such skin but on the positive side, it’s a powerful way of trying to reduce the amount I scratch my eczema – knowing that I’m going to apply this cream later works as motivation. It should be noted that the soothing and anti-itching situation comes around over time and does not instantly remove all urges to itch ever – the itchiness becomes reduced over time.

Although this is a drugstore product, it’s not exactly the cheapest product but I think it’s certainly worth the extra few dollars because of the impressive ingredient list. It might seems no-frills at first glance, filled with basic emollients and nothing interesting like irritating alcohol or fragrance, but this is something that I look for. The nice concentration of Glycerin and Shea Butter is nice but the quantity of the antioxidant known as Niacinamide that has been proven to help tremendously in restoring the barrier that leads to irritation like eczema and serves as an anti-irritant. For my eczema at least, I’ve become dependent on this cream for nourishing the skin in typical moisturizer fashion as well as helping to treat the condition.

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Have you tried anything from La Roche-Posay?
Maggie, x.

I Used Up Products #4

DSC_1358I’m still on that I-now-have-time-to-blog-relax-sleep-and-bathe high but I’m doubly as excited to be bringing you a long overdue empties post that includes what I think are more interesting products. Alas, there are still no makeup items to be found…

DSC_1361Garnier Clean + Nourishing Cleansing Oil ($10-12 CDN) | review

In short, I really enjoyed using and might have even loved this budget-friendly cleansing oil but the packaging has irritated me to no end, spilling and leaking everywhere, refusing to dispense the last of the product and the label easily rolling off. It’ s a good one, effective at removing makeup – but I’m sure there are slightly more hardcore ones to be found – and leaving the skin (and eyes) cleansed and nourished with no sign of irritation. I’m still on the hunt trying other cleansing oil options but I would recommend this one packaging aside and I might very well return to it.

By Nature Organic Rosehip Oil ($13/26 CDN)

Being interested in the benefits of oils, rosehip in particular, I picked this amber-tinged bottle up from Winners maybe a year ago and it has been well loved and easily worth the money. I was using it as a nighttime treatment or dry, irritated skin treatment but over the last few much I had switched up my routine and had been applying it as a serum for extra oomph – and I loved it like that. It definitely does what it claims to, deeply nourishing and soothing the skin with its dry oil texture and helping to brighten the skin and reduce hyperpigmentation over time. I would definitely repurchase but I may be receiving a different oil variation in a little less than two weeks, if you know what I’m getting at.

La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense ($29.99 CDN) | review

I picked this “localized redness intensive serum” back in the spring when I was hankering to introduce a daily serum into my routine and while there was nothing outwardly bad about the product in the slightest, I harbored lukewarm feelings towards it. I enjoyed that it was in stable packaging, was rather affordable and that it was fragrance free, but it fell short of the claims merely providing some extra hydration and a little bit of soothing action. I don’t plan on repurchasing but I wouldn’t completely count it out as my skin didn’t have any adverse reaction to it.

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Aveeno Eczema Care Body Wash ($13.99 CDN)

While this is one of the most dull-sounding products ever, this soap and fragrance free body wash has to be one of my holy-grail products as it soothes and does not irritate my quite severe eczema on my body and my general extremely sensitive skin. It’s rather nice for shaving too – and I will keep on purchasing this, obviously. I’d tell anyone with dry or sensitive skin to give this a go.

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP Lipid Replenishing Body Care ($29.99 CDN)

Yet again, this is quite a basic-sounding product but it’s equally as much of a live-saver because of – you guessed it – my extremely irritated skin that suffers from eczema. It’s formulated without alcohol, fragrance or any of that irritating stuff and does not only include soothing and hydrating ingredients to combat skin issues; there’s a heady quantity of niacinamide, a cell-communicating ingredient that aids in the repair of the skin barrier that can reduce itching in the future and present the condition from reforming. It’s not a miracle cure but it’s the best thing that I’ve tried. I will warn you, however, that because the cream is rich but lightweight and not a balm or butter texture, it does sting over really irritated areas which isn’t so much fun – however, that does provide an incentive not to scratch. If you suffer from dry skin and general itchiness, I would give this a go.

