Category Archives: Skincare Reviews

I Attended The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Launch Dinner Tonight

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The Body Shop Almond Milk and Honey Collection

Tonight, thanks to the generosity of The Body Shop and PR, I was treated to a delicious vegan dinner at Planta in Yorkville! As if that wasn’t enough, I also left with a big bag full of amazing The Body Shop Almond Milk and Honey skincare.

This new The Body Shop Almond Milk and Honey collection is specially designed for those with sensitive skin. Its scent is so yummy, it smells edible, even though it’s not. (My all-time favourite scent from The Body Shop is Wild Argan Oil, but this is tied for first place.)

During dinner, Dr. Christine Choi Kim, the Global Dermatologist for The Body Shop came from Los Angeles to give us a presentation.

To put the cherry on the top, the founders of Greenhouse Juice Co., Emma Knight and Hana James spoke about how to nourish your skin from the inside out.

We all got to flip through and preview their debut cookbook called The Greenhouse Cookbook: Plant-Based Eating and DIY Juicing, which has lots of healthy recipes from dinners and desserts to smoothies and appetizers.

(I was eyeing the chia pudding recipe, as I’m on a chia seed kick lately.)

PR informed us, to my delight, that we’d all be getting a copy of the book when it’s officially released in April! 🙂 (This is perfect timing because I am in desperate need of some food inspiration. I used to cook new dishes and experiment all the time. I stopped for a few years, but I want to get back into it.)

While I didn’t photograph every dish that arrived at our table (I was busy stuffing my face…), here’s one that I managed to capture before devouring.

Planta Toronto Vegan Restaurant Dessert

Above is the dessert that’s made with toasted almond cream, dragon fruit, and a field of green “pearls.” It was like nothing I had ever eaten before, and I assure you that it was nothing short of heavenly!

I almost didn’t want to eat it because it looked like a work of art, but, well, my oink-ish instincts kicked in, and the rest is tummy history.

(It’s cute how the cubes look like little dice.)

Some other things on the menu tonight were cauliflower tots with truffled parmesan, rice rolls with mango, basil coriander, and Thai dressing, and coconut ceviche with avocado, toasted nori, and citrus soya.

There were also these incredible “crab” cakes made with hearts of palm, spinach, coconut milk, and warm spices. Aside from the dessert, this was the other standout dish.

Again, a huge thank you to The Body Shop, the fantastic PR team, and Planta for making tonight’s dinner a wonderful experience all around! 🙂

What’s your favourite item from The Body Shop? What’s the most delicious vegan dish you’ve ever eaten? Are there any specific products from this new The Body Shop skincare line that you’d like me to do an in-dept review on? Let me know, and I’ll see what I can do!

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How to Get a Personalized The Body Shop Body Butter

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The Body Shop Fiji Green Tea Body Butter

A little while ago, I came home to a fun surprise in the mail: a personalized The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea Body Butter! This cute Christmas gift from PR put a smile on my face. 🙂

Have someone on your holiday list who might also love this? 

According to The Body Shop Global Gifting survey, which studied the gifting behaviours of 1,950 men and women across 10 countries from five continents, “48% of people want to give a bespoke gift during the holidays.”

If you’re a fellow Canadian and you are close to these participating stores, you can create your own personalized Body Butter:

  • CF Toronto Eaton Centre (220 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario)
  • The Body Shop Toronto Pop-Up Store (93 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario)
  • CF Richmond Centre (6551 No. 3 Road, Richmond, British Columbia)

There are different designs that you can choose from, not just the flamingo. All were designed in collaboration with Yago Partal and his world-renowned portraits of animals.

The Body Shop’s personalized Body Butters can feature one of four exotic creatures to help bring your gift to life and add a fun, creative, and wild touch.

To add a name to The Body Shop Body Butter, all you have to do is purchase a 200ml ($21 CAD) or 400ml ($34 CAD) Body Butter at the above stores. Then, one of the store’s consultants at the till point will help you to create your personalized Body Butter!

