It's been such a long time since I blogged!

I know I can say that I was busy (two full time jobs until a month ago), and that I wasn't really inspired. To be honest, in the last few months I haven't been into beauty so much, first my skin was so oily that I stopped putting makeup on because it was just useless, it would slip away after 30 minutes.

But in the back of my mind I missed blogging and liking the girly stuff. Hopefully I am back for good now!

A few weeks ago, TRESemmé contacted me to try something new from them. I said yes right away because I've had problems finding good haircare in the last year.

One of my client at the hotel is a professional haircare rep and one day I asked him what drugstore brands I should look for if I wanted good but affordable products. The first one he told me (and the only one I remember, come to think of it) was TRESemmé. Said it used to be used by hairdressers before it went mainstream. Now I have a problem with that because it seems that all brands claim to be used by professionals, and I don't really mind the claim, but since it came from him. I trust it more.

So, TRESemmé sent me their new Beauty-Full Volume range,* which includes a Pre-Wash Conditioner, a Shampoo and a Hair Maximizer. It also has a Mousse and a Hairspray.

The range is based on the reverse shampoo concept, which consists of using the conditioner first, and then the shampoo, so the hair is not weight down by the conditioner. This helps with the volume and body giving. This was my first try with the reverse shampoo technique.

The products smell nice, in that "shampoo" scent. It may be a little too strong for some. The shampoo contains SLS, which might be off-putting for some too. But it does what it says on the package. It gives volume. Personally, I don't need volume, so I don't usually buy volumizing products, but it worked. 

The downfall is, my hair tend to be greasy way more quickly than usual with this. If you have oily hair, I wouldn't recommend.

Packaging-wise, I like that the Shampoo bottle is bigger than the conditioner one. I usually do more than one shampoo, but only one conditioner round, so I always end up finishing the shampoo first. It's also nice that each has a different bottle colour, which makes it easier to tell them appart while showering. 

If you are an oily skin and hair kinda girl like me, you probably already love clay masks. I know I do!

So when I got the opportunity to try the Zakia's Moroccan Ghassoul Clay Powder*, I was all there. Zaria's promise is that the clay is "a delicious Atlas Mountain Clay that combines to make an exceptional exfoliating and detoxifying mask that will leave your skin silky smooth. Unparalleled skin care!"

But the clay can not only be used on skin, but also on hair. Which makes it a great multi tasking product!

As you might think, the powder has to be mixed with a little bit of water in order to be used. A tablepoon is suggested, but I usually use a teaspoon for my face. I take a little more for my hair though. Considering that a teaspoon is about 5 grams and that the jar contains 225g of clay, it's going to last a while! Zakia's suggest a ratio of 1:5 when mixing, but I think this is way to much water. But the great thing about a powder clay is that you can adjust the constituency the way you want it. 

Like most masks, you let it sit for 10-15 minutes and then you rinse it off. The same can be done for the hair, and there is also the option of adding it to your shampoo to make a clarifying one.

I've tried Ghassoul Clay in my hair before. The lady who I brought it from told me to use Argan Oil when doing the hair mask as she said it could be really stripping the moisture out of the hair. I didn't have to do this with the Zakia's one.

When applying the Zakia's clay concoction, I could feel that my hands were left with a slightly greasy feel. When you have oily skin this can be a concern, but this was not a problem for me when washed. I guess this clay is more moisturizing than the one I tried before, as nothing is added in the ingredients, it is 100% Moroccan Lava Clay.

So in all, I like this clay, for me you cannot really go wrong with clay anyway! 

Zakia's Morroco Morrocan Ghassoul Clay Powder, 19,99$

*Product sent for review consideration via BrandBacker

I'm always excited to see new Canadian/Quebecer brands, especially on the beauty front! So when Jealous contacted me to try their Jealous Body Scrub in Coconut + Coffee*, I said Hell yeah!

It also helps that it contains coffee. Like many, I am addicted to coffee, and I'm not planning on stopping that soon...

All the ingredients in the scrub are things that you can pronounce, which means it's good for you! Robusta coffee, coconut oil, raw brown sugar, sea salt and vitamin E. It promises good things:

The coffee beans exfoliate gently, and the coconut oil and vitamin E leaves skin soft. I mainly smell coffee, if you're not a coconut fan, then this wouldn't be a problem. I do, and I would've loved for it to smell, but then I understand that coconut oil doesn't actually smell of coconut. 

