Beauty

Love beauty and planet

Hi all !

Today we’re here to talk about a great combo that I’ve had the chance to test out in the past few weeks.
If you’ve been in the hair care aisle in a pharmacy recently, you most probably noticed these new lovely colored bottles with Love beauty and planet written all over them. The name is intriguing and it says it all : these new beauties are good for you AND for the environment. Packaged with recycled materials and containing natural and ethically sourced ingredients, their carbon footprint is almost equal to zero. And these natural ingredients are just as good for the planet as they are for your hair – i twill definitely be grateful for them.

For you, I tested the « volume and bounty » range, that ensures body and strength for fine hair.

The shampoo has a delicious smell – a mix of coconut water and mimosa flower that instantly reminds you of vacations. It lathers, which isn’t something I usually like because it proves the formula has sulphates. Contrarily to these though, it doesn’t leave your hair « squeaky-clean » ; they’re rather left smooth and hydrated.
The conditioner has the same beautiful smell. When applied to hair, it leaves them smooth and easy to detangle once rinsed off. It really wasn’t too heavy like a lot of conditioners sometimes are.

The result? Easy to style hair that has VOLUME! The ultimate test for me is usually to see if my hair naturally curls after air-drying. The more they do, the more I know the products I used weren’t too heavy. And it that case, the result is superb!

Therefore, it’s a big YES for me, especially considering their price. It’s apparently a big yes for Zineb too, who told me she really liked the line. Talking of, if you wanna read more on some other of her hair care tips, you can do here.

Let me know if you have tested them and what you thought about them!
Laurianne

25 April 2018 0 comment

Healthy Hair: what not to do

I am often asked what is the secret to having beautiful hair and the products I use. I think that even before talking about products, you need to know some basic rules that I think make our hair healthier.

Lately, I lost a lot of my hair but it’s all because of breastfeeding. It has nothing to do with my diet or the products I use.

Instead of telling you what I do to have healthy hair, I will first tell you everything I do not do and sometimes it is what makes all the difference.

I almost never use the hair dryer (hot air). I always dry them naturally, summer or winter. I take a shower in the evening most of the time, so I never have to go out with wet hair (it’s bad for the hair, especially in winter) or sleep with wet hair (I find it so uncomfortable) .
I have never dyed my hair: too many harmful agents! I understand that there are new products that are not as harmful as before but no, it does not interest me!
I wash my hair once or twice a week. For those who are not able to wash their hair at the same frequency, I recommend Low Poo shampoos that do not foam and therefore have a softer washing base.

Finally, as with all things, eat well to avoid deficiencies and to provide the hair with the vitamins and minerals they need.

Picture by Tsikimamy Photographie

6 April 2018 2 comments

Dr. Hauschka – Combination skin and imperfections line review

Hi all!
For my first blog post on here, I thought it’d be fun to share a bit of info about me, especially through my skin type and my current skincare routine.

Thanks to bad genetics and some other circumstances, my skin is very hard to take care of: it’s a fun mix of combination skin and imperfections. Ever since my teenage years, I have been suffering from acne, at different levels of intensity. In 2014, my then cystic acne was so bad, I had to go on Accutane, which helped a lot with the acne but also left my skin very dry. Today, my skin is still dry but I have and oilier T zone and I still have acne (waaaayy less intense) on my temples, cheeks and jawline. Ever since, I have started to use products that are gentler to the skin, with a preference for more natural products because they usually contain less irritants and have a tendency to be less comedogenic. Which is why, when I had the opportunity to test Dr. Hauschka products, that are all 100% natural and #NATRUE certified (which means they also are organic), I had to jump on the occasion!

I received three products to try that are targeted towards combination skins or imperfections: the cleansing cream, the melissa day cream and the clarifying face oil.

The first one is a cleanser, but thanks to its lightly grainy texture, it also helps gently exfoliate the skin. To use it, you mix it with water and gently PRESS it into the skin to cleanse, refine skin texture and absorb impurities. The Dr. Hauschka philosophy states that you should never « massage » or « rub » the skin, because it causes tiny skin injuries. Now I must say : with this philosophy, you do see that the skin is softer, less red and sensitive, but you can imagine that it takes a whole lot more time, which is why I don’t always respect it… oops ! It’s also important to note that this cleanser removes your face makeup (foundation, primer, powders) but it isn’t enough to take off eyeliner and mascara, which is why I need to use a regular eye makeup remover with it.

