Fresh Canadian Brands

Last week amazing Pure + Simple organized #SoFreshSoGreen - Fresh Canadian Brands - event. It was celebrating launch and existence of amazing Canadian natural skincare brands. And I was between the lucky ones, that got invited to the celebration. 

Event took place at Pure + Simple Yorkville SPA location which, by the way, is very cute and welcoming. Definitely going back there for some SPA treatments. 

Check Pure + Simple webpage for amazing diversity of services they provide

Let's get the party started

I met so many happy and proud faces behind the brands. I am so happy that I was invited, as I learned so much and was introduced to so many amazing locally made natural skincare brands. 

Celebrity stylist and World Hair founder Brian Phillips

Pure + Simple believes in "Beautiful skin, naturally!". They have a huge selection of products where you can find something that will work for everyone. Very knowledgeable personnel there, will help you with right product selection, depending on your skin concerns. 

So many amazing Pure+Simple products

All of Pure + Simple products are made only with natural and healthy ingredients, that are based on cruelty-free testing. Products are pure, safe and good for you and the environment. 

I like how much more educated we all are getting, when it comes to organic, environment friendly and natural skincare, cosmetics, foods etc. And the fact that there is much more to choose from is fantastic.

So once again, thank you Pure + Simple for this event, that allowed me and many others to soak in the information and knowledge about bunch of locally made organic skincare products. And for the opportunity to meet enthusiastic and passionate people behind the brands. 

Amazing samples I received during the event

Below I will list the brands I saw at the event and, as you can see in the photo above, I also received some samples, that I can't wait to try. I will write more about the products, as I try them, in next couple of weeks, because they are so amazing and unique. 

• Sattva Pure
• FitGlow Beauty
• Dalish
• World
• HealingHaus.ca
• Nuvsio
• Skin Essence
• Healthy Crunch

Check out what others have to say about the event and brands by checking  #SoFreshSoGreen Twitter or Instagram.

I also want to share my friend Maria's (better known as BestDayBlogger) amazing video from the event, so that you can get a better feel of it.
Enjoy and talk to you soon!

- Stay Beautiful -

On a way home with Dalish lipstick stain on my coffee cup

Givenchy Art Of Perfumery

Our always charming host and beauty guru - Dave Lackie

Earlier this week I had a truly magical time at Givenchy #ArtOfPerfumery dinner. I was one of the few lucky ones that had a chance to attend and experience this amazing event in person. And so many  of Dave's followers and beauty enthusiasts from all around the world were with us via social media platforms like Twitter, Periscope etc.
It's not too late to relive the hype, just follow the #ArtOfPerfumery and you will be taken back in time to our Givenchy dream.

Always charming Dave Lackie knows how to make you feel special. By letting you be an insider to the beauty world and to experience the beauty enthusiast dream, he opens doors to a function normally only accessible to VIP journalists and experts, and allows one to experience something you wouldn't be able to, unless you're a beauty world professional. 

The event took place at Arcadian Studio - located in the downtown core. From the 8th floor you're able to see people running through their daily routines, while you're able to pause yours and indulge. 

Classic Givenchy in "just the right size" :)

"Hot Couture"

Upon arrival, the amazing and different scents of Givenchy perfume created a magical ambiance inviting you in and hypnotizing.

"Ange ou Demon" with equally magical scented candle

"Dahlia Divin' with scented candle again - a new must!

Giggles, chats, camera clicks, old and new friendships, posing, hugs and kisses. It's all there. Those are a few things that make Dave Lackie events so amazing - they are real and heartwarming.

Reunion with my beautiful ladies - Ashley, Katie and Connie

With Ashley, Maria, Christine

Connie and I with our social media moderator Cookie ;)

The nights cocktails matched fragrances with their signature ingredients and twist - pretty amazing and different.

My choice for the events refreshments were Gentelmen Only and Irrisistable - very refreshing and light, just like the fragrances themselves.

When the official mingling part is over (it never is, just so you know, as everyone is so high from living this dream like evening, it's hard to follow the schedule), it's time for dinner.

Service and menu never disappoint - "Oliver & Bonacini" took care of us like there's no tomorrow.

Below you can see the menu and amazing dishes we got spoiled with.

