Beauty – Page 2 – Rowena Francis

Le Petit Marseillais Body Wash

Published on May 30, 2018May 29, 2018 by Rowena FrancisLeave a comment

When I was a kid, I gave my baby-sitters a run for their money – specifically when my aunt baby sat us. She was the most patient and loving woman, but I would push the limits with her.

Every. Single. Time.

My parents would give us the ‘talk’ before they’d leave for their bowling league. We would put on our cutesy smiles and agree like the little angels that my aunt portrayed us to be when they got home.

I specifically remember this one time my mom told me that I absolutely had to take a bath while they were gone. I told her I would, but when my aunt told me it was bath time, I straight up refused. She literally chased me around the house, grabbing me one piece of clothing at a time until I was in my birthday suit and dodging her every move. When she finally decided it wasn’t worth it and retreated to her bedroom (I’m literally cringing), I relented. I walked proudly into the bathroom and rub a dub dub, I was in the tub.

**To my Aunt, if you are reading this…you are a superhero. Anyone who can endure what I put them through as a child, deserves a medal. Thank you for not killing me. I’m sure that would’ve been hard to explain, given the fact that I had everyone convinced I was an angel. I’m sure once you had your own kids, it was probably a breeze. I’m also beyond grateful that my ‘angelic’ childhood didn’t trickle down and make an appearance in my own kids. So, if you’re reading this, I’m still so sorry and I owe you BIG TIME!**

Thankfully, I’ve grown a bit since then and although I can still be stubborn, I love my shower time.

This week I received a Vox Box* from Influenster and lo and behold, it was a body wash sample. Influenster is a company that sends you products for free in return for reviews or product exposure, etc. Although I’m not required to blog about the product, I thought it might be nice to share my experience with this one.

Le Petit Marseillais
Mandarin and Lime Body Wash
$4.97 (walmart.ca)
400ml

Product Claims:
(As written on the website)
“LE PETIT MARSEILLAIS® Mandarin & Lime Body Wash gently cleans your skin. Its light and easy to rinse foam releases a zesty and citrus fragrance. Skin is left feeling soft, moisturized and refreshed.
The extra gentle pH neutral formula makes this body wash suitable for everyday use.
Paraben free. Phthalate free.”

Ingredients:
Water (Eau), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Fragrance (Parfum), Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Hydroxide, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Fruit Extract, Yellow 5, Blue 1

My Review:
First things first, packaging. I don’t have a full-size bottle in front of me, but I’m a bit disappointed at first glance of the pictures. It reminds me of something I would find at the dollar store. However, after trying it, I loved the smell. It reminded me of when I used to buy a bunch of bath products from Fruits & Passion when I was a teenager. It brings back some good memories. It lathered nicely, which is a big deal to me. I like a good lather. It also felt nice on my skin and didn’t dry it out after my shower. I would’ve liked the scent to linger on my skin after my shower, but it didn’t. Overall I was fairly pleased with this body wash. I will buy a full bottle of it since Influenster sent me a coupon for $2 off, but since the full price is more than my current favourite body wash, I probably will only buy it again if it goes on sale.

Rating: 4/5

Have you tried Le Petit Marseillais Body Wash? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

*I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

Rowena’s Reviews | The Etherealist Foundation by Kevyn Aucoin

Published on May 26, 2018May 26, 2018 by Rowena FrancisLeave a comment

One of the great things about ordering online with Sephora is that you get to pick samples that ship with your order. I recently received a sample of The Etherealist foundation by Kevyn Aucoin with my most recent order. I decided to try it out and let you all in on my thoughts about it.

Kevyn Aucoin
The Etherealist Foundation
$70 (CDN)/$58 (US)
Shade Range – 16 shades

Packaging
I can’t really comment on the packaging as I used a sample packet I received with a Sephora order.

Consistency
The consistency is fairly thin and ran down the back of my hand when applied.

Application
I used a damp beauty sponge to apply the foundation. It blended ok, but it looked a bit patchy. The first layer I used the shade Light EF 02, but it was too light, which could be why it was patchy. When I applied the second layer with the shade Medium EF 06, the colour matched well and it blended better.

