Tessa x NIVEA Skincare Reviews (Care Cream, MicellAIR Micellar Water)

NIVEA is stepping up their game with these new products so I'm not surprised these are some of "Tessa Virtue's skincare favourites" #TessasFavourites #TessaxNIVEA! Spoiler alert: Ms. Virtue continues to do no wrong because I ended up loving these products as well. Continue reading to find out what these products are, and for my reviews.

NIVEA Nourishing Care Cream, $12.40, 400ml
I’ve tried the original Nivea Moisturizing Crème way back and remember it being too thick for my liking, so I was worried about that also being an issue with this variety. To my surprise, this new NIVEA cream is actually really nice because it hydrating and nourishing but not greasy - don't let the fact that it comes in a tub (which is what I think is typically associated with thicker body creams like body butters) scare you. I love the matte packaging, and that it comes in a tub so you can really get in there and scoop out as much product as needed, though I find a little goes a long way.  This cream is fast absorbing and pretty lightweight so I had no qualms reaching for it this summer, but because of how moisturizing and nourishing it is, I can also see myself using this well into the fall and winter.

NIVEA MicellAIR Micellar Water Dry and Sensitive Skin, $9.29, 400ml
NIVEA's new micellar water line claims to be a 3-in-1 product that removes makeup, cleanses the skin, and refreshes it. I like to double cleanse when I wear heavier makeup so micellar water isn't the something I reach for on those days, but they are excellent for my light/no-makeup makeup days and/or perfect for lazy nights. With the NIVEA MicellAIR Micellar Water for Dry and Sensitive Skin, I can do all 3 steps in a few swipes with this product. It doesn't dry my skin out, and I don’t have to worry about the residual product causing me to break out. It is gentle but effective at removing makeup, and it is affordable (sold at drugstores!) which is basically all I look for in a micellar water. If you want to try micellar waters, this Nivea line is a good place to start.

XO Jenn

I received both products free for testing purposes but as always, reviews are honest and opinions are of my own.

*post contains affil

Calgon Ageless Bath Exfoliating Mineral Scrub and Soak Review

 his product is such a treat to use! I am really addicted to this stuff because it works and smells amazing (it has a very sweet and perfume-y scent). The granules are not extremely harsh, but at the same time, there are not too gentle that it disappears before you can even massage it into your skin. This product also doubles as a mineral soak, and though I have never used it in a bath I imagine that this would just be divine given the lovely scent. I don't look for much in a body exfoliator but when a product like this is 2-in-1, effective, and has anti-aging claims (that it's filled with vitamin E and collagen), I can't say no!

As you can see from the picture below, there is a bit of separation between the mineral oil and the granules, which I know some people prefer not to have this in their exfoliator, but I don't mind it. I think also could be intentional because if you wanted to use this for a bath/mineral soak, you can drain more of the oil into the bathtub. 

For all these reasons, and because it is only about ~$7 CAD for 24oz of product (I purchased mine at Shoppers Drug Mart and will be repurchasing), I highly recommend this exfoliator. I do suggest that you give this a whiff before checking out though, because the scent is quite strong. I really do not see the need to shell out more than $10 on a body exfoliator, especially when you got such a great, inexpensive option like this for Calgon!

Price: ~$7 CAD
Where: Shoppers Drug Mart

XO Nicole

Featuring: Philosophy Living Grace Try Me Set

I am a big fan of Philosophy body washes because they always smell so amazing. I have never tried the "living grace" line so this gift set was perfect. I think my favourite part about this line and this gift set is the turquoise/"Tiffany blue". This would make a great set for a girly girlfriend of yours!

From the Sephora website:
Live in grace and feel grounded in the present moment. This fragrance was formulated to help center a woman's mood, enabling her to fully embrace the beauty of living in the present moment each day. This ethereal, clean scent evokes a sensory experience that creates uplifting feelings of vibrancy, well-being, and clarity. You don't wear it, you live it. 