When you use the scrub, you will notice that the coffee beans might leave a brown mat in your shower. Nothing a little rinsing won't fix though!

I'm glad this is another great Canadian product!

For the moment, the Body Scrub is the only product from the brand, but they are working on others! I will stay tuned for that!

Jealous Body Scrub in Coconut + Coffee, $17,95

*Contains a press sample

A couple of weeks ago, I received those Aveeno Fresh Essentials to try out. Turns out it was during the time my skin decided to be a bi-atch so I unfortunately had to wait to try them correctly. 

My skin has now been back to semi-normal and I was able to put them to good use! 

The Aveeno Fresh Essentials line has been created to "keep what's good for your skin IN- and the bad OUT." That means that the Southernwood and vitamins AC and E helps to replenish and retain moisture to tired skin, as well as forming a barrier to protect from the environment nasties.

I have received the Daily Nourishing Moisturizer*, the Daily Exfoliating Scrub* and the Hydrating Night Cream*.

The Daily Nourishing Moisturizer* comes in a pump, which is the best. I wish they would have put the night cream in a pump as well. The downside being that we cannot see how much product is left. But that is not a deal breaker! On top of that, it has a SPF of 30. I'm bad at applying SPF on the daily, so this is great. I think all day cream now should have some sort of protection.

I have long prefer the big grainy scrubs to those with more finely milled particules. Since my flare up in December, I am not as adamant on this. The Daily Exfoliating Scrub* is on the fine grain side. I'm not sure I would exfoliate everyday though... But this is a gentle scrub.

The Hydrating Night Cream* has been put on the test even when I had the deadly breakout. My doctor didn't say anything about putting products on my skin, and it was so dry that the only thing except my cleanser that I used on it for those few weeks was this cream. The only thing about this one is that it comes in a tub, which I'm not too fond of. I guess it's is easily tell it apart from the Moisturizer.

All of those has a nice scent, which I'm guessing is the Southernwood. I didn't know what it was before the Fresh Essentials line and I've never smell it so I cannot say for sure. One thing though is that the scent might be a little too strong for sensitive noses and skin. Parfum is listed on all three's ingredient list.

Have you tried the Aveeno Fresh Essentials range? What is your favourite line of skincare?

*Contains a press sample

Every year in Febuary, Clarins partners with Jean Coutu to provide us with their Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector (regular lineup), which $10 goes to the Fondation Sainte-Justine. Fondation Sainte-Justine is a well-known organization in Québec that helps sick children.

What I like about it is that half of the price of the gloss goes to the Fondation, which is a good amount! And the price of the product is the same than the other regular colour of the line up.



The colour is a slightly peachy pink, that can easily be applied without the need of a miror, as it is pretty clear. So it will be a great addition to purses! It  comes in a tube and has a sponge applicator. It smells like vanilla cake, which is divine!

This year, the packaging is adorned by a drawing of 7-year-old Florence Emmanuelle. She comes from a family of five children, all of them born at the CHU Sainte-Justine. I like this addition, it ties the product to the cause, rather than just having a regular package with the Câlins logo, like in the past.

The "Rose Câlins" shade can be bought only in February in Jean Coutu drugstores in Québec. 

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Rose Câlins, 12ml, $20.

Sometimes, you don't need to spend a fortune to get great products.

This is one of them. The Pro Formula Clear Skin Deep Cleansing Face Wash (what a mouthful!) can be bought at Tesco for a mere £3. Said to be formulated for all skin types, I'd say those with oily/combination skin prone to acne will like it best, as it contains salicylic acid.

Despite the salicylic acid, it is still a gentle cleanser, in a cream formula. It has a fresh and medicated scent. Probably it is the salicylic acid, but I'm not sure if it has a smell or just that products containing it usually have that specific scent.

It is a shame I didn't buy a backup of this because I really enjoyed using it, and it left my skin feeling clean and refreshed.

If you have acne prone skin and happen to go to Tesco, grab one of these!

Pro Formula Clear Skin Deep Cleansing Face Wash, £2.99

I might be obsessed by the UK, but my hot drink of choice is still coffee. I do like tea, but it's an acquired taste. Whereas coffee is a natural for me. I don't drink it to keep me awake, but because I like the taste and it feels soothing.