What are some of your favourite things from The Body Shop? Are you interested in me reviewing this Fiji Green Tea Body Butter or other The Body Shop products? Let me know!

P.S. In case you missed yesterday’s post, I’m having a Zoya Enchanted Collection Giveaway that’s open worldwide. Hurry to get your entry in, as it ends December 31, 2016! (3 winners!)

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The Body Shop Piñita Colada Body Butter Review

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The Body Shop Pinita Colada Body Butter Review

Treat your skin to a tropical paradise, flaunt your grass skirt, and satisfy your summer craving with The Body Shop Piñita Colada Body Butter, which combines creamy coconut with juicy pineapple for a scent that’s reminiscent of the well-loved piña colada!

This special edition officially launches in Canada in July 2016, but if you’re in the United Kingdom, this Piñita Colada Body Butter by The Body Shop is already available as a new arrival.

The Body Shop Piñita Colada Body Butter contains hand-harvested coconuts from the Antilles region of the Caribbean and fresh, handpicked pineapples in Santo Domingo.

Oh, and yes, the entire time I was working on this post, Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes was stuck in my head: “If you like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain, if you’re not into yoga, if you have half a brain, if you like making love at midnight in the dunes of the cape, then I’m the love that you’ve looked for! Write to me, and escape!”

Hey, did you know that, as a symbol of love, the Caribbean Indians traditionally put pineapple crowns outside their homes? I just read that recently and thought it was cute!

On my nails: Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Ripple in Time.

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Panorea Skin + Spa Review

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Panorea Skin and Spa TorontoMother’s Day is coming up!

Are you ready to make Mom feel like a queen for a day?

A while ago, my mom and I enjoyed our first spa experience at a Toronto skincare spa called Panorea Skin + Spa.

Panorea Skin + Spa has been family owned and operated since 1981, and it was named after a real woman called Panorea. (I think it’s a beautiful name and one that I have never come across in my circles.)

We went to this Toronto spa when it was located at 416 Bloor Street West, but they’ve recently relocated to 853 Bathurst Street. (Their new location is north of Bathurst Station on the east side. Look for their green planters!)

They offer all the spa treatments you could want from hair removal, eyelash tinting, and custom facials to manicures, pedicures, and skin consultation.

If you’re curious, their prices and services are conveniently listed here on the Panorea Skin + Spa website where you can also book your appointment online.

By the way, I saw on their website that they’re running a Manicure/Pedicure Special for $55 CAD when you book from Monday to Wednesday. (Also, this spa offers CND Shellac nail polish, but I also noticed a wide variety of Nubar nail polishes in the back. Hehe, you know this nailphile would spot the lacquer quickly, right?)

Other ways to contact them:

  • E-mail: info@panorea.ca
  • Phone: (416) 530-0781
  • The handy web form at the bottom of their website

During our spa visit, we met Louis and Shantel, who are shown in the above photo.

Louis is Panorea’s son, and we chit chatted a little bit. He’s very friendly, and I could feel his passion for skincare right from the beginning! Plus he obviously walks the walk, since the dude has the smoothest and most even complexion that I’ve ever seen on a man in a long time. I could tell that he takes extremely good care of his skin!

When I commented on how healthy his skin looked, he flashed a charming smile and attributed it to his mother teaching him how to care for his skin at an early age.

I agree – prevention is the key! Wear good sunscreen all the time, and don’t neglect your skin!

Shantel, the esthetician who would perform the facials, had a calm demeanour, which made it easy to relax. After going over the forms we filled out based on our skin concerns and the products we used, she suggested specific Dr. Renaud skincare products and spa facials that we would benefit the most from.

She was very knowledgeable and patient, offering advice and answering our constant string of curious questions. (Remember, it was our first ever spa trip, so everything was new to us!)

In the rest of this post, I will go into more detail about our Panorea Skin + Spa experience. Come along because I’ll also share some photos of my mom during her collagen-infused facial.

