Blogmas Day 10 How To Deal With Maskne

 Welcome to Blogmas Day 10!  One side effect of wearing masks is, yes, you guessed it, Maskne.  Who knew that years after I left breakouts behind, I would be dealing with congested pores again.  You would think that all that humidity swirling around my face would be beneficial, rather like an enforced face sauna.  But instead, what I end up with are itchy rashes and breakouts.  Admittedly, there is a health and hygiene safety reason why we must wear masks.  I am not making light of the issue at all.  But if you, like me, are doing your best to follow health guidelines and wear masks whenever you go out, perhaps you have noticed your skin playing up as well.  So here is what I have learned in dealing with Maskne.

First, I have ramped back on my makeup routine.  I gave up lipstick, blush and highlighter.  No one ever saw any of that and it all rubbed off on my mask anyway.  At most, I put a bit of concealer under my eyes, some CC cream on my forehead and neutral eyeshadow.

I try my best to cleanse my face once I get home and take off my mask.  I really don't use any fancy facial cleansers.  In fact, my go-to for years has been baby wash and a cotton flannel!  I figured that if it is gentle enough for a baby then it should do the trick for my face.  Whatever you use, make sure it is free of fragrance, is hypoallergenic, and is free of other irritants like SLS' and parabens.  Basically, when your skin is in an agitated state, you don't want to put anything on it that is going to aggravate it further.  The cotton washcloth provides a gentle exfoliating action and gets tossed into the laundry regularly.

Speaking of laundry, you may also want to look at the type of detergent that you are using.  I am not pushing any particular brand.  The above is just what I am using at the moment.  I have used fragrance free hypoallergenic detergent for years as I had a family member with severe ezcema.  If you are using fabric, reusable masks, they should be washed regularly, preferably with hypoallergenic detergent.  That mask is pressed against your skin for a sustained period of time so any detergent residue embedded in the fabric will also be rubbing onto your skin and possibly causing skin sensitivities.

We have so many stressors to deal with right now and Maskne shouldn't be one of them.  If you have any further suggestions, please share in the comments!  

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April Monthly Favourites Lockdown Edition La Roche-Posay Facial Roller Facial Masks Office Organization

Hello lovelies, how are you all doing?  I hope you are not just surviving but have found a way to thrive as well, notwithstanding the current circumstances.  I thought I would do a Monthly Favourites, the Lockdown Edition, as I haven't done a monthly favourites in..well...months, really!  So let's do this.  First up is La Roche-Posay's Cicaplast Levres (Lips).

I have always had a lot of issues with lip balms.  Despite claims of being hydrating and moisturizing, they tend to dry out my lips and cause massive peeling and flaking.  I hate anything that has mint, spearmint, chilli extract, lemon extract or any type of lemon derivative in a lip product.  These ingredients, while they cause an initial cooling effect, actually trigger an inflammatory response that just worsens the condition of your lips.  La Roche-Posay's Cicaplast Levres is a holy grail product.  It is paraben and fragrance free and contains all the good things like lipids that your skin needs to repair itself.  I picked mine up at Shoppers for $10.95 CDN.  La Roche-Posay, which is a French masstige brand, is usually available at the pharmacy.  Right now, with department stores closed, the only place to go for skincare is the local pharmacy or the grocery store. I am sure that, like myself, many of you are keeping a sharp eye on your budget.  La Roche-Posay isn't astronomically priced like other luxury French brands and it isn't cheap as chips either but for a made in France quality product I would say it is good value for the money. I noticed that the cosmetics section at Shoppers was closed off but, thankfully, the masstige skincare section wasn't.

Next up is a new addition to my skincare routine which is this jade roller.

Can you believe that I picked this up at Dollarama (Canada's version of the Dollar Store) for a bargainous $4??  Who knows if it is made of real jade but the cooling effect is the same.  And yes, Dollarama is still open because it sells food albeit the canned and packaged, long shelf life sort which is what everyone is racing around to find anyway.  There is something so soothing and meditative about using this roller.  Believe me, I have been rolling away like mad.

If, like me, you are working from home, you have had to quickly figure out how to set up a home office.  My home office area has become a bit of a bomb site but this handy gadget has really helped to bring in a degree of organization.

The cable organizer was spotted at Dollarama for an inexpensive $1.25.

Lastly, I picked up a selection of facial masks (and no, not the surgical kind, I haven't seen those around in many weeks) at Shoppers.

They were on offer for well under $3.00 each so I picked up a few to put into care packages to mail away.

Stay safe! Stay healthy!

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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!

Unisex Skincare and Makeup for Men: The Ordinary HA Blur and Photography Fluid

After listening to me rave about The Ordinary for yonks, Monsieur finally went with me to The Abnormal Beauty Company to check out the goods.  I love the minimal packaging.  No girly colours or flowery ribbons that might send Monsieur running out the door.  Monsieur has really good skin but, like all of us, was becoming concerned about the telltale passage of time.  He picked out The Ordinary's Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution and Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion.