Coverage
This is definitely a medium coverage foundation. I didn’t find that it evened out my skin tone in my chin area, but it covered well for the rest of my face.

Finished face
After my makeup was finished, my foundation looked a bit cakey up close, but from a step back it looked flawless – almost airbrushed. I’m curious to see if the cakey finish had to do with the fact that I applied two layers (see my final thoughts).

First Impressions Wear test (9am)
This foundation feels smooth and light on my skin, maybe even like it turns to a light powder. It doesn’t feel heavy or thick.

5-hour wear test (2pm)
After a few hours, my foundation was still in tact. It seemed to be wearing off near my lips and chin area. It still felt light and airbrushed.

10-hour wear test (7pm)
10 hours was too long for me. Even though I set it with the Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray, by the time it hit the 10 hour mark my foundation was separating, settling into the lines around my nose and chin, and the coverage seemed light at best.

Final thoughts
After writing my first impressions down, I went to Sephora’s website and checked out the claims this foundations makes. As I read the claims, I realized that my review was fairly consistent with the claims – medium coverage, airbrush finish, etc. I tried wearing the foundation again, this time using one layer of the medium shade and using a foundation brush. It looked flawless and not cakey at all. That being said, I liked the foundation and would absolutely use it for shorter days, like a Sunday morning at church. Also, since it feels so light on the skin, I think it could possibly be a beautiful summer foundation. However, it’s definitely on the high end for pricing, so I’d really have to think about whether it would be worth buying for only a day each week.

My Final Score 7/10

Have you tried The Etherealist foundation? Did you love it or pass? Comment below.

Battle of the Blondes

Published on May 23, 2018May 19, 2018 by Rowena Francis9 Comments

When my son was born, his hair was so blonde that it actually looked like he was sporting a halo, straight from above.

It wasn’t surprising as I was a bleach blonde baby as well. Over the years my hair started darkening to a dirty blonde.

When I was 12, all my friends started colouring their hair and I was intrigued. My sister and I convinced my mom to bring us to the drugstore and let us pick whatever we wanted.

Black. I picked black. It had a bluish hue to it, kind of like Veronica in the Archie comics.

Apparently that wasn’t a good choice. Or so my mom said.

So, I went with blonde.

We went home and started the process.

Guess what?

It came out orange.

Why in the world would my hair not turn out as beautiful as the one on the box?

My hair pulls red. That’s why.

Over the years, I’ve been from bleach blonde to orange to red, back to blonde, dabbled with black and I have now settled back in with the bleach blonde.

I’m not one to go to the salon to get my hair done. My hair grows so fast that it would cost me an arm and a leg to keep up with the blonde professionally.

So, I have learned to perfect (or at least manage) the at-home blonde locks.

Here lies the Battle of the Blondes.

I have managed to find two products that bring my blonde to the colour I love.

L’Oreal Paris Superior Performance (Les Blondissimes)
LB01 Light Ash Blonde
$$ – under $15

This one is my absolute favourite and the one that I gravitate toward because it doesn’t tear my hair to shreds while it lightens it. My scalp is super sensitive so I blister every single time I colour my hair, regardless of the colour, brand or product. Out of every product I’ve used, this one leaves me with the least amount of blisters.

Because my hair pulls red, this leaves my hair in a more natural golden blonde state. I can usually tone this with a purple shampoo and it works great.

Garnier Nutrisse Cream
D+ – Extra Bleach
$ – under $10

Ok, this is a product that I can put right on my hair and within 30 minutes my hair is the absolute perfect platinum – no toning needed. The red undertones in my hair don’t stand a chance with this. I love it. The only downfalls of this is that the resulting blisters are so intense that I can’t wash or brush my hair for at least a week.

That’s where dry shampoo and an Elsa braid come in handy.

I recently used the Garnier colour because I wanted to even out my locks. I had one too many comments about the ‘cool’ way my hair went back and forth from platinum to golden.

One of the battles with being blonde is keeping my hair from frying. My hair is long and so it needs some tender loving care.

Although these next products aren’t specific to blondes, they are things that I use to keep my locks in check and my strands strong.