This set contains:
- 4 oz Shampoo, Bath & Shower Gel 
- 4 oz Firming Body Emulsion 
- 0.5 oz Eau de Toilette 

Notes:
Fresh Neroli, Lily of the Valley, Warm Musk. 
Style:
Beautiful. Ethereal. Clean.

Price: $46 CAD/$36 USD

XO Nicole

Spring Empties Part 1: Body Care

Here is part one of my spring empties series! Let's start with the "boring" stuff first.

Softsoap Milk Protein & Honey Body Wash & Vaseline Total Moisture Cocoa Radiant - Nothing special about these products. They both smell great but the scents don't last. The funny thing about the Softsoap body wash is that the soap itself is a gooey/slimey consistency that you can actually throw it up in the air and catch it in your hand and it would still be one long blob. It's pretty fun but weird at the same time.

Dr. Bronner's Organic Peppermint Lip Balm - I enjoyed this lip balm. It is moisturizing and is made up of all organic ingredients. The scent however, I am not too crazy about. The peppermint is a bit too strong for me. I would repurchase this in a differnt scent. Also, because this is very moisturizing, it leaves my lips looking more glossy than I usually perfer it to be, so I wouldn't mind trying something that is just as moisturizing but absorbs more quickly into the lips! It does a great job though.

Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve - I really enjoyed this hand lotion. It has eucalyptus in it so it's soothing as well as very moisturizing. This was a real saviour for me during the winter. It does absorb into your skin better than the average hand cream and even though it has a thicker consistency, you do not need a whole lot. The only thing that is keeping me from buying a full sized tube this is that it does contains parabens.

La Senza Hello Sugar! - I do not believe that they sell this at La Senza anymore but I bought this when  and I was just getting into perfumes and this was on a 40% off sale. This reminds me of a much cheaper version of Aquolina's Pink Sugar. I am so glad to be done this because it just smells cheap – nice but cheap.

XO Nicole

The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector Review

Hemp Hand Protector

I thought I'd feature and review this while most of us are experiencing the winter temperatures (below freezing where I am!). Moisturizing is the first and foremost most important step in your skincare routine especially during these winter months as obviously, the cold winter dries out skin very intensely (I will be doing a review on my current sunscreen - another important product for the winter, believe it or not).

Since the most of us cannot go a minute without texting and checking our phones, we sacrafice our hands to the cold a lot and because mittens and gloves just get in the way of our very important text messages, most of us skip the accessories and bare our hands in the cold. This undoubtely leaves our hands super dry and flakey. I know for me personally, I hate moisturizing my hands as it turns greasy so I skip that step too! Needless to say, my hands get so dry in the wintertime.

This can all be eliminated though, with a good hand lotion such as The Body Shop's Hemp Hand Protector. Although it does not smell like your typical, florally sweet hand creams, this hand lotion is worth the grass-like smell - some people can't get past it but for me, I do not mind it at all. It not only moisturizes your dry hands but it forms almost a barrier such that even after you wash your hands, this lotion remains intact. This way, your hands are always to trap in moisture (ie. from the lotion) and to keep out the cold dry wind that will take away your own natural oils from your hand. This is one of the very unique features of the product; here is an insert from the website:

How it works:

• Community Trade hemp seed oil has an unusually high concentration of essential fatty acids that help to repair skin's moisture barrier, so skin is smooth and supple.
• Community Trade organic beeswax moisturizes and conditions; acts as a barrier to seal in moisture.

Hemp Hand Protector x2

Hemp Hand Protector

The consistency is quick thick but can be easily distributed and is quickly absorbed in the skin. The packing is very unique too. As you can see, it is made out of some kind of aluminum-ish material but it is not a big deal. My first lotion lasted me for a year .. thankfully, my sister purchased me another one as a Christmas present as she saw that I was running out of it! :) This is a very great product to have if you have very dry skin.


ETA: HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!!

XO Nicole