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L’Oreal Oleo-Therapy Oil-Infused Conditioner ($7.99 CDN)

It appears that I have forgotten to photograph this budget-friendly conditioner but I’m committed to including it anyway. It was a nice rich but not overly heavy conditioner that was impressively potent for a drugstore offering, formulated with oils and without silicones. However, it wasn’t mind blowingly amazing and I would purchase it again, but I might be tempted to try different variations from L’Oreal’s line first. My only hesitation is that the mineral-oil in the formula might be weighing my hair down slightly but overall, I find this to be comparable to these higher end oil-enriched conditioners.

Pureology Precious Oil Softening Hair Masque ($50-55 CDN)

Once again, product from the Pureology Hair Care range does not disappoint on either of the three fronts, the spa-esque fragrance one, the efficacy side or the concentration front. I have an inkling suspicion that its luxury ranges like this one that the L’Oreal Oleo-Therapy line was designed to emulate and while I can see the comparison, this luxurious masque delivers results that are worth the increased price tag. With using this 2/3 washes on my huge mass of long wavy curls, this lasted very close to a year which is rather legendary, detangled hair phenomenally and left my hair very nourished without being weighed down in the slightest. This is on the repurchase list, although I might try one from a different Pureology range because I’m curious. There’s also the fact that I’ve gotten more compliments about how I smell after using products from Pureology than I have wearing any fragrance. And it has a heady concentration of oils and does not contain silicones.

Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair ($40 CDN)

I actually finished up this heat-protectant come leave-in conditioner ages ago but I just spotted it in my emtpies bag and had to talk about it. My only qualm with the product is that it doesn’t have a super-rich texture and that its rather expensive for the limited amount of product that you get but I think it’s a phenomenal leave-in styler/treatment if you don’t want to weigh down your hair and you have hair that cannot tolerate a lot of conditioning products. I enjoyed the effect the protein had on my hair and that it was not loaded with a ton of fillers, particularly when I used it prior to blow drying and/or straightening my hair as it left that smooth but lightweight feel. I’m not sure if I would repurchase it based on the sheer quantity of hair that I have and the fact that it contains dimethicone near the end of the ingredient list.

Bumble and Bumble Texture Hair (Un) Dressing Creme ($17/32.75 CDN)

As I mentioned in Saturday’s wishlist post, I’ve recently finished up my two ounce bottle of this versatile texturizing cream-gel and am sad to see the tube end. I will be repurchasing this. Two things that are really great about this Bumble and Bumble gem is that its mega-concentrated and that it works well across different hair conditions. I like it on my wavy-curly hair as it enhances curl while adding volume, texture and grittiness to my hair which I definitely need on the first few days of a wash. I love it, I just wish there wasn’t any silicones in it at all, but at least they only occur at the halfway point of the ingredient list. I also enjoy that this has a great deal of hold, especially considering that it is a cream product.

DSC_1362Bath & Body Works Mini Candles in Pumpkin Caramel Latte, Wasabi Apple and Flannel ($3/12)

Given my candle-burning obsession that began at the end of the summer, you had to be expecting that some candle empties would be appearing soon. While I enjoyed all three candles, I can easily place the three candles in a hierarchical order in this manner. I liked the typical-caramel scented Pumpkin Caramel Latte candle but wouldn’t rush out to buy it again because I might be getting caramel’d out and the scent is potent enough on this mini candle that I would be hesitant to pick up the three-wick version. I really enjoyed the unique Wasabi Apple candle and will certainly pick up another if the scent returns – the fresh apple scent was mellowed down with a cut of wasabi and I liked how relaxing and refreshing it was. The Flannel candle was definitely my favourite and it might just be my favourite candle scent ever and I went to repurchase the larger size of this scent a while back and was heartbroken to learn that it was only available as part of the Fall line-up. It has that slightly masculine and spicy vibe that Mahogany Teakwood shares paired with more of a rich muskiness, a pinch of citrus and less woodiness. I will be snapping this candle up the next time I spot it, believe me.

 What products have you finished up as of late?
Maggie, x.

The Repurchases

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When you’re as beauty-obsessed as I am, indecisive to a fault to boot and easily bored, it’s rare that a product is impressive enough to warrant a repurchase so it speaks volumes when one is repurchased. In fact, when a repurchase occurs it must be nothing short of fantastic and I’ve gathered a few repurchases to share as of late. I’m not going to lie, this is totally inspired by Kate’s posts that I enjoy tremendously. Let’s get to it….