Infusium Conditioner
I may be partial to this because it was the very first conditioner I fell in love with, but there’s just something about it that works. My hair can feel like the Sahara, but after using this, the texture becomes so much smoother. I also love that I can use this every single wash.

Redken No Blow Dry Cream
I was originally using a drying cream from Schwarzkopf, but they discontinued it and it left me in search of something just as good. I decided to try a sample of the No Blow Dry Cream and to my extreme pleasure, I found it to be exactly what I was looking for!
You see, my hair is straight, but if I let it air dry, it poofs out to another galaxy. However, I don’t love using too much heat on my hair. The alternative? An air dry cream. This not only cuts down on drying time, but it also keeps your hair tame while it air dries – without the feeling of a greasy product in my hair.

Olaplex
I first tried this unintentionally. My stylist wanted to give me some purple shampoo and all she had was an almost empty bottle of Olaplex. Mind you, when I tried it, it was mixed with that shampoo, but let me tell you! Baby soft! This treatment transforms your hair into commercial-worthy hair. I may or may not have been walking around tossing my hair off my shoulders into the air in slow-mo. We’ll never know. Nonetheless, I ran out of this and it is on my list to repurchase.

Do you colour your hair a lot? Comment below with your favourite hair colour brands.

Sephora Haul | Throwback Edition

Published on May 16, 2018May 16, 2018 by Rowena Francis3 Comments

SH First Image — Photo by Julia Janeta on Unsplash

Ok, technically this was my second Sephora haul, but the first one was 20 years ago and all I bought was a green correcting primer.

I was never a spender. I rarely spent money and I most definitely didn’t spend it on makeup.

Until.

I was sitting at work and my friend and co-worker showed me an email from Sephora. It said something along the lines of ‘spend $30 and get all these products free.’

I’ll warn you now, those are hook emails. They hook you with all the free stuff you’ll get.

Well, it hooked me.

There we were, together, attempting to each purchase $30 of makeup from Sephora. I had no idea where to even start! I think I asked her a million times what I should buy for my first makeup purchase.

I quickly added the Estée Edit Flash Illuminator. I think it gave me enough to hit the $30 mark, but then as I started the checkout, I realized shipping wasn’t free.

Well, I guess that means that I need to add things to my cart until I get free shipping. It’s like getting more free products because the money you would’ve spent on shipping, now you are spending on makeup.

Such a deal. Or at least that’s what my logic stated.

Needless to say, I got my cart to $51 before taxes and I was getting lots of product.

…but I still didn’t know a thing about what it was or how to use it.

Let’s just say, that’s probably where my YouTube addiction started.

Don’t tell my husband.

Alright, moving on.

Coming to you straight from October 2016, here is my very first official Sephora Haul!

the Estée Edit by Estée Lauder
Flash Illumintor
Colour: 02 Morning Light
$32 (no longer available)

Ok, I’m not mad at this purchase. I just swatched this on the back of my hand and I’m not gonna lie, it’s a bit mesmerizing. If this brand was still around, I would probably repurchase this illuminator.

Sephora Collection
Make You Blush! Colorful Cheek Ink Gel Trio
Colour: 01 Peony/04 Lotus/06 Dahlia
$13 (trio no longer available)

I don’t think I actually used any of these blushes. I swatched them a few times and just couldn’t blend them easy enough. There always seemed to be an outline of the stain. These blushes are still available individually, but I wouldn’t repurchase them.

Sephora Collection
Wonderful Cushion Matte Lip Cream
Colour: 01 Wonderful Rosy
$6.00 (no longer available)

I love lipstick. I’m not gonna lie, I only added this to my cart because it was on sale and it gave me the free shipping qualification. I can’t say I hate this, but I can’t say I love this. I still throw this in my makeup bag to use as a ‘no makeup’ lip blush – you know, just something to give you a hint of colour while keeping the natural look. I like it and I really like the cushion, but I probably wouldn’t repurchase. (That being said, I did buy a second shade of this back in 2016)

Since I spent $30, I received a Sephora mini makeup clutch with samples inside. I don’t remember what the samples were, but I always set my samples aside to take with me on vacations (stay tuned for a travel makeup post).

