8 Things You Can Buy Right Now To Harness The Beauty Of Crystals

8 Things You Can Buy Right Now To Harness The Beauty Of Crystals

Saturday, 21 July 2018

     It's crystal clear: whether you believe in their mystical abilities or not, crystals have been used in wellness and beauty regimes for thousands of years. Among others, their purported benefits include healing and spiritual growth and banishing negative energy while attracting positive vibes. And now they promise to help your natural beauty shine from within.

While the benefits of crystals are debated, their beauty cannot be. Are you looking for something to make your day feel just that much more magical? Here are eight things you can buy right now to bring the power of crystals into your beauty routine.

Herbivore.

Herbivore PRISM Exfoliating Glow Potion

Okay, so it's not made of actual crystals to my knowledge, but it certainly shimmers, so I'm going to allow it. Herbivore's PRISM Glow Potion is "part essence, part serum, pure potion".

This nearly magical and truly natural water-based potion exfoliates the top layer of dead skin cells and de-clogs pores to reveal fresh, smooth and glowing skin...A rainbow of natural fruit acids and hydrating botanicals combine to gently resurface, even skin tone, improve texture, increase clarity and boost hydration - for your best skin yet, naturally.

This formula contains Rose Water, Aloe Water, Bilberry Lactic, Sugar Cane Glycolic, Orange Peel Citric and Apple Malic Acid. I'm not sure what some of those ingredients are, but they certainly sound fresh and natural. This is one girl who would love to get her glow on with the PRISM potion.

Find it at Sephora for $80 CAD.

5 Things I Love: 18/07/18

5 Things I Love: 18/07/18

Wednesday, 18 July 2018

Photo from The Badlands.

     We're midway through Summer, and I am feeling the heat. Good thing I have five cool links for you to get you through Wednesday.

At the beginning of this season, I couldn't get enough of warm color palettes, but this week I'm really loving cooler blush and purple tones, and more romantic styles. My picks this week reflect that, featuring rose clay beauty treatments and one seriously feminine lookbook. Check them out below!

Review: Saturday Skin Spotlight Brightening Mask

Review: Saturday Skin Spotlight Brightening Mask

Sunday, 15 July 2018

Photos from Saturday Skin.

     Saturday Skin is a South Korean beauty brand that has amassed a cult following. Praised by Nylon, Elle, Allure, and even featured by Teen Vogue as a beauty game-changer in 2016, this line of vegan skincare products may just be a beauty guru's best kept skin secret.

Of course you may recognize them as one of the most gorgeous products in the skincare isle, thanks to their trademark millennial pink packaging.

A post shared by Saturday Skin (@saturday_skin) on May 23, 2018 at 1:42pm PDT

For years I've been hearing the wonders of K-beauty and Korean skincare products, and I've longed to try them locally. Saturday Skin lays claim to a special "Cha-7 es complex", a formula derived from natural ingredients that promises to promote your skin's natural regeneration process. That's a pretty big promise. So is this one of those amazing Korean beauty secrets?

Their philosophy sure sounds amazing:

We live for Saturdays. Sleeping in, staying up. Daydreaming and adventure-seeking. All play, no work. We believe your skin should feel as good as you do when you wake up refreshed: happy, healthy and bright. Developed to reveal your clearest, dewiest complexion, Saturday Skin is a weekend in a bottle.

Um, yes please! Can any product live up to this promise? Let's find out.

First impressions

First, some real talk: I have never used a sheet mask before. Therefore, I had more than a little trouble unfolding the mask itself. It was slimy and cold, but I'm guessing this is how most sheet masks feel. I looked and felt ridiculous wearing it, and briefly wondered why I was doing this to myself. Perfectly dewy skin, I reminded myself, and left it on for the recommended ten minutes.

My skin was definitely softer when I removed it. It looked and felt moisturized and healthy. This is not a mask that needs to be washed off; rather, you smooth the serum left on your face into your skin. I initially assumed "brightening" was the same thing as lightening, and therefore thought the look of my freckles might diminish, but this wasn't the case. My results were good enough, though, that I decided I wanted to give this mask another try the following week.

Take two!

One thing I realized immediately is they pack a ton of essence into each mask packet. Following a great tip from the review section on Sephora by Jillie A, I kept the excess to use as a mask the following week. I was left with basically a Jelly mask, which was much easier to apply. I smoothed the essence onto my skin, this time leaving it on for fifteen minutes for good measure. I wiped it off with a face towel, avoiding washing as per the instructions.

The next morning, my skin literally felt like silk. It was crazy soft! and so glowy. I don't want to brag, but I'm totally going to use the word radiant. I was so happy with my results.

The verdict

So would I recommend this product?

That's a big fat yes! Although I didn't lose my freckles, my skin was softer, smoother, and even seemed healthier. I noticed a significant reduction of redness, and felt totally refreshed. Saturday Skin lived up to all its promises. I purchased my mask from Sephora for CAD $7.50, and my results totally blew me away. How crazy is that?

This mask is definitely worth snagging if you're looking to treat your skin with a cool drink of moisture. You won't be disappointed.

Have you tried Saturday Skin? What is your all-time favorite skin mask? Let me know below!

My Shopping Habit & How You Can Join Me On A No-Shop

My Shopping Habit & How You Can Join Me On A No-Shop

Wednesday, 11 July 2018

     Shopping has always been something of a hobby for me. When I was young, my mother would pick me up from school each day and take me to the mall. We'd get ice-cream and browse; handbags for her, Barbies for me. I still feel so comfortable at that mall. I've often referred to it as my "second home", a safe place in a world constantly changing.

Brand Love: Shmelevsky hats

Brand Love: Shmelevsky hats

Saturday, 7 July 2018

     When Vlad Shmelevsky, founder of Shmelevsky Hats, reached out to me to introduce me to his handmade Ukrainian hat brand, I was instantly floored by the beauty of the press photography, and the hats within. Vlad and his brother Stas launched the brand in 2017, and the duo have been creating timeless and elegant pieces ever since. Inspired by modern sculpture, Stas creates each hat himself, from sketch to finish:

I admire the laconic forms and lines in the works of British sculptor Anish Kapoor and American sculptor Richard Serra. In our collection, I tried to rethink the classical forms of hats without depriving them of utilitarianism. To emphasize the contours and silhouettes, I used the colors prominent in the works of Anish Kapoor; rich red, blue, pink, and grey.

The color palette is amazing; my personal favorite hat is a tie between the White Mars and the Pink Jupiter; I'd be hard pressed to choose between them.

If you're looking to invest in a statement piece that will stand the test of time, I recommend a hat crafted by the Shmelevsky brothers. The hats start at $170 USD and can be commissioned through the brand's Instagram account.