Grilled Eggplant & Buffalo Mozzarella; Lemon & Rosemary Chicken Supreme; O&B Artisan Pecan Pie and pink fortune cookie with inspiring message.

After some delicious food and outstanding dessert, Dave introduced us with Givenchy Fragrances Canada general manager David Titheridge. Very charming, knowledgeable and humble man. David shared some great inside stories with us accompanied with laughter, along with some brand history. 

Dave Lackie and David Titheridge

With more knowledge, it was even more interesting to go and look at the fragrances again. Scents and presentation now created a different and more complete picture/vision.

 

After saying never-ending goodbyes (common practice at Dave's events), it was time to return to reality. Reliving beautiful fairy-tale like memories via photos, tweets, posts and hypnotizing aromas from generously gifted fragrances we received in our gift bags. ,

Thank you Dave! I'm so very grateful.

Post on received fragrances to follow. 

Military Red By BURBERRY

Burberry - British luxury fashion house, that not only focuses on fashion, accessories and fragrances but also cosmetics! I'm sure you were already aware of that.

I'm a big fan of fashion brand's cosmetic collections - not only color will be in trend but also the execution and visual performance of the product will match your current fashion trend. 

I have always liked Burberry - it is very luxury and chic but at the same time very understandable.

Now let's talk lipstick.

• "Discover an effortlessly buildable lip colour, for multiple lip looks with just one shade.
• A rich blend of satin-finish pigments and shiny polymers gives luminous colour brilliance, while the weightless formula delivers a customisable make-up result: a single kiss of colour gives understated luminosity, two or three kisses give intense depth and vibrancy.
• Infused with Burberry's signature blend of rosehip, tea and lavender, the whisper-light texture glides on with supreme comfort and gives continuous hydration." *

-Military Red 109-

I was very lucky to win this beauty via Dave Lackie's giveaway - so very grateful. Always.
Red is classic and always will be. It also has been really trending for a good while now but I have not been brave enough to try it, nor to wear it.

By getting my hands on this beauty, I really didn't have much of a choice.

My Burberry Kisses N.109 in Military Red came in mini pocket size casing with traditional and signature pattern on both - casing and lipstick itself. Very cute. Added that luxury feel right away.

I fell in love with the lipstick and color right away. It's so smooth and easy to apply, last a good while and looks fabulous. Addition to that, it comes with added value - instant confidence!


* from Burberry website

- Stay Beautiful -

WaterWipes - The World's Purest Baby Wipes

Today my post will be about this great product that I received via Jule's Basket Instagram giveaway. WaterWipes (99.9% water and 0.1% fruit extract) - baby wipes that are suitable from birth. 

If you plan on using these on your baby, wipes will help to avoid the diaper rash and will significantly reduce risk of allergic reactions on your baby's sensitive skin. 

WaterWipes are preservative free, non greasy and are extra soft to a touch. As mentioned before, they are super pure - made using water and grapefruit seed extract.

I love that these wipes are non greasy and won't leave greasy residue. WaterWipes have won several awards, like PTPA, Health Professional review awards and others, as you can see in the attached picture:

I tested WaterWipes on both of my kids - my newborn and a toddler - used wipes for their faces and their bums :), they worked great for both of them, cleaned the mess without a hassle and left no skin irritation.

Smells really nice and very fresh - not your traditional baby wipes smell.
I think this was one of the reasons why I liked to use WaterWipes on myself too - great after workouts for quick refreshing before I get home to my shower, amazing on a hot summer day to wipe away that sweat - face wasn't left greasy, nor it felt dried out, just perfectly refreshed and smelling nice.

I would definitely recommend to all the moms and dads to try these out and I know for a fact, that I want to purchase these in future.

- Stay Beautiful - 

Brilliant Brunette by John Frieda

Those who color their hair dark know the struggle of keeping the color deep and live.

For a good while now I've been dyeing my hair dark brown, so I got very excited when I found out I was selected to test John Friedas Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper hair products via Infuenster's Voxbox.

Here you can see the products I received:

• John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper Shampoo
• John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper Conditioner
• John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper Treatment 

I have been using products for about a month now and I have to say that I really like them.

Smell is so nice - scent will trick you in thinking that you're at the hair salon only your wallet won't suffer as much.

