The Body Shop Mini Haul

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As some of you may know, my skin is hypersensitive and I’ve struggled with eczema since I was a kid. Eventually, the worst of it passed and I grew out of it but every once in a while it would come back with a vengeance. If you have eczema as well, you know it is something you live with and you need to find ways to keep it under control. A couple of years ago my eczema flared up a lot around my face and neck, eventually realizing that I could no longer use a lot of the makeup and skincare products that I owned. I went for an allergy test and the only thing that I had a big reaction to was nickel. There are still many other things that I know I’m sensitive to but this was definitely something I needed to pay attention to. It was tough to let go of a lot of beautiful products but it was important for me to take care of my health.

When it comes to makeup I use eyeshadow every day so I tested many natural eyeshadows but nothing seemed to stop the irritation until I gave The Body Shop a try. It was much more affordable in comparison to other products and the irritation around my eyes started to go away. I’ve been using their “Down to Earth” eyeshadow palette for about a year now and I really like it! Recently, I noticed that The Body Shop was discontinuing them so this past weekend I went on the site to get the only 2 refills that were left. They also came out with a new palette so I give that a try too. The application is smooth and very easy to blend. So far I’ve only been using the neutral shades but I’ll give the bolder colours a try during the holiday season!

Eyeshadow Palette Refills in Essaouria Bronze and Amazonia Earth ($7 – on sale for $4)

Own Your Naturals Eye Shadow Palette ($28 – on sale for $16.80)

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One of the initial natural makeup brands that I moved to was Mineral Fusion. I loved their blush in “Pale”, it gave a natural glow to my fair skin tone. Unfortunately, after a few months, a reaction developed on my cheeks so I had to stop using it. I completely stopped using blush for a year just to let the irritations calm down. When I was about to check out and pay for The Body Shop eyeshadows, I decided to take a look at their other makeup. Their All-in-one Powder Blush in “Amber” caught my eye because it looked a lot like the Mineral Fusion blush colour in the pictures. The product is on sale right now but this specific colour is the only one that’s on some crazy sale for $2?! I’m not even going to ask questions as to why it’s only $2 but I’m going to stock up and get a few more! The colour is so similar to the Mineral Fusion one, except with a bit more shimmer. I thought I wouldn’t like it but you can’t tell once it’s applied. So far so good with no reaction!

While I was at it, I also picked up the Contour Kit because why not? The darkest bronzer is a little too dark for me but the lighter one works great! This one also comes with a blush and although it’s much darker than the “Amber”, it’s perfect when you want a little more drama. I’m super happy with all of their makeup and glad to know that it’s 100% vegan and not tested on animals.

All-in-one Powder Blush in “Amber” ($18 – on sale for $2)

Contour Kit ($22 – on sale for $8)

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Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear about some of the brands that you’ve tried that worked for you or if you end up trying The Body Shop makeup products.

MyBlancCanvas

bareMinerals Preview

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Hi lovelies!

Happy Weekend! I’m winding down from a busy week and just recuperating from a wedding on Friday. I wish I could stay up late and still feel the same way as I did back in my early 20’s but that’s just not the case anymore. Who am I kidding!? Anyways – let’s not get carried away! But as I age, I do hope that I age gracefully (and slowly haha) and that means taking care of myself and putting my health first above everything else.

A few weeks ago I got invited to the bareMinerals preview and had the opportunity to try out some of their newest cosmetics and skincare products that will be coming to the Canadian market. Before arriving at the preview presentation, I stopped by ODIN HUS (check out more photos here!) to grab some caffeine and a bite to eat. Ever since I discovered that cafe, I like to hang out there once in a while when I’m in the area. The architecture of the interior is beautifully designed and the openness of the space makes it comfortable to stay there and relax.

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Above Photo credit: ODIN HUS

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To give you a slight background on my skin, it’s really hypersensitive and quite dry for the most part. I’ve struggled with eczema ever since I was a child and developed sensitivity to different things as I got older so I’m always very careful about putting new products on my face, whether it is skincare or makeup. I did a little swatch test of this bareMinerals Skinlongevity Vital Power Infusion ($60 – available at Sephora in stores and online) on my face before applying it all over. It’s already half the battle if I don’t get a reaction so when I got the green light, I applied it thoroughly all over my face and have been using it day and night over the past couple weeks. What I like about it is the smell – usually anything with fragrance or a strong smell will give me a rash but this one didn’t! It smells very citrusy and the formula is very light-weight which makes it great for summer. The 3 key ingredients are Life Long Herb, California Poppy and Lampuyang Ginger – to help awaken the skin and maintain a healthy complexion. After using this for a while, I noticed my skin looking brighter and more awake. My skin has been really taking a hard hit from the lack of sleep and stress from adult-life but this has definitely helped! Let me know in the comments below if you’ve been using this and what your thoughts are.

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Wedding Style

Hi everyone!

Hope you had a great weekend! I went to a wedding on Saturday and because the ceremony and reception weren’t back-to-back, I was able to do an outfit change for the evening. I LOVE weddings, it’s such a happy moment shared between 2 lovebirds with their closest friends and family. I’ve known my friend since I was 11 so it was needless to say that it was an emotional moment – so happy for the newly wed couple! This is the first of many weddings that I have lined up for this year so I will be sharing more wedding looks and outfits in the upcoming months!

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The Ceremony:

Top: Zara – This top is quite fitted and cropped, to make it appropriate for a wedding ceremony, I made sure to pair it with a flowy, high-waisted skirt with a little more length.

Skirt: Small boutique in Seoul, South Korea (I need to go back for some shopping – miss it so much there!). This skirt is one of my favourite statement pieces in my closet. ❤

Bag: Danier Leather

Shoes: Steve Madden (similar ones here, here & here)

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