Olay Classic Moisturizing Cream is Simply Beautiful

As with most women, I have one criteria for my beauty products. I like them to work. So I don’t discriminate between high end department store lines and the more humble drugstore lines. Olay Classic Moisturizing Cream (not the lotion in the bottle but the jar of cream) is one of the humble products I love.   I’ll get this out of the way immediately- it has some unpopular ingredients ( if you scroll down on the page I linked above there is a full list of ingredients). And, while I try to avoid silicone and mineral oil as they make me break out, somehow, miraculously, they don’t seem to be an issue in Olay Classic. And, even La Mer has silicone so lets not get crazy here.  The silicone I avoid is the thick spackle-y make up primer type, which is thick, feels uber slippery and covers your face like a mask. Hello zits!

I used Olay on my neck twice a day after cleansing, and around my eyes. I have yet to find an eye cream that impresses me enough to re-purchase. I’m still trying but so far- nada. I also use the Olay on my décolletage with a low or plunging neck top. When the weather gets as vile as it has been lately, with temperatures plummeting and indoor heat making my house drier than the Sahara, its time to bump it up a notch, moisturizing-wise. I use a serum under my daily lotion for extra moisture (more on those in another post) but when it “feels like” minus 35 outside I have to get serious. Once I’ve done my routine, and before doing my minimal make up, I take a small amount of the Olay Classic Cream and rub it between my hands like one would do with La Mer. Making sure it is well emulsified and warm, I then gently roll and press it into my skin, all over my face. It really feels amazing and does not sit like a layer of grease on the skin. It sinks in and feels soft and dewy and makes a nice smooth canvas for my make up.

I have a sample size jar (from Sephora) full of Olay that I keep in my purse and have been known to re-apply halfway through the day. Especially if I haven’t been able to drink and feel/look dehydrated. Added bonus- if you use the Olay Classic Cream that is pink and lightly scented, you will briefly smell like powdery roses. I don't know if my mother or aunt used this but it somehow takes me back... I love the scent but I can totally see that some people would not, so there is an unscented "sensitive skin" version. So, feeling dry? Get thee to Shoppers Drug Mart and go nuts- spend $11 for a pink jar of goodness that will last months and months.

Get Beautiful Lips

As winter drags on and the bitter cold outdoor air competes with our arid central heating, everything gets dry. Hair (that’s another post…) skin (that was last week) and of course, our lips. Stand in the Lip Section at your local pharmacy and you will see just how big a problem this is. Our favourite department store and niche cosmetic lines often have their own versions and some of them are just fantastic. I shared my love for Clarins Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm with Rose Wax here, but I have a few more faves to share, high & low,  as well as a few misses.

High:

My most recent obsession is Christian Dior Crème de Rose. It comes in the same little white bakelite Dior pot as their iconic Crème Abricot nail and cuticle cream. Ok, the pot is not the most hygienic packaging but this one is so pretty I will forgive. This cream gets very mixed reviews on my go-to site, Make Up Alley, so I was hesitant to try it (I use the mobile Make Up Alley site on my Blackberry when I’m shopping for cosmetics- really). I’m glad I did try it, because it is GORGEOUS. There is a faint rose scent, but it is very soft. The texture is smooth and velvety, slightly sticky, but it really sinks in beautifully. It smooths and soothes my lips and makes them soft and moisturized but the best part is the gentle plumping and smoothing of fine lines. Oh yeah baby. A shea butter base with Damask Rose oil and vitamins A and E make this a winner for me.

La Mer lip balm is one I have had ups and downs with. Just when I think I don’t like it, I end up using it (often because it’s the closest to my hand) and then I love it. Right now I love it.  It is a more subtle effect and is more effective used for long term moisturizing. It is not thick so it doesn’t give the feeling of coating the lips. Used in the evening however, my lips are soft and smooth when I wake up. It is expensive but from what I am seeing, this stuff lasts forever. It has a subtle minty scent/taste and is again, in a little pot so you are dipping your fingers in it. It has a firmer consistency so I almost have to scrape a bit off with my fingernail to apply. That said, it then melts into your lips and works its La Mer Magic. Final verdict: now that I am not expecting a thick goopy balm, this is a love and serves its purpose. As with all things La Mer…less is always more…

