ilia super serum skin tint

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?

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?

21 Products of 2021

I’m doing it! For the last number of months, I’ve had a list in the works of products I discovered and fell in love with in 2021. Every year — I think but don’t mark my words, I might have missed one — I’ve been writing a blog post detailing my favourites from at least one category of beauty, it’s been some time since I did a whole roundup. It might be coming late, but it’s here!

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

This uber-gentle scrub-come-shampoo is my clarifying shampoo of choice. I don’t experience any build up (even with my more richer products used and heavy hand) using this every couple of wash days and have a happy scalp that doesn’t randomly start itching and flaking (which I’m prone to especially in the winter). It doesn’t contain either of the harsher sulfates that can be stripping (and you know give me dermatitis so there’s that) but can still remove build-up from silicones, oils and the like with the selection of potent but still gentler detergents it contains. I don’t really care about the vinegar and probiotic ingredients used because I don’t think they have enough contact with the hair to lead to benefit but I appreciate the humectants and other hydrating ingredients that keeps the shampoo gentle. This doesn’t ever leave my curls and waves stripped or looking less defined, even without a deep conditioner afterwards.

Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Repair Shampoo ($11.96 CDN | 384 mL)

This was my favourite gentle shampoo that I happily used in between uses of the more clarifying Curlsmith shampoo. It was actually a rediscovery rather than a discovery, but it’s so great, even if a regular shampoo might seem quite boring. It doesn’t contain the traditional sulfates that are prone to giving me scalp dermatitis and are overly drying, instead containing a blend of gentler surfactants, including cocomidopropyl betaine that is really good at removing silicones and oil buildup, shea butter, honey, yogurt, matura seed oil, baobab seed oil and coconut oil. The result is a really gentle shampoo that lathers without tangling up the hair and while providing slip. The scent is a lot but it’s a nice calming perfume-y one. It hits the right balance of cleaning the scalp and removing some buildup, while being gentle and moisturizing. It’s also nice that it’s affordable and lasts me months and months.

Pureology Hydrate Sheer Conditioner ($40 CDN | 266 mL)

For years, I’ve basically put regular rinse-out conditioners to the side, preferring to use deep conditioners in the place of a rinse-out. However, this was the year when not only did I get into using regular rinse-out conditioners, I actually have gotten to the point with my hair that I can rinse out all of my conditioner. This minty conditioner does contain isopropyl alcohol but this is not an issue, provided that you are rinsing it out. It has amazing slip, great medium but lightweight moisture with oils, hydrolyzed wheat protein and wheat amino acids and contains menthol and peppermint oil for a soothing and comforting minty sensation and smell. I avoid menthol and anything minty in skincare but I enjoy it, especially for soothing a scalp that is less than pleased. It detangles snarls like a champ and leads to great curl clumping. I’ve thought about actually going for a salon size of this conditioner, I’ve enjoyed it so much — and you get way better value with the salon sizes.

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

Given how well my fine but dense waves respond to protein, I’m kind of shocked (on a level) that my top deep conditioner discovery of the year only contains small amounts of protein and instead focuses on moisture. It’s a great one for adding a bit of strength with the moisture and TLC it brings. It has a nice light scent that most likely won’t bother anyone, offers out of this world slip and solid medium moisture without being heavy at all, even on finer textures with less density that I have. It features the humectant sodium pca, rice amino acids, avocado oil, castor seed oil, sweet almond oil, shea butter, linseed seed oil, chia seed oil, keratin amino acids, rice extract and hydrolyzed quinoa (at the very bottom of the ingredient list). It’s not protein free like it claims, but instead features mainly amino acids which support the strength of the hair and building of proteins overall and a very small amount of a hydrolyzed protein. My hair soaks this stuff up and I’m always left with juicy, smooth clumpy curls afterwards.

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

This cream styler has a lotion texture and offers medium moisture, lightweight weight and structure to the hair with the protein it contains. I actually have managed to use this on its own offering light-buildable hold, but prefer to use it with a gel for hold that lasts in a generally pretty humid coastal climate. This gets my waves and curls to clump and spiral up with that kind of effortless fluffy kind of effect on its own. It’s also a great product for refreshes, as it offers enough hold to bring back definition and clumps without requiring Herculean effort to remove the cast. I’ve used multiple tubes this year.

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

This was my most used and loved gel of the year and was a great combination in my hair with the previously mentioned cream. I’ve graduated from the tubs of product to the larger squeeze bottle — which is much easier to use and get a precise amount of product out — because I love using it so much. It’s a protein-free gel with a thicker milkier soufflé-gel kind of texture — it’s super weird to explain but this is my best attempt — that offers medium control, on the higher end of medium moisture, a ton of definition and curl enhancement. My favourite way to use it is over a cream but I can get great results used on its own, as well. The hold is medium-strong, depending on how much you apply and how much water is in your hair when you apply it. It’s super moisturizing with glycerin, babassu oil, sorbitol, irish moss, andiroba seed oil, flaxseed and avocado oil, and leaves the hair moisturized, bouncy, shiny and defined in a way that lasts in humidity. And, my hair still has volume when I use this, along with glorious curl clumps.

