reviews – Page 2

dyson supersonic hairdryer review

It’s been a month since the new Dyson supersonic hairdryer came in the mail so I figured that I could do a review on it! I am a product junky and you can ask any one of my friends and they will agree with that statement. When I read about Dyson coming out with a hairdryer I knew it had to be mine, even if the price tag at $525 CAD seemed a bit excessive. At least with that price tag it comes with a non-slip mat, storage hanger and three magnetic attachments: smoothing nozzle, styling concentrator and a diffuser. The hardest choice was to get the white or the grey hairdryer. In the end I picked white even though it could possibly be stained in the future. So far it hasn’t changed color and is still pristine in condition. The only con to buying this hairdryer is that it is very expensive so I’d suggest waiting until your current hair dryer conks out before shelling out for this hairdryer. The pros are that it is super light and small in size. Another pro is that it is much quieter than a traditional hairdryer and the heat is regulated so that it never seems to burn the scalp. The best part of it to me is that it is much harder to get hair stuck in the fan as it is at the very bottom of the handle instead of the back of the head of a traditional hair dryer. The promise of shorter blowdry times does seam true to me as well. Personally I blowdry my hair more often than I vacuum my carpets so I’d rather have a Dyson hairdryer than a Dyson vacuum cleaner! The other product featured in the photo is the newer Blowdry Primer by Davines that has also made my blowdry life easier. It has anti-humidity properties and also is supposed to speed up your blowdry. With both of these new products/tools in my life I have enjoyed blow-drying my hair more than ever!

Brand Spotlight: Hourglass

Janna •

We wanted to start a new “series” of sorts by featuring different brands that we love and the products within those brands that we use the most. As we are nearing the holiday season these posts could also give you some good gift ideas! It is no secret that I am a product junkie. I love trying new makeup products and read a lot of reviews and blog posts on new products so I thought I could share my 2 cents and experience with the products featured here today. When I think of the brand Hourglass I think of soft glowing skin and products that seem to last all day. Their catch-line for their brand is “Luxury Performance Makeup” and I couldn’t agree with that statement more. The first Hourglass product that I tried was the Veil Mineral Primer and after it made my foundations last longer on my oily skin I decided to try more of their product line. Here are the star products that I am loving right now: Ambient Light Edit (limited edition) – This a bit more on the pricier side but as it has a powder for every part of your face I think it is worth the investment. This palette is perfect for someone wanting to try out their powders without having to buy each one individually. I also love how compact it is for travelling. Veil Mineral Primer – According to Sephora’s site it is a water-resistant primer that neutralizes the skin, minimizes shine, and creates a smooth, uniform canvas for flawless makeup application. I have gone through 4 bottles of this liquid gold. Need I say more. Ambient Bronzer – This bronzer gives you the perfect sun kissed glow. It is definitely on the warmer side so I wouldn’t use this to contour the skin. Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light – I use this powder to give the most natural and soft highlight to my cheekbones. Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil – This brow pencil combines powder and wax with an angled shape to softly define your brows. It also has a handy brush on the other end to brush out your brows. **big thanks to Kristina from Inspired by Lynne for shooting this holiday makeup layout for us!!

BtB picks: summer staples

Janna •

Now that it actually feels like summer here in Edmonton with over 25ºC temps I figured now is the perfect time to share some of my go to summer staples. SPF is important all year round and especially in summertime for everyone and even more so for me as I do not tan at all and a mere 10 minutes in the sun can leave me looking like a lobster. After I put on my moisturizer in the morning I have been reaching for the Neutrogena clear face sunscreen in SPF 60. It has not broken my sensitive skin out yet and it has light reflectors the help blur imperfections. On days where I want more of a medium coverage finish on my face I have been using the IT Cosmetics CC cream that is SPF 50. After I finish using my CC cream I have been applying this amazing cheek stain by Tarte called fearless and on my oily skin which usually breaks up blush in under 5 hours it has been lasting over 10 hours. It leaves the most beautiful coral stain on my cheeks. A bonus is that it smells just like fruit loops and it can be used as a lip chap also. You can see me using it in our Boho Bronze makeup tutorial on Kristina. Lips I find are the most forgotten about when it comes to sun protection. I have experienced burnt lips first hand and trust me even though your lips swell up to Angelina Jolie status it is so not worth the pain. So when I am out in the sun I have been using the Ombrelle SPF 30 lip balm. The best part is that it is clear so I can layer any lipstick or gloss over it. Lets face it everyone wants bohemian beachy waves with the least amount of effort in the hot summer heat. I love this Davines ‘This is a Sea Salt Spray‘ as it gives me the right amount of hold when sprayed into my damp hair without getting that 90s crunch. Stef also featured this spray in her pregnancy favourites. Last but not least my two fail safe summer staples are my Ray Ban Wayfarers and of course a floppy hat to ensure the sun doesn’t burn my scalp to a crisp! Let me know what your summer staples are!

BtB picks: best full coverage concealer

Janna •

I am always on the hunt for the “perfect” full coverage concealer and I think that my search is finally over. When I went to LA IMATS with Stef I purchased 2 shades of the OCC skin conceal. OCC is a vegan and cruelty free brand which is amazing and I noticed that it doesn’t make me break out at all. I have very sensitive and breakout prone skin and some concealers (MAC Studio Finish concealer cough cough) make me break out almost instantly. Full coverage concealers are perfect for covering up hyperpigmentation, tattoos, scarring and very red pimples. I purchased 2 colours to that I could create a custom blend depending on if I was tanned.. aka using St. Tropez.. or my regular pale self. The 2 colours I have are YO and R1. The best part about these concealers are that they are super pigmented and you need only the tiniest amount of product. I have tried them under my eyes but found them to be a tad too thick for my personal taste and have stuck to using them just on my blemishes. *from my knowledge in Edmonton you can’t purchase the concealers in-store but OCC does ship to Canada or you can purchase them through Sephora online. Temptalia did a great post with swatches of all the shades to make it easier to figure out which one or two to order