The Weekly Roundup: Black Friday Haul The Abnormal Beauty Company The Ordinary

Are you still alive after Black Friday?  Are you gearing up for Cyber Monday?  I can't believe I am even asking but, yes, the mayhem that is Black Friday is a "thing" now in Canada.  This past Friday was just another working day for me so, alas, I had to wait until the weekend to partake.  I was good and did my best to stick to my wishlist. I love The Ordinary.  I missed out on their Black Friday sale last year so this year checking out their Black Friday sale was a definite must on my wish list.  Luckily for me, a freestanding Abnormal Beauty Company store is just down the road from where I live so I didn't have to hover over my keyboard at midnight, waiting for deals to drop.

The Ordinary is known for their budget friendly pricepoints so you can imagine how much more affordable their Black Friday deals are.  My mother swears by the efficacy of the Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion at keeping her wrinkles at bay (she is in her 70s) and at $4 each, I swooped up 2 for her.  At these prices, it is a good time to try out other products in their lineup.  I have been curious to try out a lactic acid peel and as the Lactic Acid was a crazy $2 I picked that up as well as the primer for $3 and Pore Control for $10.  I wish I had bought more now as the prices were jawdroppingly easy on the wallet.  Also, I don't think there is a limit on quantity in the store as there is on line.  

Did you score any amazing deals?  Let me know in the comments so that I can live vicariously through you!

LBH June Monthly Favourites: The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension, Natural Moisturizing Factors, Hyaluronic Acid 2%

Welcome to another Monthly Favourites!  The standout for me this month is The Ordinary.  I dare say it is fitting that this Canadian company, which has taken the skincare industry by storm, should be my sole favourite for this particular month which leads into a celebration of Canada's 150th birthday.  Woohoo!  150 years young!  Happy Birthday Canada!

Natural Moisturizing Factors Moisturizer appeared in May's Monthly Favourites which you can read about here. I have also written about the Vitamin C Suspension here.  I am still using the Vitamin C as it is good for combating hyperpigmentation caused by long sunny days.  I have cut back on the Moisturizer as I find I don't need as much moisturizer in the summer and added in something new, the Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, instead.  Hyaluronic Acid is excellent for hydration as it can hold 1000% its weight in water.  There is a little glass pipette that administers drops of the acid.  I just sweep it over my face in the morning before applying makeup and it is enough hydration for me.  There is a slightly tacky feel to it which some may not like and it doesn't provide a lot of slip if you are one of those who like to throw in a bit of facial massage at the same time as you are moisturizing your face.  However, as a simple serum, it is perfectly adequate.

That is it for June!

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30 Day Wellness Challenge Days 9 to 13: 5 Day Mini Decluttering Goal

I am a firm believer in the adage "Messy Home, Messy Mind."  Yet still, there have been many times when I find decluttering to be emotionally unsettling.  I have written about the mini 5 Day Decluttering Challenge here,  where on Day 1, you discard one thing, on the second day, 2 things and so on.  At the end of the 5 days, 15 things will have been decluttered.  It is a relatively simple and easy way to get the ball rolling when it comes to tidying up the home and achieving peace of mind.  See you on the flip side!

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LBH May Monthly Favourites: Bordertown, Shetland and The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors Moisturizer

It is time for another Monthly Favourites!  Yet again, I have been binge watching shows on Netflix.  The thing about Netflix is that it is so vast that it is a crap shoot what you might come across.  In my thirst for Scandi Noir, I stumbled upon "Bordertown" (also known as "Sorjonen"), a Finnish crime drama.

The central character, Kari Sorjonen, reminds me of "The Bridge's" Saga Noren or even Sherlock Holmes, in that he has more than a few quirky personality traits that tend to rub the people around him the wrong way.  The difference here is that, rather than the usual trope of the antisocial, eccentric but brilliant detective, he has a wife and daughter so is actually able to have functioning personal relationships.  I must admit that a big draw of this show is the Finnish landscape which should be given its own credit as a supporting cast member.

Another crime drama I have been binge watching is the BBC's Shetland.

Who knew that there could be so much crime on an island?  I found Season 1 to be a bit of a slog.  I am glad I stuck with it as I feel that the writers and actors hit their stride by Season 3 and were feeling a lot more comfortable with the characters and the storyline(s).  And again, the island scenery is breathtaking.

Lastly, I repurchased The Ordinary's Natural Moisturizing Factors plus HA moisturizer which is always a good sign.  I am not sure if it is because I know that it is so affordable so I am quite generous with its application or if the 30 ml in the tube just doesn't go very far but I used up my first tube in 2 weeks. 