Product texture is creamy and looks a lot like chocolate fudge (don't attempt to eat it). Each product has use instructions on the back that are very easy to understand. For better results in keeping color deep brown along the shampoo and conditioner use the treatment. 

You can read more about the products and other people experience on John Frieda (http://www.johnfrieda.ca/en-CA/ProductFamily/Hair-Care/Brilliant-Brunette) and/or Influenster (https://www.influenster.com/reviews/search?q=john+frieda+brilliant+brunette) websites.

Check #myjohnfrieda tweets for more experiences and opinions. 

Usually after about a month my hair color fades away - hair doesn't look shiny and color is looking dull, but using John Friedas Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper collection not only my hair color still looks great, my hair feels smooth to a touch and has a healthy shine to it!

I'm sure I will repurchase the products in future and definitely recommend brunettes give these a try!

Photo on the left is taken right after hair dressers appointment and one on the right is after a month using the products. Color still looks great.

- Stay Beautiful -

*I received products free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion and experience

Lise Watier HYDRAFORCE

Few weeks ago I received Lise Watier Hydraforce cream via GlamSense campaign.

I have been using the cream since and I'm ready to share my experience.

Lise Watier is a Canadian cosmetic brand, launched in 1972 by Madame Lise Watier. Here is something that the brand says about their HydraForce Hydra-Protective Creme-Gel (from website):

The formula’s effectiveness lies on the remarkable power of Gaspé Algae Extract. A survivor of harsh environments, the Gaspé algae has developed a highly efficient resistance system, enabling it to thrive in severe conditions. Its extract guarantees the skin’s global hydration, transforming it into a veritable defensive shield.

Package I received contained HydraForce Cream and little cute gadget that measures skins moisture level. Cream has gel texture and smells divine - little sweet and very fresh.I measured moisture levels before I started to use the product and retested again after using it for few weeks - progress was visible in percentage numbers and also visually I was able to see the improvements. 

Skin didn't look dry, dull, it actually looked radiant. I'm curious to see further improvements.

Below you are able to see the visual proof of product's effect on my skin.

Tested area: Hand

Tested area: T-Zone

Tested area: Cheek

Lise Watier HydraForce Cream is working and provides good results. In addition to that, it's made in Canada and I find it very important to support the local market.

I'm happy I was fortunate enough to be selected for this GlamSense campaign. Now I'm curious to try other Lise Watier products, that I'm sure are as great as this one.

*I received product free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion and experience. 
Check the #getinthebubble for other reviews and feeds

- Stay Beautiful -

CoverGirl TruBlend

As I'm still looking for that one and only ( little too dramatic, won't you say?!) foundation in my life, I was happy to hear that I got selected for BzzAgent's Covergirl #embraceyourface campaign. 

I received the product in no time and was excited to give it a try, to see if CoverGirl TruBlend is my true one.

"truBLEND Liquid Makeup is available in 14 shades and features a new shade matching system. To find your perfect blend, first determine your shade family. Second, choose your number. Coordinate complementary truBLEND products based on your number for a seamlessly flawless nude look that blends in and virtually disappears.*

Shade I picked was Golden Beige - M3. 

It's hard to pick one in real life, but task got harder when I needed to make the decision online. After comparing and studying offered shades, I finally chose one.

Let the games begin, I thought after receiving the product (no, not really, I just think it sounds cool).

At first try, I thought that shade was too dark/yellowish for me and I wasn't expecting foundation to be that thick either. I actually didn't like it at first. 

I gave it another try, when I couldn't find my other foundation I was using at the time. And I have to admit that my opinion have changed.

Shade actually is blending nicely with my skin tone and I have to say, it is still thicker that other foundations I have used, but after application, you can't even tell that. 

Skin gets a good coverage and looks natural. It's not long lasting though. If you have a long day ahead of you, you will need to reapply it. 

This wasn't the love at first sight but product seems to be working. 

If you're also still in search for foundation and it doesn't have to be long lasting, give it a try. Price is affordable and brand has a lot of good products on it's list.

CoverGirl webpage will help you to find the foundation shade most suitable for your skin tone.

Let me know what are your thoughts of the product if you have tried it. 

- Stay Beautiful -

* www.covergirl.ca
I got the product free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion and experience