Summer Vichy Finds: Idéal Soleil Sun Care Reviews

We are half way through summer and while I am looking forward to fall (AKA my favourite season), I am quite enjoying the warmer weather. It hasn't been overly hot so I have been spending a lot of time outside. Summer is my least favourite season so I would've be so much more hesitant if I didn't have some new skincare products to help protect my skin during and after sun exposure. Thankfully, I was able to try out some sun-care products that I probably wouldn't have picked up myself, but thanks to Chickadvisor* I got the opportunity to try them. Spoiler alert: I love them. Continue reading for my full reviews on the VIchy Idéal Soleil Ultra Light Lotion SPF 30 and Vichy Idéal Soleil After Sun Hydrating Milk Care.

Vichy Idéal Soleil Ultra Light Lotion SPF 30 (‎30ml, $25.95 CAD)
I really enjoyed this sunscreen. For me, it lives up to it’s “ultra light lotion” claim and I don’t notice too much of a white cast. Though it is quite fast drying, it is still an easy product to apply. It hasn’t broken me out or given me any skin irritations which I am not surprised by because it doesn’t leave my skin looking greasy throughout the day. This lotion is quite pricey for the size that you get (30ml - and it's the same price as the ), but if you are looking for a new fairly matte sunscreen to try, this might be a good choice.

Vichy Idéal Soleil After Sun Hydrating Milk Care (300ml, $29.95 CAD)
This Vichy Idéal Soleil After Sun Hydrating Milk Care is pretty amazing. I never give much thought into after sun-care so I typically go for the cheaper drugstore brands, but I don’t know if I can go back to those having tried this product. The after sun hydrating milk care has ingredients that not only helps nourish and repair the skin after sun exposure, it also makes it more resistant against subsequent sun exposure - a huge bonus. This product has a lovely clean scent and a light milky consistency so it is super easy to apply. It leaves my skin feeling and looking so soft and supple that I have been using as a regular moisturizer, regardless of whether or not I have been spending time out in the sun! That being said, it is a bit pricey to buy solely for the purpose of a moisturizer but in the summer it is totally worth it. I feel like it really adds an extra level of care and overall nourishment which allows you to spend even more time outdoors.

These two products are easily my favourite new discoveries this summer. I always have them ready if I know that I would be lounging out in the sun! I will probably continue to use and repurchase the ultra light lotion throughout the year, and will finish up the After Sun Hydrating Milk Care until next summer rolls around! If you are still making the most of this gorgeous summer weather and sunshine like I am, I definitely recommend you check these products out!

XO Jenn

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

A Few of My Favourite Things: October

Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara - I got to try this mascara thanks to Chickadvisor and I genuinely love it. It has a big brush so it is able to grab all your lashes in one swipe. I definitely recommend this if you love having volumionus lashes.

MAC Lipstick in Candy Yum Yum - I agree, this shade is slightly too bright and more suitable for spring and summer! But I like to break this out now and then because it's bright and it makes me happy. I think it goes well with a dark scarf and outfit. Who says you can't wear bright lipstick during the fall and winter?

Anastasia Beverly Hill Brow Wiz - This is a cult favourite and I can see why. I've tried a handful of drugstore brow pencil and keep going back to this one even though it's 3x the price. The pencil is pigmented and goes on so smoothly and easily, and it stays on all day. Definitely worth the splurge! 

Kylie Cosmetics in Koko K - I am obsessed with this shade. Its opaque (I can easily get away with one or two layers) and it is long lasting without being overly drying. It's not too bright so its appropriate for the fall and winter!

MAKE UP FOR EVER Full Cover Concealer - This has been my go to concealer. I use it in the summer when I can't be bothered with heavy foundation, and I use it in the fall and winter when my skin is drier and I don't feel like putting foundation on my dry skin. A little bit of this stuff goes a long way!

What have you been loving lately? (Makeup bag is from Shiseido)

XO Jenn

October 2014 Favourites

Here are our favourites from the past month!