And that's it!  Join me on June 1st as I kick off 30 Days of Wellness, a challenge to try to achieve a better state of wellbeing through achievable, actionable steps.  I am feeling really nervous about it and am wondering if I have set myself an unrealistic goal.  I think I am going to need a lot of virtual handholding!

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LBH Weekly Roundup: Starbucks Frappuccino Happy Hour, The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors Moisturizer

Oh bliss, Sbx brought back the Frappuccino Happy Hour for a limited time.  Frappuccinos were half price which saw me dutifully trotting over to get my fix of my favourite frappuccino, the Strawberries and Cream with whipped cream on top, of course.

Surprisingly and delightfully, there is no coffee or tea, for that matter, in the Strawberries and Cream frap at all.  The best way that I can describe it is that it is like a creamy, upmarket strawberry milkshake.  Monsieur is very relieved that Happy Hour has come to an end.  There is nothing more likely to put a dent in one's enjoyment of a delicious treat than to have one's significant other bleating continuously in one's face about one's other significant other (repetitive alliteration here!) aka "The Hideous Muffin Top."  The only way to silence the bleating is to slurp vociferously through the stainless steel straw. Haha! Hands up if your SO also has the temerity to engage in the same annoying behaviour.  Never mind.  Me, my Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino and the Red Rocket passing by.  A perfect afternoon in Toronto, thank you very much.

I have had a few pesky dry patches appear on my face recently.  I think this is due to my enthusiastic application of Ole Henriksen's Invigorating Night Transformation Gel which has exfoliating properties.  I was in need of a straightforward moisturizer and picked up The Ordinary's Natural Moisturizing Factors with HA Moisturizer. 

When I say it is a straightforward moisturizer, I mean just that.  It is a simple moisturizer that does only one thing, which is hydrate.  There are no anti-aging benefits, smoothing out of skin tone, spf or similar.  But for the price, $5.80 CAD, it can't be beat.  There is no fragrance and it absorbs quickly and easily.  It is recommended that serums be layered with it for extra hydration and if you want to customize your skincare regimen for a more complex formulation.  The website has some advice on how to mix and match their one-note products for those customers who do not possess a PhD in chemistry, which let's face it, most of us don't.  I have been layering the moisturizer with Ole Henriksen's Truth Serum but have been eyeballing The Ordinary's Buffet Serum as a replacement once I run out of Truth Serum.  So far, I am pleased with The Ordinary's moisturizer.  It hasn't made me breakout and it doesn't have the eyewatering laboratory smell that Indeed Labs' Fillume has.   Have you tried The Ordinary's moisturizer?  And if yes, how is it working for you?

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LBH Weekly Roundup: Soap Pump Dispenser, Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Perfecting Wand, Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream Hydrating Moisturizer

Ever since my favourite lip balm by Ombrelle was discontinued, I have been on a quest for a replacement.  I decided to give Fresh's Sugar Lip Treatment Perfecting Wand a go mainly because of the applicator.

via sephora.ca

It has these tiny silicone nodules studding the applicator which gently buff the lips as one is applying the treatment.  Possibly I was overenthusiastic in applying it but I ended up putting on a thick layer that had the consistency and texture of contact cement.  I tried dabbing off the excess with my fingers which was a mistake as I could not, for the life of me, wash it off my hands.  It was so viscous that, much like trying to rub off superglue, the situation just got worse.  I will say that the sensation of rubbing those tiny nodules over my lips was oddly relaxing, akin to using a miniature Foreo.  And props for the pleasant sugary smell and the fact that my lips felt smooth and hydrated the next day.  However, I think the search continues as I am too afraid to use the stuff any more.

Another thing that I have been lacking lately is a liquid soap pump dispenser.  Over and over, my soap dispenser would clog up and, no matter what I did, clogged it remained.  This means that it gets binned which is a waste as it is only the pump that has stopped working.  Then I had the brainwave of fitting a generic pump to a vintage mason jar.  I am obsessed with vintage mason jars.

It is such a thrill to repurpose a vintage treasure and be able to use and enjoy it several times a day.  The mason jar holds a large amount of liquid soap so I am not constantly having to refill it.  And should the pump clog up one day, I can just fit another generic pump to the jar.  I had been using a Nalgene travel bottle to hold liquid soap for months as I puzzled over a solution.  Of course, I had to show off my brilliant life hack to Monsieur who hadn't noticed any change to the bathroom counter lineup and wasn't likely to any time soon.  Hands up if, like me, you are a hockey widow.  