Bioderma Sensibio H2O($22)

I’ve raved about my love of the cult-favourite micellar water more than a time or two before but it is easily my most repurchased beauty product. Just like everyone and their second cousin twice removed suggests, it removes makeup like a champ gently, especially on the eye area when held to the lid for some seconds, but effectively and it’s the only thing that doesn’t ever go wonky in my dry sensitive eyes. It’s the gentlest thing out there.

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP ($29.99)

This nourishing but lightweight body cream is definitely a more recent repurchase for me but it is an impressive one all the same. It’s formulated without fragrance, colour and the usual irritants and not only helps to intensely hydrate the skin and heal any sort of abrasions and skin condition, but also helps to decrease itchiness of my leg eczema over time. This is a great one for eczema in my experience for it is no frills where it counts but has a nice dose of niacinimide to help repair the barrier of the skin with the usual glycerin and shea butter.

Caudalie Vinosource Riche Intense Moisture Rescue Cream ($40)

Although I feel that including this moisturizer love of mine in a post here to be cheating, I couldn’t write this post without including it. If you’ve been around these parts for ages, you can probably recall how I loved the Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet back in 2013 and so after I finished up the REN moisturizer that I had been using, I couldn’t resist turning back to my old faithful line but I decided to purchase the slightly more nourishing option considering the season. I’m pleased to report that this offering is still lightweight and even more nourishing and soothing than the lighter option. It has that instant ‘breath of fresh air’ effect on the skin that makes me feel like it’s a treatment at the same time.

Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express Mascara ($8-9)

This was easily the most-hyped up mascara in the beauty world a few years ago and I tried it on account of that hype but to this day I haven’t found any mascara that surpasses this affordable one. It adds great volume with a little bit of length and curl thrown in but doesn’t go clumpy on the lashes and give that spider effect – even when the formula is at its wetter stage when it has recently been opened. It also doesn’t flake, smudge or anything but is not actually a nuisance to remove as many others seem to. This is at least my third tube of this mascara and I’ve felt horribly bereft without it, despite having way too many mascara bottles in my possession at the moment.

Have you repurchased anything as of late?
Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #33

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1. The necessary tools for surviving a Monday, even if it’s the first authentic one you’ve had in ages… The friend that allows you to cry about your life to and make inappropriate jokes to without judgment is not shown, but there nevertheless. Anyways, if you’re ever in Halifax (yes in the Canadian Maritimes) and you’re into that whole cafe situation, I highly recommend Coburg Coffee. Their food in general, and in particular their breakfast bagels are also fantastic.

2. The post that had me genuinely hysterical… Vanessa, a fellow Canadian, shares my sense of humour apparently and had me keeled over with her ‘Some (Sarcastic) Tips to Become a Popular Blogger’ over at Citron & Guavaberry.

3. The product that you need in your life if the first words you’d use to describe your legs/arms/other body part would be itchy, eczema-ridden, dry and/or scarred… Like pretty much any product in existence, the La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP will make patches with open abrasions burn but it doesn’t have any irritating ingredients and actually works to help prevent itchiness and other nastiness in the future, with its high niacinamide content. It also absorbs in seconds, working without that greasy residue.

4. Charlotte Tilbury lusting reignited… I had just about given up on trying the legendary makeup artists beauty line because (a) I have no income and (b) it’s not impossible to get her products shipped to Canada, but it’s ridiculously ridiculously monstrously expensive but when I saw Allana haul some of her treasures from Beautylish and say that they waved the $20 shipping fee from her first order, I was excited. As much as I’d love the Filmstar Bronze & Glow, the price-tag is a little steep by any stretch of the imagination, especially compared to other treasures like the Dolce Vita Luxury Palette.

5. Favourite overall makeup face and photo of the week… I’m not in love with the whole yellow undereyes situation which I have to blame on my laziness — I was lazy and attempted to use my face concealer underneath my eyes. I’m wearing the gorgeous L’Oreal Ginger Pop Glossy Balm, Bourjois Sweet Cherry Cream Blush, Smashbox Cherry Smokes Eyeshadow Palette and the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation. I’m somewhat partial to my hair as well here, so yay.

6. One moisturizer finished … I mentioned this already but I was a good little beauty-obsessed individual and actually used up a product before moving onto the closest light-reflective object. T’was nice but not life-changing enough to repurchase, in short.