My mum says I'm addicted and in a way she is right. If I drink the stuff everyday for a while, I'm going to suffer from withdrawals the day I decide to go without. And that's why decaf comes in handy.

Anywhoo. Today I'm sharing yet another brand I've discovered at the Fair Trade in London, Cafeology. Cafeology is an ethical brand of mainly coffee, but also tea. 

We specialise in the supply of the very finest ethical beverages. As our business is 100% ethical we offer a huge range of products, which carry many recognised marks such as Fairtrade, Soil Association and Rainforest Alliance mark to ensure the Cafeology product you enjoy really does make a difference to the farmers whose crops we buy.

I was able to try their Columbian Fresh Ground Coffee*, which is a medium blend. South American coffees are my favourite, notably Columbian and Guatemalan, as I do not like a strong spiced coffee, like the African and Asian ones are. I have to say  this Columbian is a little bit stronger than the ones I'm used to, but it is really good and I've got complimented on it. When you open the package you can see and smell that this is a quality coffee, nothing compared to Folgers or Maxwell House!

The bag I got here, which is a 227g retails for £3.89, which is a really good price for this coffee. If you compare to Starbucks let's say. they usuallly sell their 1 lbs coffee bag for around $16. 227g is around half a pound, for the CAD equivalent of  $7. So the Cafeology comes cheaper and is certified Fair Trade, and Starbucks isn't.

Of course, I like to pair my coffee with a little breakfast indulgence! Here is a bagel with butter and Nutella. Yes, it is decadent like that sometimes at MsBubu's!

What is your favourite Autumn drink?

The Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil has been on my London wishlist for quite a while. The many mentions and reviews of Kate from Ghosparties sold it to me. It was really the appeal of its scar healing effect that got me, as I still have a few annoying scars from the last months.

I knew I could get it at Whole Foods and it was the first place I visited when I got off of the Tube after my plane ride. The tester they had at the Picadilly Circus one was smelling quite awful to be honest. Like fish oil. I was wondering if the product itself was smelling that or if it was just the tester that was just old (they do say on the bottle.)

I went to another location and this time the tester smelled fine so I got one bottle for myself. I also started to use it the same day, as I wanted to reduce the scars for a special occasion. I put it on my face at night, and the morning after, I did see a difference on the scars. This stuff is just fantastick!

Pai says for best results to apply in the evening 2-3 times a week. I also like to put it on during daytime for a boost. As the oil is a dry one, you can easily put it on, wait a few minutes for it to soak, and then proceed to the rest of your skincare routine and makeup as you would normally. Some say that its orangey colour prevents you from daytime wear, but I find that when the oil has sank in the skin, it doesn't show up.

Besides helping the scarification process, roship oil is supposed to be great for a few other skin concerns, such as wrinkles (can't really report on that), skin tone (I do agree), texture, elasticity and persistent blemishes.

Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil is certified organic by the Soil Association and also sports the Vegan and Leaping Bunny logos.

For me, it is a firm new favourite!

Have you tried anything by Pai yet?

Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil, $36.

If the Winter has been cold and dragged until May, we had an especially hot summer until now. 

With this hott weather combined to my oily skin, I just couldn't rely solely on my Marcelle Ultra Gentle Cleansing Gel anymore. I needed something more astringent.

It was by pure chance that I stumble across the Bioderma Purifying Cleansing Foaming Gel. I was actually looking for my mum's birthday gift and there was a promotion on Bioderma and I needed a little something to claim my gift. As I saw this one the shelf, I thought it would be more expensive (as the Bioderma Sensibio is quite expensive) but it was only $6.89. Not too bad, and for 100ml,  it's working out a little more than the regular drugstore cleanser.

Bioderma says:

• Formulated with non-irritant substances, Sébium Foaming gel cleanses gently.
• Sébium Foaming gel reduces sebum secretion and purifies the epidermis thanks to the Fluidactiv^® sebum-correcting complex. It also regulates sebum quality.
• Its soap-free, washing base guarantees good cutaneous and ocular tolerance.
• Sébium Foaming gel is non-comedogenic.

After bringing it home, I was concerned about the colour, and nasty dyes. As I am looking to use cleaner products on my face, it annoyed me. And look at that blue! But the tube specifies that there is no colouring. Thumbs up!