Perhaps I should rename this post "Weekly Oddities" instead of the "Weekly Roundup" as the following moisturizer is to me an oddity much like the Fresh Lip Treatment.  I am not overly fond of heavily scented skincare and Peter Thomas Roth's Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream Hydrating Moisturizer is oil free, alcohol free and fragrance free.  

via sephora.ca

It has a light, milky consistency and this moisturizer would suit oily and/or sensitive skin types.  It is available as a serum as well.  I enjoyed using it but I just could not get past the over-the-top, hyperbolic description which reads in part "Drench your skin with a liquid cloud of pure endless hydration drawn right from the atmosphere.  This concentrated 30% Hyaluronic Acid cream transforms atmospheric vapor into fresh pure water from the clouds, providing your skin with a continuous burst of intense hydration that lasts up to 72 hours..."  What are the people at Peter Thomas Roth saying?!??  Any cream that can draw vapor from 35,000 feet up in the air straight to my thirsty epidermis is a magic show well worth watching.  All the time I was slathering this stuff on my face, I couldn't help the sneaking suspicion that such smoke and mirror descriptives could only mean that I could get a similar dupe at 1% of the cost somewhere else.  This is reverse psychology at its best.

And now it's back to being a hockey widow...

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LBH Weekly Roundup: Harvest Snaps, J Crew Eyelet Shirt, Ole Henricksen

Ahhhh, Spring is coming in strong!  Somehow, the warmer weather puts me in mind of eating mindfully.  It is difficult to move past the Easter chocolate extravaganza and snacking has always been my downfall.  Luckily, I discovered these Harvest Snaps and have been obsessed ever since.

They are baked, low salt, whole pea pods and remind me of the green pea version of corn puffs.  Somehow, I expected them to be crispy and crunchy but they are feather-like in weight and texture.  They come in lots of other flavours like Wasabi Ranch and you can even get Lentil Snaps in Tomato Basil.  The problem is that I could easily finish an entire bag in one sitting as they are so light and airy which rather defeats the purpose of healthy snacking.

The advent of warmer weather has meant that I have been feeling very hot and smothered in my winter tops. I picked up this J Crew eyelet shirt this past week.  I have tried being thrifty by checking out the thrift stores but it isn't as easy for me these days to engage in multiple trips hunting for the right top that will suit my needs.  When I saw this shirt, the last one in my size at my local J Crew, I figured it was meant to be.

via J Crew

It buttons up the front which means I can put it on without too much struggle, is loose fitting so disguises the omnipresent muffin top and the slightly billowing sleeves take care of the batwings. 

And lastly, Sephora had an Insider Sale this past Friday.  Did you get anything?  More to the point, did you dare set foot into a store?  It was pandemonium at my local Sephora.  I was quite sad when I finished off my Ole Henricksen skincare kit and was very pleased to see he had brought out another small kit.

I am kicking myself that I didn't pick up more but my brain tends to freeze when confronted with hordes of manic shoppers.

Are you enjoying warm weather, wherever you are?

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The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% and Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% Review

I was very naughty last summer.  The CC cream with SPF 30 that I had been using had run out and, instead of getting a replacement, I thought I would slum it and just use a bit of concealer with a daily moisturizer that had SPF 15.  Big mistake.  An SPF 15 might be all right for periodic exposure to winter sun but is woefully insufficient as protection against the glare of an angry summer sun.  The result was that by the end of the year, I had a face covered in freckles and sunspots.  Wah!  Vitamin C has a proven track record at tackling uneven skin tone but the prices of quality Vitamin C serums, meaning ones with a high percentage and a stable formulation, will give you a heart attack right on the (sun)spot.  I had been hearing a lot of buzz about The Ordinary, a skincare line by The Abnormal Beauty Company with targeted ingredients and a price point that will make you salivate but all the buzz seemed to be coming out of the UK.  So, naturally, I assumed that they were a UK brand.  I was so sad and resigned myself to making reluctant friends with my sunspots.  It was quite by chance that I discovered the line is manufactured in Canada and that a freestanding store had opened, quite literally, down the street from my home!

You can bet that I made tracks there so fast that I left smoke trails behind me.  I picked up the Vitamin C Suspension 23% with HA Spheres 2% and the Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%.  And the price you ask?  The Vitamin C was an astoundingly low $5.80 CAD and the Azelaic Acid $7.90 CAD.  At this point, I really do have to give props to them for coming out with a skincare line that is so easy on the wallet.  In all seriousness, even those on very, very tight budgets want and need to feel good about their skin.  Whether you are a poor student battling pimples from too many late nights cramming for exams and scarfing chocolate bars or a middleaged woman on a fixed income dealing with menopausal skin that has decided to undergo its own midlife crisis, I think that an affordable skincare range that delivers is such a blessing.  In a weird way, their philosophy of "clinical formulations with integrity" is the skincare equivalent of Everlane in terms of transparency and delivering a product without a lot of marketing faff.  A word of warning, you do need to have a chemistry degree or a pretty good understanding of how the ingredients work alone and in combination to navigate their line.  I read over their website very carefully before going in to the store which helped a lot although the website can make you think you have stumbled across the syllabus of a Chemistry 101 class and cause even more confusion and angst.  The store is a reflection of the line with its exposed brick walls and simple industrial shelving.  If you are one of those skincare mavens that loves lots of pampering with chandeliers, satin, ribbons and over the top, vague promises, then this might not be the place for you. But if you are a cosmesceutical junkie, then you will take to The Abnormal Beauty Company like a duck to water.