Do you remember your first big makeup purchase? What did you get? Comment below.

Spring Makeup Routine

Published on May 9, 2018May 9, 2018 by Rowena Francis4 Comments

I went to get my nails done the other day. When it came to a design, I told him to surprise me.

Vacation nails.

He gave me vacation nails.

How did he know I need to be on vacation right now?

Well, this year, vacation has to stay between the type of nails I’m doting and the sweet memories that are popping up on Facebook.

So, while I’m home and not actually on vacation, I might as well let you in on my spring makeup routine.

So, without further ado, here is my go-to spring makeup routine.

Primer
Becca Backlight Priming Filter

This primer takes your dull, lifeless skin and turns it into a beautiful glow. I mean, if you wore it without makeup over top, people might think you have that ‘special’ glow.

If you know what I mean…

Foundation
Maybelline Fit Me – Matte & Poreless
Shade – Classic Ivory

I was on a high-end foundation kick for a few years – and I probably would still be if it weren’t for my skin turning 50 shades of white this winter. For real, this girl doesn’t have the pocket change to splurge on multiple foundations throughout a season.

Welcome to Maybelline. I mean, there is nothing I don’t love about this foundation. It is lightweight, goes on smooth, blends seamlessly, looks flawless and lasts all day.

Concealer
Tarte Shape Tape
Shade – Light-Medium

Brian laughs at me when I get to this step. He tells me I look like I have war paint on my face and asks me what I’m fighting for.

Him, of course. I fight for him.

I don’t have a lot of experience with concealer. This is probably the first real concealer I’ve used.

I love it, so it works.

I set my under eyes with Wet n Wild Bronzer in the shade Reserve Your Cabana.

(**don’t judge me on my concealer being darker than my foundation. Y’all know my struggle with the shades of my skin this year. Ergo, I’m making it work**)

Contour
Ulta Make Me Blush (I got this as a free gift with purchase from Ulta, I don’t know how to link it)
Shade – Cool Bronzer

I just carve out a bit of a cheekbone and chisel somewhat of a jaw line with my contour. I’m still learning, but it seems to be working well, so we’ll go with it.

Who knew you could mould your face shape with just a bit of contour?

Blush
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush
Shade – Paaarty

I love a pink blush. I constantly tell myself I should buy some more diverse shades of blush, but when it comes down to it, I will almost always revert back to a true pink.

The Tarte blush goes on smooth and blends so easily. It is the longest lasting blush I’ve ever used (although it is my first high-end blush) and although it’s not a poppin’ pink, the colour is perfect for my skin tone.

(**I totally forgot to include my Tarte blush in my pics, but there happens to be a pink blush in my contour palette.**)

Brows
Tarte Busy Gal Brows
Shade – Taupe
Annabelle Skinny Brow Liner
Shade – Universal Dark

I come from an era where we wanted the least amount of hair on our brows. Now, I never got on the waxing train because every time I’d go to get them done, the lady would turn me away. Why? I don’t know why?

A few months ago, I decided I would try to learn how to brow. Is that a thing? Browing?

Anyway, I typically outline my brows with a brow pencil and then fill them with brow gel. I run a quick spoolie through them and they’re good to go. I think.

Now, if only I could find a colour that works – Taupe is too taupe, Brown is too dark. I just don’t know yet.

Mascara
L’Oreal Voluminous X-Fiber Mascara

I never do eye makeup on the daily – only mascara. Who am I kidding? I can probably count on one hand how many times I’ve had eye shadow on my eyes. Don’t even get me started with adding lashes. I can’t yet figure them out and plus Brian always says he likes my natural lashes best.

Boring.

Unless you use X-Fiber. For real, guys! This brings my lashes to a whole new level. I am very particular about my mascara and this hits every standard that I have.

Highlighter
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter Mini
Shade – Opal

This highlighter is poppin’. Can I say that? Is that still a thing? Yeah, well I pop a bit of this on the tip of my nose, my cupid’s bow and on the high points of my cheeks.

Wam. Bam. Kazam.

The lights are on.