The scent is really lovely, not too overpowering. I would describe it as sweet herbal. As the name suggests, it is a foaming gel, which might be a concern for certain, as it can be stripping. For my part, this is not a problem, but for some they can argue that if you stripe the skin from its oil, the sebacious gland will then go into overdrive and produce more sebum. I didn't notice that. 

As for spots, it stays the same, I always have one on my chin, due to hormones (PCOS). It is under control since June, a little before I started using the Bioderma Sebium Cleansing Gel.

Overall I am really pleased with it and would recommend if you have acne prone and/or oily skin.

Bioderma Purifying Cleansing Foaming Gel, in drugstores, is around $7 for 100ml.

If there is one thing I have a weakness for, it is cute packaging. I have to admit that this is the main reason why I got this Physician's Formula Nude Wear Glowing Blush in Rose. The second one was that it was on special and third is that it came with a mail-in rebate.

Nude Wear Blushes come in two colours: Natural and Rose.I  thought that the Rose one would give me more of a healthy glow than the Natural one. In the Rose blush, you get four different colours, a lilacy-pale pink, a peach, a coral and a bright pink. Now, it would be hard to just swipe one of the colours on your cheeks, unles you have a really tapered powder brush. But the combined effect is a buildable pink.

On the skin, the blush offers a subtly shimmery effect, which is not to the likes of everyone. I personally prefer a little colour and shimmer to a plain matte effect, especially on the cheeks.

Even though I really like the packaging, it is not the most handy one. It contains 5g of product, which is similar to other blushes, but it is bulky. I wouldn't see myself travelling with it. But it sits well on a makeup vanity.

Physician's Formula regularly offer mai-in rebates on their products, and you guessed it, this one is part of the lots for 2014. I have mailed my rebate about a month ago, and I haven't received it yet. Hopefully I will receive it soon (I've done a few mail-in rebates in the past and haven't had any problems).

Physician's Formula Nude Wear Glowing Nude Blushes are $15.99. I bought mine at Shoppers, but you can also check out their stockists online.

EDIT: I have received my mail-in rebate check yesterday (August 8th, after about 4-5 weeks)

I have talked about Sigma brushes in the past, as you may remember from my Favourite Face Brushes post where I featured the F80.

Today I want to talk about teo of their eyes brushes, the E35 Tapered Blending Brush* and the E55 Eye Shading Brush*.

I think those would be a great beginner's duo, as it is really the basic. The E55 (Eye Shading) is the one you need to pack on the shadow. It is not too big, nor too small, and the bristle are dense enough to transfer the shadow from the palette to the eyes properly.

The E35 (Tapered Blending Brush) is just as its name suggests, a blending brush. It is tappered and I think it is great to darken the crease and blend it in a windshield washer way.

Both brushes are super soft, as all Sigma brushes that I have tried. Those are still new and it's early to say but all my Sigma brushes are really good quality and I can't fault them.

If you are Canadian, you will be pleasantly surpised that Obsessed Look now stocks Sigma and offers free shipping on all Canadian orders! (The individual price is slightly higher than the Sigma website, but the shipping is free and you won't get the nasty custom fee, so it's worth it!)

If you are outside Canada, you can still buy Sigma brushes from their own website.

Psst! Wanna see how I wash my brushes? Or how I store them?

*Contains a press sample

If you live in Eastern Canada, you probably already know Jouviance for their skincare products. Or for their spokesperson, Véronique Cloutier.

They recently launched their makeup line, exclusively sold in Jean Coutu or online. After my interview the other day, I of course went around the shops and decided to treat myself to a Jouviance lippy. The one that caught my attention was Le Stick Bisou de Véro, a coral with an undertone of gold shimmer. 

While I thought this would be bolder (the drugstore has bad lighting), I love it. Since my lips are dark, to me it turns out like a my lips but better shade. I think it would be a good option for those girls who want to transition into colours but are used to nudes.

Le Stick contains a lot of moisturizing ingredients such as apricot, mango and shea butter.  It has a nice creamy consistency and shine like a gloss. Wear is not really long, but the pencil packaging makes it for easy application on the run.

I like to wear it with a fresh face makeup look, such as above. Because the colour is not bold on myself I could also wear it with smokier eyes. 

Jouviance Le Stick comes in 6 shades and costs $19. I would compare the quality to Lise Watier's products, which are the same price range.

Have you tried any Jouviance makeup?