I have been using both lotions for 2 months now with the Vitamin C on my face and the Azelaic Acid on my hands and feet.  The packaging of the Vitamin C warns that a slight tingling sensation can be expected but, unless I really slap it on, I don't feel anything.  It could be my skin has acclimatized to vitamin acids after years of prescription strength Vitamin A but I stopped Vitamin A years ago because I couldn't stand the constant peeling and flaking anymore.  I think my skin just reacts better with Vitamin C.  Within 3 days, I noticed my skintone was so much brighter.  I still have the freckles but I do think it helps to fade a tan.  I wear bareMinerals Complexion Rescue tinted cream with SPF30 during the day as I do think it is important to use a high SPF whilst tackling sun damage.  I tried the Vitamin C under the tinted moisturizer but the moisturizer balled like mad so I switched to using the Vitamin C at night.  I was told by the store clerk that the Azelaic Acid is slower at tackling uneven skin tone.  The tan lines on the tops of my feet caused by wearing sandals all summer did fade away but I wasn't sure if it was because I wear boots all winter or because of the Azelaic Acid.  I tried the Azelaic Acid under the tinted moisturizer in the daytime but it caused balling as well.  All in all, I am really impressed and went back to buy a second tube of Vitamin C.  I am really curious to try the Lactic Acid as I have never tried an acid peel before and I have heard that lactic acid is very mild and a good introduction into the genre. I am even tempted to give their retinoid offerings a go. Have you tried anything from The Ordinary?  If so, what are your impressions?

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September Favourites - Live Clean Shampoo and Conditioner, Simple Skincare and Too Faced Lipstick

Is it October already?  For most of this year, I have been thinking about living an intentional life.  At first, I was quite flummoxed by it.  I thought that I had to give up makeup, all the things that make me happy and walk around looking and feeling miserable and disheveled.  Gradually, I came to realize that I had to make the concept fit my life, instead of the other way around.  In my heart of hearts, I knew it was unrealistic to expect me to completely give up shopping, eschew anything that came in a package and start making everything from scratch a la Little House on the Prairie.   I thought about my priorities and values and I know that, when I do buy something, it is important to get good value for my money.  So I thought that I would do a roundup of things that I have been loving and which have been working for me.  Keep in mind that what works for me might not necessarily work for you as everyone's skin is different.  First up, is the Live Clean line of shampoos and conditioners.  The Sensitive and Hypoallergenic Shampoo and Conditioner and Apple Cider Clarifying Shampoo for a weekly deep clean are my favourites.  It isn't easy to find haircare that is free of the usual nasties and at an affordable price.  I get mine at Shoppers Drug Mart, which, thankfully, is a national chain pharmacy, so no more having to make a trek to a health food store and paying inflated prices.

Next up is the Simple line skincare.  I cringe when I think of the years when I didn't bother with sunscreen or moisturizer.  And then, one day, I woke up and found that wrinkles had decided to set up camp on my face, never to depart!  It is light weight, doesn't cause me to break out, and is widely available at an affordable price point.  It does the job, no muss or fuss, which is enough for me.  I do wish the Protecting Moisturizer had a higher SPF than the baseline 15 but that is my only quibble.  If you have any suggestions on a good moisturizer, please let me know!

And, last but not least, is my new love, Too Faced lipstick in Spice Spice Baby.  I have always felt a little self-conscious about wearing a lot or any makeup at all.  There was a time when there really wasn't a wide range of colours and a lot of what was out there just wasn't suitable for my skin tone.  I was that girl who would scurry past the makeup counters in a sort of embarrassed state.  When I finally screwed up the courage to really, really explore Sephora, I was astounded, not least because of the pounding music and manic crowd of 18 to 20 year olds.  Is that store every empty?  It really is amazing how the right colour(s) can wake up your entire face.  This lipstick is that perfect shade of coral that makes my lips look like my lips, only better.  I haven't been 18 in years but now you will find me determinedly jostling, elbow to elbow with the 18 year olds, happily swatching away. 

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This week I am linking up with Share Your Cup.  This is not a sponsored post.  All items mentioned I purchased myself.