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eos Berry Blossom Body Lotion Review

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eos Berry Blossom Body Lotion

When it comes to eos (Evolution of Smooth), I’ve only tried their cute, spherical lip balms. (I sometimes use them as lipstick primers.)

Recently, I tried the eos Berry Blossom Body Lotion, and it’s the first eos product I’ve tested out that’s not a lip balm. Call me a cat because I was very curious!

It promises to absorb quickly into the skin and provide hydration. This interested me because, when slathering on body lotion after showering, nobody wants to feel like poultry being marinated for a feast! (However, with some lotions and creams I’ve tried, that has been the case, and I feel gross when skincare leaves me looking and feeling greasy.)

I wondered how strong the Berry Blossom scent would be and if it would last for several hours after its application.

How did the eos Berry Blossom Body Lotion perform? I’ll share my experience with you in this post!

P.S. On my nails, I’m wearing Essie Viva Antigua!, which is from the Summer 2016 Collection.

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Elizabeth Arden SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster Review

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Elizabeth Arden SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster

When it comes to skincare, I believe in using high-quality products that make your complexion not only look great, but feel comfortable with effective, lasting results. No skimping allowed, but no going berserk and spending $800 on one skincare product, either!

Unlike nail polish where I readily test out every colour, finish, and formula, with skincare, I tread carefully like a swimmer in an unknown body of water.

I have my favourite skincare essentials that work, so I don’t frequently change my regimen often. When I do experiment, I introduce a new product slowly into my tried-and-true skincare regimen, and I test it out for several weeks and even months before I decide whether I notice any positive or negative effects.

It gives me time to collect my thoughts, watch for any allergic reactions, and notice potential conflicts with other skincare products that I use on a daily basis.

Last year, I had the opportunity to test out the new Elizabeth Arden SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster, and after using it on a daily basis for two months straight, I’m now comfortable sharing my detailed thoughts about it with you.

In a nutshell: I joined the Booster Club, and I think that SUPERSTART is a SUPERSTAR! 😉

The Elizabeth Arden SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster has many strong claims, and I was eager to see how it would fare in combination with my skincare regimen.

Some of my skincare staples are by Shiseido, a brand that I’ve religiously used for several years. And, although the SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster is formulated to be used in conjunction with other Elizabeth Arden skincare products, I wasn’t ready to introduce a slew of new skincare products at once. Instead, I just added the Elizabeth Arden skin booster to my regular routine.

For your reference, I have combination skin that tends to feel more on the drier side during the colder months. Also, I have sensitive skin and typically don’t get pimples except when it’s around my period (i.e. hormonal levels are changing) or if I eat too much greasy food.

In this detailed post, I’ll share with you my experience of incorporating the SUPERSTART booster, as well as show you the official press release about the product. (You’ll find the press release handy, as it includes the results of the clinical study and information regarding the participants.)

As with any skincare product, results can significantly vary from one person to another. Many factors, such as skin type, age, the current condition of your skin, other products you’re using (or not using), and more can play salient roles in determining whether or not this booster will work for you.

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Consonant Natural Foaming Face Wash Review

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Consonant Natural Foaming Face Wash

A while back, I had the pleasure of test-driving the 100% natural Consonant Natural Foaming Face Wash (Pure Unscented) in the cute travel-sized can.

Considering that the Consonant Natural Foaming Face Wash won two awards (Globe and Mail Style Beauty Awards’ Best Cleanser and Beauty Connexion’s Top Beauty Product), it had a lot to live up to.

Full of nourishing botanicals such as Tea Tree Oil and Grape Seed Oil to hydrate the skin, the Consonant face wash also promises to eliminate an uneven skin tone and fight blemishes.

Additionally, it’s supposed to be able to remove makeup (even stubborn eye makeup), and it’s pH-balanced.

So how did it fare? Learn more about my experience in this post!

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