1. NYX Cosmetics HD Concealer Wand - This is one of the best drugstore concealers I've tried. It does an amazing job at concealing zits. I don't have undereye circles so I cannot comment on that but I think it would do an adequate job with that since you don't need much, and since the concealer stays on for the whole day. It is easily blendable so not much of the product is required.

2. L'Oreal Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer - I love this highlighter because it is subtle enough to use all over the face as a primer, or as a highlighter. I have not broken out from this, and although I have oily skin, this does not make me look extra oily or dewy.

3. Anna Sui Mascara Base - This is one of my favourite eyelash primers I've tried (I've tried the one from Lancome, Dior, and MAC). I love that the wand is smaller than your typical mascara and eyelash primer brush. This means you can really get in there and coat all of your lashes. The consistency is also like a gel - and even though the product is actually purple (the purple does not show up on your lashes) - so it is not super wet such that it will make your lashes droop. You can put your mascara on right after applying this or after a few minutes; I found that I get the best results when I apply mascara after ~10 seconds after primer application. The Anna Sui primer makes my lashes look thicker and longer.

4. Maybelline Baby Lips - Peppermint - This is the only Baby Lips I've tried from Maybelline but I really like it. This particular lip balm does not have any colour/tint (as many do) and does not have too much of a scent besides a bit of menthol scent, which does not linger at all after application. I think this does an adequate job of moisturizing the lips but it is not at all a heavy duty lip balm. For that reason, I do not recommend it for the fall or winter time.

5. Thierry Mugler Alien Eau de Toilette - I absolutely love this scent. I wore this throughout the summer because it was an EDT so it was not overpowering. It was light but still sexy at the same time. Of course, being an EDT, the scent did not last a long time but I think it is a compromise for wanting to wear this very sexy and night-out-type perfume in the daytime. I will definitely be buying myself a refillable Eau de Parfum bottle.

What were your favourites from the past month?

XO Jenn & Nicole

Summer 2013 Favourites (Updated with links)

L-R Clockwise
Honey Bronze Shimmering Dry Oil - Honey Kissed - I broke this out again for the summer. This was also a summer favourite on mine for last summer (read about it here), however, I did use it more this summer than last and I realized that I really dislike the smell. The smell is not awful but it just lingers around for the whole day and can overpower my perfume. I will not be re-purchasing this because the smell does bother me a bit!

Jane Iredale Dream Tint Tinted Moisturizer - Again, this was in my summer favourites last year. Because this does not give me any coverage for me at all, I don't think I will be repurchasing this again, especially considering it is quite pricey for what it is.

MISSHA M Signature Real Complete B.B. Cream SPF 25 PA++ in No. 23- I have this in the shade No.23, which is described as a natural yellow beige on the Missha website, however, I still get a redish tinge to my skin. To lessen the effect of that and the coverage, I mix this with my Jane Iredale TM in a 1:1 ratio. I will not be re-purchasing this because the shade is not a perfect match!

Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Eau de Parfum - read my full review here.

Maybelline The Rocket Volum’ Express Waterproof - read my full review here.

Physician Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner Trio in Black - I love this eyeliner so much because it does not budge and it goes on quite easy. I love this for days when I don't want to wear a dramatic wing, but because it is so easy to use, I find myself reaching for this even when I want to do a heavy wing.

Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Hollow - To avoid using too much powder for the warmer months, I have been using this for my contour. It is very blendable and the shade is a cool, matte brown. I like using this with my Real Techniques Contour brush.

These were some of my favourites for this past summer. What were your guys' summer favourites?

XO Nicole

Summer 2012 Favourites

Finally summer is nearing its end (September 22 2012 marks the first official day of Fall) but for me, it's never too early to throw summer its farewell party - yes, I'm that person who hates on summer (I realize hate is probably too strong of a word). Nevertheless, I had to endure it and I tried to embrace it with using some fun and/or easier products to help me survive the crazy heat and sun rays.