Monsieur's verdict so far is a thumbs up.  The fine lines on his forehead and around his eyes that were bothering him (let me insert here, in case he reads this, that I never noticed these lines) have softened and the few areas of milia have gone down.

Surprisingly, when I showed him the HA Blur by demonstrating it on the back of my hand, he picked that up as well.  Haha, I should get a sales job there.  Apparently, I can sell their products to men!  It is a silicone product that subtly smooths over fine lines and disguises minor skin discolourations.  It is transparent so it isn't obvious that he is wearing "makeup."  Basically, after smoothing this over the problem areas on your face, you look as if there is a soft focus filter beaming down from the heavens onto your face.  I think we were so bowled over by the fact that Monsieur had finally agreed to go with me to a skincare slash beauty store that we got a bit carried away.  The next pickup was the Photography Fluid.

It is a white pearlescent fluid that is described as a transparent foundation.  Again, this is something that a man could wear to make his skin and complexion look better without looking like he is wearing "makeup."

While I was in the store, I noticed that there was a new Vitamin C product in their Vitamin C lineup.  If you are a longtime reader of this blog, you will know that I love the Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%.  It does have a gritty texture that might be off putting to some and makes it difficult to wear under makeup.  So I picked up a tube of Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10% which has a smooth texture.  I am hoping that I can wear it under makeup without any pilling effects.  I noticed as well that The Ordinary offers Vitamin C powder that you can mix into your moisturizer.  I might pick that up next time I am in the store.

Luckily, The Ordinary is wonderfully easy on the wallet as my home now houses another convert!

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LBH September Monthly Favourites: Le Creuset, Flawless By Friday Honey and Gold Lip Serum, L'Occitane Shea Butter

Time for another Monthly Favourites!  Fall seems to have crept in over night.  Wasn't it just last week that we were having an unexpected heat wave?  Autumnal temperatures always elicit a craving for warming soups and stews.  This is when my Le Creuset cast iron Dutch (in this case French) oven really takes center stage in the kitchen.

I love my white Le Creuset round French oven so, so much.  It may sound odd to say this of cookware but the snow white enamel just looks so pretty.  It comes in a variety to suit your family's needs such as a 5 1/2 quart, 7 1/4 quart, 9 quart and a 6 3/4 quart oval one.

Fall weather means that I have to have a lip balm in my purse and my bedside table at all times as I do tend to suffer from dry, flaky lips.  I have been trying out Flawless by Friday's Honey and Gold lip serum.

Flawless by Friday is a relatively young Canadian brand and has only come to my attention recently.  The lip serum is supposed to have plumping and anti-aging benefits.  I have quite full lips and don't have lip lines (yet) but it is always good to start on an anti-aging regimen.  The formula is not overly tacky or oily and has a lovely, light honey scent.  There is some sort of spring loaded mechanism in the tube because when I twist the cap to open it, it pops upward of its own volition which is childishly amusing to me.  There is a doe foot applicator for easy application.  Tiny gold flecks in the serum reads as a subtle glisten on the lips.  Now if only it had an SPF!

Ages ago, I used to buy small tins of L'Occitane shea butter which I applied on my lips as an overnight treatment.  I would even rub it on my nails to strengthen my weak and brittle nails.  I stopped using it as I am not a big fan of sticking my fingers into product.  However, I decided to return to it again after so many years away from it.

I also picked up a purse sized tube of that perennial favourite, 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream and a couple of soaps as well.

Are you looking forward to Fall?  Any seasonal changes in your routine?

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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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LBH Weekly Roundup: Shiseido Full Lash and Brow Serum, Banana Republic Merino Cardigan

Time for another Weekly Roundup!  I am not sure if it was because of my protracted love affair with waterproof mascara or age but my eyelashes, which were always skimpy, one day decided to run up the white flag of surrender.  There are a couple of well known lash enhancement serums on the market but the cost is prohibitive.  I did try Gosh's lash serum but, every time I applied it, it stung and burned.  I tried to put up with the burning but each time, I would cave and wash it off.  So I never did see any benefit from it.  This week I picked up Shiseido's Full Lash and Brow Serum.

What I like about Shiseido's Serum is that the applicator is in the form of a soft doe foot instead of a spoolie.  This means that it is easy to apply to the lash line.  The formula doesn't sting and burn me.  It is too early to report on any results right now.  I have heard that it can take up to 6 to 8 weeks so I will let you know then.

I also picked up a new merino wool cardigan from Banana Republic.

via bananarepublic.ca

It was on sale for 40% off, yay!  I got it in the colour "Citron" which is a very unusual almost fluoro yellow with a distinctive green undertone to it.  I do love a punchy statement colour for adding some pizzazz to my wardrobe and, when I saw this particular colour,  I couldn't get it out of my head.  I love cardigans for their layering capability, don't you?  After at least 5 days of mulling it over, I pulled the trigger and now I am obsessed with it.  Of course there are lots of other colours and the last time I checked, the sale was still on so take a peek if you are so inclined.