Lips
Rimmel Exaggerate Automatic Lip Liner
Shade – You’re All Mine
Tarte H20 Lip Gloss
Shade – Zipline

I wasn’t sold on this liner at first, but the colour was exactly what I wanted for spring. However, when I started using it, I quickly realized how great it is. It is so creamy and feels so nice on my lips. I throw on the Tarte Lip Gloss and I’m ready to go.

Setting Spray
Urban Decay All Nighter

You all know my thoughts on this product. Simply the best. Spritz this on your face, then dab, dab, dab with your damp beauty sponge. Shellac for your makeup? Quite possibly.

There you have it. My basic Spring Makeup Look. I think it took this picture before I put on my lips, but you don’t mind, right?

Do you do a full face of makeup everyday or are you more of the minimal makeup type? Comment below.

Spa Night In

Published on April 28, 2018April 24, 2018 by Rowena FrancisLeave a comment

I am about to dive into a crazy busy week couple of weeks. I have deadlines that line up, back to back, each day next week and then some. If I don’t start off on the right foot, I may find myself a bit frazzled by the time June rolls around. June?

I don’t want that.

So, amongst many things (like doing the actual work to prepare), I am going to start off with a night of pampering.

Here is my favourite recipe for the perfect Spa day at home.

Clean House
Ok, maybe this isn’t pampering, per se, but having a clean house will help me relax when I want to. I like to have everything cleaned out, organized, vacuumed, washed, dried, folded, put away. You know, the works. The good news is that I have 2 kids that are quite accustomed to doing chores, so I won’t be running around like a crazy lady. Ok, maybe I’ll still be running around like a crazy lady, but it won’t be because I’m overworked. Plus, I’m totally convinced that my kids would choose to clean the house over anything else. I think.

Snacks
You can’t be pampered without food and drinks. Am I right, or am I right? I’m not the wine and dine type, but I do love a little bubbly – or as my kids call it, rich people water. Perrier. Zevia Ginger Root Beer has been my jam as of late.

If I’m really feeling fancy, I’ll put my drink in a crystal goblet and pour it over crushed ice.

Fancy also means I’ll throw together a tray of hors d‘oeuvres – garlic stuffed olives, an array of cheeses, crackers, fruit, chocolate. Chocolate.

If I’m not feeling overly fancy, I’ll make sure I have some Ruffles Sour Cream ‘n Onion chips.

The point is, I make sure I have food & drinks I love ready to devour.

Movie
If I’m going to have a night in with all the works, I want to watch a great chick flick. I mean, I might want to shed a tear or two, just because. Crying is cleansing, right?

Anyway, I will definitely be picking a movie that the hubby refuses to watch – Fried Green Tomatoes, Steel Magnolias, you get the picture.

PJs
I want luxurious pjs. I want the kind of pjs that you spend money on. I want pjs that make you feel like a million bucks.

Then I want comfort.

Yes, this pampering night is all about the comfort! Say what you will, but my TMNT sleepshirt is the best thing since sliced bread. Cozy. Comfy. Totally rad.

Face Mask
Once the house is clean, snacks are prepped, movie is picked, pjs are on, it’s time to get started. I will cleanse, rinse & moisturize my face, then slather on my favourite face mask. I’m currently loving the GlamGlow YouthMud Tinglexfoliate Treatment.

Talk about a mouthful!

Seriously, just like the name says, it tingles. It. Tingles.

But I love it.

There’s something about it that reminds me of a tropical vacation – and that’s literally a life goal, to be living it up in the tropics.

This week, I think I’m going to venture out to Sephora and grab a GlamGlow Bubblesheet Mask. I’ve heard great reviews and I really like GlamGlow.

Nails
I don’t always add this step into my pamper routine, but this week, it’s in there. I have gel nails, so I don’t need to do my fingernails. I just don’t have time to get a pedicure and I plan on wearing sandals next week, so I definitely want to do a pedicure.

Fun fact, when I was a teenager (and into my 20s) I used to paint a design on my nails every day to match my outfit. Every. Single. Day.