Ion 9 Row Silicone Brush ($17.39 CDN)

2021 was the year that I figured out exactly how to use the ‘denman’ style brush or how to brush style in general. Nailing the technique of brushing through my wet hair with tension helps me to get controlled curls with bounce that last. There was a moment when how to form ringlets and spirals around the side of the brush really clicked and I started to consistently have good wash days that didn’t require much refreshing. It’s the right size on my wavy hair for encouraging clumpy ringlets and also works to define my hair when brushed with tension before styling.

Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer ($499.99 CDN)

Towards the end of 2020, I bit the bullet and purchased the Dyson dryer after much deliberation, after I had the opportunity to get $100 off. Safe to say, I liked it at first but now I can say that it’s been worth it on my hair. It’s basically the only dryer I’ve ever tried that I can stand to use long enough to get my hair dry because it’s light, and powerful enough to diffuse my hair. Note: I have the kind of hair that hairdressers complain about how long it takes to dry. Not only does it get my hair dry, it offers settings that allow me to get my hair to dry without disrupting my curl clumps that can easily fall apart, and it gets my hair dry without tiring out my arms. It seems ridiculous to have a hair dryer as a favourite, but here we are. Basically it allows me to actually get my hair dried before bed, letting me have better wash days that last, rather than wilting or frizzing out.

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

While I’m not a fan of a lot of Drunk Elephant’s customer relations and PR choices and marketing, I do really like this product (and another one I’m going to mention), especially as someone whose skin is sensitive to essential oils, fragrance and drying alcohols. This is a true oily balm that decimates makeup, has a truly nourishing texture and leaves my skin feeling soothed afterwards. It is also not an eye stinger. It uses safflower seed oil, açai oil, marula oil, sunflower seed wax, kiwi extract, strawberry extract, cranberry seed oil, borage seed oil, baobab oil, sweet almond oil and more to soothe and replenish the skin while breaking down makeup and sunscreen. It has a thick texture which i enjoy and I particularly enjoy the spoon magnetized to the top of the packaging for scooping the product out — because we all know I would have instantly lost the scoop if it weren’t attached magnetically.

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

This milky essence toner has been a standby in my more pared back skincare routine I enjoyed in 2021. It’s soothing, hydrating, moisturizing and plumping. It contains a whack of emollients, some antioxidants, sodium hyaluronate and centella asiatica. It make such a difference on sandwiching moisture that lasts into my drier skin, especially over the cooler weather.

Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Ampoule 5x ($37.29 CDN | 50 mL)

This serum has become my no-fuss nightly serum for when I want one serum that will help with my barrier, brighten and generally support my skin health. It contains 5% niacinamide, which minimizes discolouration, helps keep pores clear and supports the skin barrier, what seems like a million humectants, some probiotic soothing ingredients and a few essential oils towards the bottom of the ingredient list. It has contributed to keeping my skin comfortable, soothed and happy and I enjoy not having to think about the serum step and just slap this serum on. I’m not a big essential oil person, but this doesn’t irritate my skin and feels really calming to apply.

Cosrx Advanced Snail Radiance Dual Essence ($33.49 CDN | 80 mL)

This essence, like many products these days, features 5% niacinamide which supports the skin barrier, functions as an antioxidant and does a little bit of everything, along with wonderfully reparative snail secretion, betaine, panthenol, sunflower seed oil, allantoin and macadamia seed oil. It’s the most plumping humectant serum that I think I’ve ever dried and very calming and gentle. When I’m not using the aforementioned serum, I was certainly using this one. It’s fragrance-free and doesnt contain anything weird, you know, except for the snail goo.

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

I backed off and kind of chilled out with the actives in 2021, but this was the chemical exfoliant I happily reached for the most often. It’s a serum that contains 10% lactic acid to resurface the skin and boost hydration, along with a robust blend of peptides, which both serve as humectants and strengthen the skin barrier, amino acids that also support the skin barrier and nourishing ingredients, such as antioxidant-rich plant oils. It’s expensive and might not be easily worth the money, especially if you are hesitant to invest in the Drunk Elephant brand from past decisions the company has made, but it’s a multitasking serum that does all of its functions well. It gives me much more even textured-skin, keeps my pores unclogged and functions as a humectant serum that binds water to the skin and supports my skin’s easily upset barrier.

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

This moisturizer might be housed in a jar and be pricy to boot, but with its airy whipped balm texture and instantly soothing effect on the skin, it’s worth it for me. In fact, I actually have a couple of backups and I was lucky enough to find each and every jar for a significant sale. It never stings or irritates my skin, regardless of what kind of irritated state its been put in. It’s fragrance-free, contains ceramides, shea butter, honey, plant oils and calming extracts. It’s a cushioning cream without being thick and heavy and wears wonderfully under makeup on my drier skin that foundation tends to sit heavily on.

Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Mild Milk SPF 50 PA++++ for Sensitive Skin ($46.49 CDN | 60 mL)

In my experience, this is the ideal water-light sunscreen fluid for those who’s skin is typically too dry and too reactive to tolerate these fluids. It’s a combination sunscreen, containing titanium dioxide and zinc dioxide, along with the new generation chemical filters, Uvinul T-150, Uvinul A Plus and Tinosorb S, that are not only more photostable than traditional ‘chemical’ filters, but are also less irritating, too. This is one of the few hybrid or chemical filter containing sunscreens that does not sting my face, eyes or dry out my skin. I attribute this to it being formulated without the drying alcohols used to either stabilized the actives or get the water-light texture, being fragrance-free and using actives known to be easier to tolerate. It leaves a soft focus finish, setting on the skin without being overly drying or matte looking in the least and lasts in humidity and sweat.

Purito Cica Clearing BB Cream SPF 38 PA +++ ($12.59 CDN | 30 mL)

As someone who has grown to love lighter bases and did not wear a whole lot of makeup in the previous year, I’ve happily clung to this lightweight face product as a tinted sunscreen of sorts. Don’t get me wrong, it has substantial medium coverage, but blends really nicely into the skin, leaving a radiant finish that actually works during a heatwave and/or heavy sweating sessions, even without being powdered or blotted or anything of the sort. It’s a combination sunscreen, consisting of zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and octinoxate (one of the only traditional filters that I can tolerate), along with niacinamide, the forms of centella asiatica the formula boasts having to reduce irritation and strengthen the skin barrier and iron oxides, to add an added layer of protection against visible light.

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

I’m pretty sure the only other base product I used in 2021 was this other variation on a tinted moisturizer come tinted sunscreen. It’s formulated without fragrance or alcohol, and is enriched with squalane, niacinamide, sodium hyaluronate and allantoin and has a broad-spectrum zinc oxide for sun protection. As far as tinted sunscreens go, this sits more on the makeup-y side of things, coming in thirty different shades and offering a luminous-to-dewy finish and light coverage. I knew I wanted to try this foundation-thing as soon as I heard about it but I had to wait a while for it to be available in Canada and I wasn’t wrong. Unlike most serum foundations, it sits well on my drier skin, doesn’t cling to texture and blends pretty seamlessly into the skin, feeling lightweight.

Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer and Daytime Eye Cream ($37 CDN | 6 mL)

As someone who suffers from hereditary dark circles, a bone structure that makes dark circles and product settling into creases a reality and a dry, sensitive eye area, I know I’m making a lot of work for my concealer. However, when I’m wearing makeup, I always wear concealer under my eyes and this is one of the ones that works without making any of my problems worse. It settles into creases minimally — I haven’t met a concealer that doesn’t do this on my deep set eyes –, doesn’t cling to dry patches or dry out and/or irritate my sensitive eye area. The clean beauty marketing is not my thing, but I enjoy that it does not contain drying alcohol or pounds of masking fragrance. It’s medium coverage but looks like skin and works on patches without perfect texture; I will say that the shade range does, in fact, run horrifically yellow. It’s moisturizing with a blendable, skin-like finish.

Huda Beauty Naughty Nude Eyeshadow Palette ($85 CDN | 0.59 ounces)

I purchased this fairly pricy eyeshadow palette towards the end of 2020 and it’s been my eyeshadow palette standby ever since. The shades pretty much all lean warm — but without being a copper sunset — and sit mainly in the medium-tone family. However, there are deeper shades thrown in to make things smokier, darken the outer corner and to even create winged liner with and there are a few paler shades to add dimension and contrast. It’s not groundbreaking but it’s a great palette for those who like neutral-warm and leaning smokey shadows. There’s a wack of pretty light-to-mid tone metallic shades for the lids, a variety of options of matte crease, out of corner and plain old deeper shades and some more interesting shades, while still being a palette that blends like a dream without being fallout central. I like it for easy two eyeshadow looks and it also is great for more intricate eyeshadow-blending-for-the-soul moments.

Mented Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick in Blood Orange ($26 US | 5.7 mL)

2021 was not a year for lip products for a variety of reasons: one being that I didn’t wear a whole lot of makeup in general, another being that there wasn’t a whole lot of leaving the house and third, lip products were kind of a moot point and inconvenience with all of the mask wearing. My most worn actual lip product was this deep orange-based rusty coloured liquid lipstick. The formula didn’t really transfer onto the mask, wasn’t particularly drying and didn’t wear off unevenly (from my centre of my lips, leaving a ring around the outside). The shade really flattering on my neutral-warm leaning skin, without being too vibrant because of the deepness of the hue. The formula is long-wearing, as you’d expect, but feels lightweight and comfortable.

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum ($135 CDN | 50 mL)

This citrus-patchouli warm floral was a fairly new to me purchase in 2021, and it was easily my most worn and favourite fragrance. It comes the closest to the long-discontinued Dior Miss Dior that was my favourite, but has it’s own distinct identity and great longevity. Its notes are orange, bergamot, rose, jasmine, ylang ylang, patchouli, white musk, vanilla, tonka bean and vetiver, but warm citrus-y patchouli is the vibe that it gives off. Day to day, I just will spray this on my clothes, the sillage and longevity is so good that it lingers, but on more of an occasion, I’ll happily do a few spritzes.

What were your 2021 favourites?
Maggie, x.