1. Vera Wang Princess' Eau de Toilette Spray - I loved this perfume during the summer time because it is florally but very light and fresh at the same time.
2. The Body Shop Honey Bronze Shimmering Dry Oil - This is another product I found in my stash that I fell in love with this summer. I am very pale so I self-tan with a gradual tanner but sometimes, I still need a little bit of a extra glow and this gives that to me so easily. It’s very blend able, adds the perfect amount of shimmer and most importantly, it does not leave you like a oily mess.
3. Bobbi Brown beach Body Lotion - The fragrance of this lotion is basically summer in a body lotion - it reminds of me a typical suntan lotion on the beach on a sunny day! The scent is light but very long-lasting.Not only that, but it does a great job of moisturizing without feeling greasy and sticky. I am so obsessed with this that I am sure this will become a staple in my summer routine.
4. Jane Iredale Dream Tint - I randomly stumbled onto this product when I was looking for a tinted moisturizer for the summer. While Jane Iredale is mostly geared towards more mature skin-types, I found this ™ to work well on my combination skin and it gave me light but enough coverage for using everyday. One of the things that intrigued me with this product besides the promo which I felt was a sign for me to get this product, was that the active ingredients for the SPF property were physical blockers. I could do with the lavender scent though.
5. OPI Strawberry Margarita - For the summer, I love wearing bright and bold colours on my toes. Strawberry Margarita was the go-to polish for me this summer. The colour is gorgeous: it is a vibrant and warmer-based pink that just goes on so easily, as it is very opaque - two coats does it perfectly!
6. Essie Silken Cord Nail Lacquer - Silken Cord is a "risque red" so I tend to wear this mostly on my toes as well for when I really want to add a pop of colour to my toes and my outfit.
7. Neutrogena Ultra-Sheer Water Light Daily Face Sunscreen SPF 60 -This product is amazing. For those of you who do not like the feel of heavy sunscreens and/or are lazy to wait long enough for the sunscreen to be absorbed into the skin (like myself), then this is the product for you. This was so perfect for summer with the broad spectrum SPF protection in addition to the very lightweight feel. I would definitely repurchase this if the active ingredients were zinc oxide and titanium dioxide instead of the soluble sunscreen ingredients.

XO Nicole

July 2011 Favourites

Nyx Blush in Angel & Sephora Loves Canada Palette
I've been reaching for this blush a lot because it is just a easy and fool proof shade with no shimmer, just a slight sheen. Usually I put the blush from my Sephora loves Canada palette on top of it and it just emphasizes the pretty mauve-y pink colour a bit more. On some days, I would use Nars Orgasm blush on top and that is a very pretty combo too.

Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer
I dug this back up! My skin has been acting up a lot this month so I really needed not only something to help make my foundation last (not a fan of the CG True Match foundation), I wanted something to tone down the redness due to my breakouts. Again, this does not fail me! I love it.

Vitamin C Daily Moisturizer SPF 30

I just LOVE the smell of this. It just wakes me up in the morning. The consistency is a bit thick (not surprising since it does contain a SPF of 30) but the moisturizer is easy to blend and does not leave an immediate white cast at all (I don't know about in photos though)

 


COVERGIRL LashBlast Fusion Water Resistant Mascara
I didn't like the LashBlash Length mascara but I love this LashBlast fusion. Before I found my next favourite below, I found myself just reaching this mascara without using a lengthening mascara first! This does an amazing job at volumizing and it doesn't lack lengthening properties either! It says this is water-resistant.. Which is not true. It didn't even make it through some tears...



Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Waterproof Mascara
On another hand, I finally found a decent lengthening mascara! I love this stuff - it actually lengthens my lashes! I will definitely repurchase this.. Except this mascara is a pain to remove! But thankfully, this is where my next favourite comes in handy...

Marcelle Gentle Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes
This makeup remover, specifically formulated for waterproof mascara, is awesome! Granted, it does take patience when removing the mascara, but it does eventually take the stubborn mascara off unlike my Neutrogena Oil-free remover which also claims to remove waterproof makeup as well.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure - Pink Slip

I don't think I've worn any other nail polish shade for this month except for this one (I know, boring) but I've been playing it safe. It is such a pretty natural, pink colour so You just can't go wrong with something like this.

XO Nicole