7. My ‘Project 10 Pan’ post… Not only was I a fan of how this post turned out but I also have been enjoying the whole committing to use up products thing and not buying as many things endlessly. Woo.

8. A final moment of shameless self-promotion … Not only was I pleased with actually getting an actual product review out there, I was particularly happy with how it turned out and the photos that went with it. And, I kind of love the product in itself, the MAC Kinda Sexy Lipstick.

In case you didn’t notice, I tried something a little different for this week’s round-up and I’m feeling the less-focused informal style. I haven’t been back to university for an entire week yet but I’m already bogged down with readings and that all that accompanying fatigue already. I’ll stop crying about my life now. Erm, let’s just say that Fall doesn’t appear to have begun here by any means and it’s been so very hot hot hot here. I swear to god I’ve slept in a sports bra and short shorts above the covers and still have been dying of heat. I’m not meant for a hot-climate obviously.

How was your week?
Maggie, x.

July Favourites

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This July was one of the worst months I’ve had in a while, to be honest, but I’ll spare you from too many of the details. I’m really not looking for sympathy either — in fact, I abhor the whole institution of writing things just to look for sympathy (genuine or otherwise) from others, so don’t mistake this. However, I have been loving beauty products and I must say that it’s been a particularly good month for product loving — and this month I haven’t had loads of time or energy for makeup and beauty experimentation so there’s a low-fuss theme going on.

Origin’s Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask ($28)

This was one of those products I had always wanted to try as many who I read with similar dehydration concerns to me seem to rave about this but it’s not stocked on the Sephora website and it’s not easily available anywhere close to me so I didn’t fully add it to the shopping list but when I went in to pick up the Hourglass Ambient Palette, I spotted this on the shelves and I couldn’t resist. It was amazing from first use, feeling lightweight and ultra-soothing on the skin, providing intense hydration with that slightly belly oil-rich feeling. I think this one might just beat out my The Body Shop one but I can’t be too sure. It does smell heavenly but I’m not a fan of scented skincare and could easily do without the peach fragrance. It’s truly intensively hydrating and not particularly thick feeling and actually can vastly improve dry flaky skin overnight.

L’Oreal Sublime Sun Alcohol-Free Quick Dry SPF 50 Sheer Finish Spray ($18)

I really never expected to include a body sunscreen in one of these favourites posts but here I am, once again surprising myself. I love the ease of spray sunscreens (as many others do) but I have easily irritated skin and suffer from eczema and some body acne (fun stuff) and this neither irritates with alcohol content, feels greasy or causes breakouts while providing solid sun protection. It does need a little bit of rubbing in in my experience but it’s so much easier and fuss-free than a lotion formula.

 Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream ($20/39)

After my lovely cousin picked this authentic Korean BB Cream up for me at Sasa in Hong Kong last summer, I became really obsessed with the stuff until Summer ended and forgot about its loveliness, especially as an all-in-one skincare-makeup hybrid product but I’ve been gradually adding it back into the routine and this month it’s been an essential. I don’t love it as a foundation as much as Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet etc. but the medium-coverage base provides fabulous sun protection and moisture while still looking fairly natural and glowy on the skin. I’m not someone who usually experiences oxidation but this one actually does and when it changes tone it looks phenomenal (not when you just put it on and this is why I’ve probably been neglecting this one). Another word of advice is that these sunscreen-heavy bases need to be worked into the skin well in order to have the desired effect in my experience. However, when I went to a music festival last summer this was a lifesaver – and a timesaver. You can order from the brand’s American site if you’re interested, by the way.

Nivea Vanilla & Macadamia Lip Butter ($4)

With such sensitive and perpetually-chapped lips, lip treatments are essential for me and as a result, you’ll hear about them loads on the pages here. It’s not a miracle treatment but this affordable balm has been a savior for hydrating my lips without ever causing them to become irritated. It can give a milky cast to the lips but the balmy formula instantly soothes and brings moisture to the lips without any weird smell, taste or anything.

Now Solutions 100% Natural Shea Butter ($20)

Somewhere in the early phase of the month, I did something (presumably) that caused quite the painful and unsightly eczema flare-up on my legs and unfortuantely there doesn’t seem to be a miracle cure or fix for the whole itchy situation, applying this basic cream twice daily has helped to soothe the area, prevent itching and help to calm the situation more quickly. As of now, I’m pleased to report that the basic formula has helped my legs to recover tremendously.