The melissa day cream is a moisturizer that can be used daily. The Melissa extract helps to mattify the skin and to control excess oil and sebum. Personally, I love this moisturizer’s texture, which is so different than other moisturizers for oily skins which are usually gels. This one is very creamy and melts into the skin as you apply it, and it really sinks in quickly to reveal matte but hydrated skin. It’s a perfect base for any foundation and kind of lets you skip the primer step. It’s really all I ever wanted from a moisturizer, and its lemony melissa smell is a bit medicinal but for me is also a pure pleasure.

Finally, my favorite product from the range: the clarifying day oil. This product deserves nothing less than a big WOW, but here again, I must admit I cheated a little bit. First, just like the cleansing cream, it’s supposed to be pressed in the skin, which I don’t always do. But most importantly, this product is designed to be worn during the day, under a moisturizer but after trying it, I found it to be a bit to oily, which is why I have started to use it at night. And I’ll repeat myself: WOW. When I wake up in the morning, my skin is not greasy, but rather hydrated, calmed, and evened out in terms of tone and texture, with an incredible glow. I really don’t like to present products as “miracle-workers” but this one really has an instant effect and gives you that Beyoncé glow every single time. I think that if you like face oils but are also acne-prone, you’l have no choice but to love this during the days AND during the night.

Do you guys have hard to manage skin? Let me know what you guys use daily on your skin and we’ll talk next week!

Laurianne

3 April 2018 0 comment

Exfoliation

When we think about healthy skin, we think right away to hydratation, to cleansing and to protection, but we rarely think of a primordial step that is exfoliation.

What is exfoliation?

This step results in removing the layer of dead skin that may reside on the surface of our skin. That layer that is formed of layer cells that make our skin dry. By eliminating it, our skin breathes better and, by doing so, promotes natural cell renewal.

Why do we have to exfoliate?

Whether it’s the skin of our face or of our body, this step is important. By exfoliating our skin, we allow the products we use in our daily routine to better penetrate our skin and act more effectively.

How to exfoliate our body?

The best time is to do it in the shower because our pores are dilated and the scrub will be more effective under these conditions. Once you get out of the shower, the first thing you need to do is moisturize your skin again for more efficiency.

Whether with a horsehair glove or an exfoliating product, you must massage by making circular movements on the parts to be exfoliated. I always insist on rough areas like elbows and knees. Exfoliation also eliminates ingrown hairs.

Frequency?

Once or twice a week.

How to exfoliate your face?

I always exfoliate my face once it’s clean. So you have to remove your makeup if you wear some. Otherwise, the best way to exfoliate depends on the type of skin you have, its sensitivity and the problems your skin may face. The more sensitive or acne prone your skin is, the more rigorous your choice must be.

There are two types of exfoliation: physical or chemical.

Chemical: these are mainly peels or masks that contain acids and that provide the skin with a deep exfoliation. Warning for sensitive skin: you must be very careful and preferably seek the advice of a specialist or test on a small area of your skin before proceeding on your entire face.

Physics: this is the scrubbing that we use to unclog our pores. When making your choice, I suggest you to avoid the scrubs with large particles or with too strident forms that are likely to attack your skin. My advise to you is to go with finer granules or round and massage in a gentle circular motion.

Frequency?

In my opinion, a physical exfoliant can be used on a weekly basis. However, a chemical exfoliator should be spaced or used when needed. We avoid excessive skin exfoliation not to attack the moisture barrier of our skin and of course, we always make sure to hydrate our skin very well right after exfoliation.

While visiting Yves Rocher boutique the other day, I had the idea to write this article. They had a large section of products for “exfoliation + hydration”. So I thought to offer some flagship products that they advise for this type of routine.

Apricot vegetable peeling: the main components are the powder of apricot kernels to refine the grain of skin and the agave sap of Mexico from organic farming to moisturize.
What I like: the texture of the grains is super pleasant to apply (not aggressive) and the energizing smell (it smells too good!). My skin feels softer. The price is also sweet: $ 19 and it’s often reduced (as currently at -40%).
The scrub to mix: composed of 100% natural ingredients
What I like: small bottle easy and convenient to carry, possible use for the body and face unlike the one mentioned above that I tend to use on the body only. Despite its small size, it lasts for months. The price? $ 18 (but it’s also reduced this week at -40%).

16 March 2018 0 comment