My current schedule would never allow for such frivolousness. Except! Except I stumbled upon the perfect quick-dry nail polish! Sally Hansen Insta-dri. You don’t even know! This nail polish can stand it’s ground with only a single coat. Plus, it literally dries in seconds!! (I just realized that this product actually makes those claims!) Hands down favourite polish. I won’t ever go back to other polishes. I don’t know how I waited around for paint to dry when I was young. It’s not even like I had a phone or iPad or anything to pass the time.

Bedtime
Last, but certainly not least, I will snuggle into my bed full of fluffy pillows and suffocating warm blankets. Then I’ll probably talk Brian’s ear off well into the midnight hours.

Do you like to enjoy a good spa night before you dive into a long week? Let me know in the comments one of your favourite pampering products.

Skin Care Routine | Spring 2018

Published on April 21, 2018April 18, 2018 by Rowena Francis2 Comments

Although I’ve loved makeup for a long time, I haven’t always loved taking care of my skin. I always found it to be a hassle taking off my makeup before bed or applying cream, serum or anything. I kind of had the thought that skin care products would cause my skin to radically dry out.

I’m grateful to say that I’m a little older and bit wiser in this area. My skin has changed so much since I started really caring for it. I learned that finding the right products was key in keeping my skin fresh, hydrated and healthy.

Before we dive into my current routine, let’s see how my skin care routine has changed a bit over the last few years.

2016
FCO
This was literally the only thing I used on my face (besides makeup). You can use FCO as an eye makeup remover, makeup remover and moisturizer, all in one. My face was never dry or greasy when I used this (although it is comedogenic, so you want to be careful with it).
Reason why I switched? It bothered my eyes so much that my vision would be blurry for about 2 hours after using it.

2017
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
FCO
Makeup Eraser
I admit, I continued to use the FCO to take off my eye makeup because it worked so well. I never had to scrub, it just melted it away. Closer to the end of 2017, I tried to use just the Makeup Eraser, but I felt like it left a film on my skin, so I added a cleanser. I tried a sample of the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser and I loved how it cleaned my skin. I just couldn’t get over the smell and how dry my face felt afterward.

So, I switched. Again.

2018
Nivea Eye Makeup Remover
Biore Powder Cleanser
Tatcha The Deep Cleanse
Tatcha The Water Cream
This year has been an amazing start for me with skin care. It all started because I was travelling to Israel and wanted to pack in a carry-on. I did a lot of research on cutting edge products and found a powdered cleanser – which would eliminate that out of my liquids allotment. The problem was that it was so expensive and I wasn’t sure if it worked. I began looking for a cheap version of it when I found Biore had one. It was $6, so I couldn’t resist trying it.

I love it!

I know this is kinda gross, but my pores felt like they were exploding dirt right out of them! My face felt so clean after. The only problem was that it tightens and dries the skin as tight as I used to roll baby diapers.

I needed a cream.

I had a sample of Dr. Jart+ Hydrogel that I started using and I LOVED it. It wasn’t heavy, moisturized my face and literally felt like water.

 Then I ran out of it. 

I immediately ran out to Sephora to get a new sample or possibly buy it, but they didn’t carry it in the store. I decided I would get a sample of the Tatcha Water Cream and see if that compared. I got distracted, like usual, and tried the Tatcha Deep Cleanse on my hand. I’m sure if they have cameras in the store, they could pull up first of all how I accidentally squirted a boatload onto my hand, but secondly how excited I got with it.

Seriously.

I was talking loudly. To myself. In a very animated monologue. Then, in the middle of my monologue, I turned around and a shaft of light ignited the end-cap in front of me and I found myself staring at a travel size duo, for just $30.

Um, yes? 

So I did what any beauty lover would do. I bought it and ran home to wash my face.

At 10:00 in the morning.

I’m not even going to tell you anything about it, cause I’m saving that for a full review, but I will say that it quickly made it’s debut into my skin care regime.

So now, I feel like my skin is the best it’s ever been. I owe it all to my new skin care routine.

1. Remove eye makeup with Nivea
2. Take off makeup with Biore Powder
3. Wash my face/neck with Tatcha Deep Cleanse
4. Moisturize with Tatcha Water Cream

Do you have a tried-and-true skin care regime? What is your favourite product? Comment below.