L’Oreal Glam Bronze Mono in Universal Sun ($15-16)

I will admit that I’ve raved about this pigmented red-toned matte bronzer numerous times in the last month but in truth I have only done so because the formula and the colour are both so phenomenal. The smooth powder offers impressive buildable pigmentation that remains effortless to blend into the skin. It’s also nice that it wears like a champ. It’s not the most cool-toned or non-orangey of bronzers, with quite a strong red undertone and warmth to it but it is the perfect hue to add that natural-looking sun-kissed hue to the skin.

Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Milan Moment ($14-16)

This is yet another rather pricy (for a product of the drugstore variety) product that I’ve mentioned my love for more than once or twice and have been wearing most of the time. Despite being a stain, the formula does not dry out lips, even after the flattering balmy ‘gloss’ has worn off completely. The lightweight stains also don’t highlight dry patches or textural problems on the lips like thicker formulas can and I’ve been addicted to the summery sheer-but-buildable muted tangerine hue.

MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Quiet Brunette ($21)

In the last year or so, I’ve become addicted to the results of filling in at least the sparse areas of my brows on a daily basis but in all honesty, I don’t love the effort it can take, especially lately as I haven’t been going all out on my makeup and this tinted brow gel seems to be the perfect solution. The cool-toned light brown hue matches my hair to a t, adding invisible looking definition to the brows that tend to look hairlike. True to its name, it stays in place on the brows until you remove it and can be worn alone for subtler brows or worn alongside some powder or pencil for more of a full-on look – but I’ve been just reaching for this one and it’s suited my laziness nicely.

MAC Eyeshadow in Woodwinked, Soft Brown & Smut ($12/18)

This month I’ve been using my MAC palette consistently and have fallen back in love with new colours to the palette and an old-standby — they are easy shadows to work with and consistently fabulous quality so they have suited my minimalistic mood nicely. The ever-popular antiqued-gold Woodwinked was rediscovered early in the month and I’ve become addicted to applying it all over the lid and blending it well to achieve that coppery hue, generally paired with some lazy-girl liner of some kind. The warm-tan matte Soft Brown and the dirty brown-taupe Smut were additions made throughout the month that I’ve been relying on equally as much. Smut is the perfect shade for smoking out the lashline and adding definition to the crease as it’s an interesting hue and doesn’t have much fallout while still delivering on the pigmentation front and Soft Brown has proven itself as worth the hype, being thrown through the crease for some depth as well as some transitioning-colour goodness. Oh MAC Eyeshadows, how I love thee…

What was your staple product from June?
Maggie, x.

Winter Essentials Edit – The Miscellanious Edition

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It’s taken a bit of adjustment to get back into the swing of things blogging-wise now that school has started up again even though I was only off for a month and this post was long overdue, a companion to my recent makeup post. This is going to be a little more chaotic and disorganized – a summary of the beauty bits that have proved essential to me in this winter weather when it’s difficult to muster the effort to lift yourself out of bed in the morning.

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark Nail Polish ($9-10 CDN)

Recently I’ve mentioned that I’ve turned into a usual nail-painter but I haven’t been mentioning particular products because I can’t commit to anything, ever but this polish may be the exception to the rule – before starting the blog, this was the only nail polish that I mustered the effort to apply over and over again but then I lost it and it was tragic but luckily I got a mini-size for Christmas again. As cliched as it is, I love the vampy almost-black-but-not-quite shade, particularly in the winter with purple-undertones and a opaque cream finish. It has good longevity on the nails and is almost fully opaque after one coat. Because of the darkness of the shade, it makes a statement of sorts but doesn’t involve the effort of pairing everything with of a red or bright.

Essie Maximillian Strasse-Her Polish ($8 CDN/ 6)

I know I’m horrible for including a limited edition polish from what I believe was the Spring 2013 but I picked this up recently at the Canadian version of the TK/TJ Maxx enterprise called Winners which I’ve recently become very interested in rummaging around through. In the last few months, I’ve grew a little bit tired of the red polish and I think this is an alternative option that still is seasonally appropriate with it’s wintry iciness. The formula of the polish is phenomenal, very opaque and it lasts on my nails for the longest of any polishes I’ve tried – I can get a week out of this on my chipping-prone nails. The colour is a paled-out dirty green with a greyish lean to it, which does not sound attractive but I love it. It’s a lighter and dirtier version of the famous (but also limited edition) Mermaid’s Tears, that is my staple summer polish.