It's Victoria Day Long Weekend here in Canada.  I hope you had a lovely weekend!

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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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LBH Weekly Roundup: Ole Henricksen 3 Little Wonders, Mariage Freres Tea

Time for another Weekly Roundup!  In my ongoing decluttering efforts (when will it ever end??), I decided to sort through my tea collection.  Even though I only drink one type of tea on the regular, I am gifted all sorts of tea which end up languishing in a designated cupboard in the kitchen.  I unearthed a very interesting box which I had completely forgotten about.

Mariage Freres Jasmine Mandarin tea! I opened it up, expecting the usual paper sachets and what did I see?

Oh my, cuteness overload.  If ever tea could be described as cute, wee or pretty then the above sight fits all those descriptives.  They look like a little pile of plump dumplings all ready for their hot water bath.  And their delicate scent is beyond divine.

I have been really missing my Ole Henricksen Sheer Transformation Moisturizer this week.  I don't know about you but those few moments every day that I allocate to skincare are moments that I really look forward to.  I can slow down, turn off my mind and just relax.  And yes, I know that marketing hype and packaging is all just smoke and mirrors but I am a weak human.  By chance, I found out that I had accumulated enough points with Sephora to get the Ole Henricksen 3 Little Wonders travel or introductory set.  The set consists of 7 days worth of Truth Serum, Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer, Invigorating Transformation Gel and Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser.  Admittedly, in the past,  I have avoided products with high concentrations of acids as I found them overly drying.  But, in my desire to get my hands on the moisturizer, I was willing to try out the cleanser and gel, both of which contain AHA's (glycolic and lactic acids).  I do like the fact that the box clearly outlines the steps involved in the 7 day regimen, breaking it down into an am and pm routine.  I am about half way through and my face hasn't fallen off my head yet.  Do you have a skincare regimen?  Or, like me, have you just woken up to the fact that youth is no longer your ally and you had better take action right sharpish?  

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LBH Weekly Roundup: Indeed Laboratories Fillume Moisturiser Review

I ran out of my beloved Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation Moisturizer and instead of running out and restocking, I decided to shake things up a bit and try out Indeed Laboratories' Fillume Volumising Moisturiser.  It was on sale at Shoppers, it is manufactured in Ontario (win win!) and I was really curious about its packaging.  Indeed Laboratories is best known for their star product, Nanoblur, nicknamed the Selfie cream for its ability to get you photoready but they have a few other products in their arsenal such as Fillume, which are worth considering.

Much like the Abnormal Beauty Company, Indeed Laboratories' raison d'etre is to "eliminate all marketing hype and costs from skin care and instead deliver real results as cost-effectively as possible."  Another striking feature of Fillume is that it is packaged in an airtight jar.  I know moisturizers packaged in a jar are a real bugbear with skincare mavens as it is unhygienic and the constant exposure to air destabilizes the ingredients.  So how does the Fillume jar work?  One presses down on the top and the moisturizer squirts out the dispenser in the middle.  The only other moisturizer that I can recall that comes in an airtight jar is Drunk Elephant's Lala Retro Whipped Cream but its price tag will give you sticker shock and make you stagger back like a....drunk elephant.

  

I must say there is something oddly satisfying about pressing down on what amounts to a giant button and having an exact pea sized amount magically appear in the middle.  As with everything, portion control is key and it is comforting to have the guesswork taken out of trying to dispense the recommended amount onto one's fingers.

The moisturizer hasn't broken me out and performs adequately for a cold, harsh Canadian winter that is dragging on for far too long.  It contains sesamin, a paraben free extract from sesame seeds that supposedly minimizes the appearance of fine lines and restores "volume" to the face.  The only grievance I have with it is the fragrance or lack of it.  My first whiff of it produced a gut reaction of intense dislike.  It took me a couple days of grimly slathering it on to my face before I figured it out.  Its slightly medicinal smell reminds me of the generic lotion dispensed in doctors' offices and in hospitals.  In fact, it reminds me of Phisoderm, that decades old cleanser that I was forced to use to combat my unruly teenage complexion.  We all know that scent can be incredibly evocative and reminders of my youthful self obsessing over hormonal eruptions is not a good thing.  Luckily, the scent does disperse eventually.  I intend on soldiering on until I have finished it in an effort to recoup what I spent on it but I don't think that playing "Whack-A-Mole" with the top can compensate for the resurgence of youthful memories so it's unlikely that I will be repurchasing it.  I will say though that if you don't care about the scent and have sensitive skin, you might want to give it a go.  After all, there is something to be said for supporting companies that are offering skincare products with targeted ingredients at a reasonable price.

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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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