China Glaze Nail Polish in Ingrid ($8 CDN)

Years ago, when I was going through one of my brief periods when I was determined to give nail polish a go (before quickly abandoning the seemingly futile effort) I picked this one up after OPI You Don’t Know Jacques was sold out pretty much everywhere and the salesgirl told me this one was very similar. The formulation is fantastic (as all of these mentioned are as I’m very impaired at nail polish application), not quite as long-lasting as the Essie but it wears for a long time and applies very opaque with minimal streaking. I’m beginning to notice that I seem to like slightly-grungy and dirty colours; yet again this is a dark taupe with fine golden-brown microshimmer running throughout and it’s much more amazing than this description is suggesting. I usually hate shimmery and absolutely detest sparkly polishes but this one is the exception for me. It’s easier to wear on my warm-leaning skin because it leans slightly more on the brown side.

Aveeno Skin-Relief Body Wash ($8 CDN)

I suffer from eczema along with generally very sensitive body skin and this is a great gentle body wash that does not irritate my skin even in it’s fragile state. I didn’t realize that this contained fragrance as it’s hardly detectable and non-irritating but I do want to give the fragrance-free one a go sometime. The worst eczema I suffer is on my legs and it’s quite painful and by far this is the best thing to shave my legs with due to it’s gentleness and the instant hydration in provides. I sort of can’t believe I’m talking about body wash but alas…

Indeed Labs Pepta-Bright Serum ($40 CDN)

With sore winter dry and irritated skin, a chemical-exfoliant with acids sounds like the last thing you need but it’s been a saviour for me. The formulation of this serum is hydrating but concentrated with the lactic acid that exfoliates the skin without being abrasive and it’s one of the only things that has helped to reduce the severity of the dry patches I do get. It doesn’t burn on the skin either and beats manual exfoliation in ways other than gentleness, as it helps with pigmentation and dullness – the latter which is a large concern of mine and I imagine it to be an issue that many face with winter pale skin.

By Nature Organic Rosehip Oil ($26/13 CDN)

I’m an avid blog reader myself and before I was always dismissive when I read posts boasting about the wonders of oils on the complexion. It’s not that I was worried about the oiliness or anything of that sort but more of that I’d been down that road before with minimal success. This one has been a recent addition in my routine every night and every morning or two, bringing much-needed radiance to my face paired on top of moisturizer (or the serum above). It really seems to moisturize and soothe irritated and dry skin but also works wonders on angry breakouts – but mine are the dry itchy kind so keep that in mind. This was another purchase from Winners.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment ($26 CDN)

This glorified lip balm is very expensive and I haven’t purchased a tube as I’m still working on the sample from the Sephora birthday gift but as much as I hate to say it, it’s worth it. I have naturally dry and chapped lips and this performs the best at hydrating them after the balm wears off rather than just coating the lips which many others do. It outperforms the close contender, the more affordable and popular EOS balms.

Pureology Precious Oil Softening Hair Masque ($50 CDN)

Yes, this masque is ridiculously expensive and I’ve only used it a handful of times but I already know it’s worth it. I have the kind of hair that is death to untagle, eats up conditioner and is difficult to keep hydrated and this product is worth it to me. It has that amazing spa-like scent but I would purchase this even without the scent – It’s one of the rare masques that actually is concentrated and a quarter size is more moisturizing than palmfuls of other (not cheap) intensive conditioners and I rarely find that. It doesn’t weigh down my insanely dense mass of fine-textured wavy hair while leaving it feeling nourished for longer than a few hours. I find it keeps the hair soft and helps my hair to curl in the way I like. It’s beautiful, that is all; it’s that perfect wintry hair-saving treatment.

Bumble & Bumble Texture (Un)dressing Creme ($17/34 CDN)

I’ve rambled on about this before but in the winter my hair really begins to lack life and just hang and regardless of your hair type, this treasure adds texture and vitality without tangling and drying the hair. This has really become a staple product when you’re headed out the door in a minute or two and your hair is catastrophically flat and dull.

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Maggie

What are your winter essentials? Have you used any of these?