Ok this is the big disappointment and even I am saying “I told you so” to myself. This year Lip Fusion came out with a balm and the thought of nice plumped lips a la Lip Fusion original plumper but in a soft matte balm sounded great. It seems to be a Sephora exclusive as I could not find it on LipFusion's website. Maybe they have discontinued it... I read horrible reviews online but still felt the need to shell out $30 for their balm. It is in a shiny silver tube, with similar styling to the Fresh Balm, so it twists out like a lip stick. Lets just say that you can save yourself $28 and get a Chapstick instead if you are ever tempted to buy this product. Not sure what they were thinking…maybe because the first Lip Fusion was the most genius product ever make to plump our lips women will buy anything with Lip Fusion on the label. Boo.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment is a nice lip balm, maybe nicer and more luxe than Chapstick with gorgeous packaging but not nice enough for me to ever buy another one . Very pretty scent and effective moisture but at $25 it’s just not enough to wow me. How this made it onto multiple "Best Of" lists mystifies me. Meh.

Low:

Carmex is THE ONE when we talk drugstore lip treatments. Nothing really works as well to get rid of chapped lips and to protect when you are out the cold or wind. I think the salicylic acid is the key ingredient here as it exfoliates flakes and dry skin. This is a good one for guys too, the packaging is very utilitarian and the red and yellow colours don’t scream “make up” or “cosmetics”. The one issue I have with Carmex is the scent/taste. I find it so strong that I can’t smell my own perfume when I wear it. That may be because I wear it right under my nose but it’s enough to bug me. I do love it, it works, but I only wear it at home. It has proven to be the best for my younger daughter when she had braces and massive retainers that kept her mouth open at night giving her brutally dry and chapped peeling lips. Carmex was the one thing that saved her. I like the one in the squeeze tube for ease of application.

Blistex Lip Medex is the other ONE. My older daughter and I love this one- and we use the one in the little blue pot. It is medicated like Carmex, is nice and thick and is slightly less scented than Carmex. It is comparable as far as results go, however I don’t think it has salicylic acid so the sloughing properties are not quite the same. I remember reading years ago, before the Lip Plumper Revolution, that some make up artists used this as a plumper under lipstick. They would exfoliate the lip then rub in some Lip Medex for a nice healthy plump. Again, the gender neutral packaging works for guys and gals.

Another drug store fave is Blistex Deep Renewal Anti Aging Treatment. I bought this when I was cottaging and forgot my Lip Fusion (go ahead, judge me for wanting plumper at the cottage) and the only option for shopping was a drugstore. It has a lovely soft mint scent/taste, is not thick and seems to just sink into the lips nicely. Another nice one to use at bedtime it does seem to do a little to smooth lines and gently plump as well as moisturize dry lips. Bang for your buck is high here.

My other drugstore fave is not exactly low end at approximately $30 but I LOVE it- Olay Regenerist Lip Anti Aging Concentrate. This stuff is magic and works as well as one would expect an Olay product to perform. I love Olay and they really hit the mark with this lip product. It smooths, softens, and gently plumps, comes in a tube and is available everywhere. That said, for $30 I want more product as I go through a tube of this quickly, and some nicer quality packaging would also help. The cheapo plastic tube is ugly and belies the goodness inside. Speaking of packaging and Olay- can someone there please. Just. Stop. The madness. All the insane plastic packaging that is akin to electronics packages that need a grenade to open them…wasteful and you are almost guaranteed to break a nail prying them open. So, buy the Olay forewarned. Great product, but a bit of a rip off.

I saved the best, ultimate cheap and cheerful product for last- Aquaphor. Yes yes, its full of petrolatum. I don’t care. For under $10 I get a tube that will last me years, it is odourless, softens and smooths lips, cuticles and anything else you put it on. It will help heal hangnails and papercuts, and is a fantastic barrier lotion. I swear if I put it on chapped lips at bedtime, it is still on my lips when I wake up. I always have a tube of this multi-purpose stuffs in my purse and in my bedside table. Win.

What are your favourite lips products? Share! I love to discover new stuff!

 Photo of my fave gorgeous clazy rady Joan Crawford

Olay Firming Masks for Beautiful Baby Skin

On the advice of my beauty gurus Michelle at BeautyEditor.com and Janine at imabeautygeek.com, I decided to try the Olay Pro-X Firming Masks. They had been singing the praises of “cotton moisturizing masks” and I was intrigued. Beauty writers can be a jaded bunch. Their job is, as Gaia over at The Non Blonde says, “to try products so you don’t have to”. I’ve had products do nothing, right up to products that make me break out. I prefer the products that make few claims but that have loyal followings. So. The masks.

They are a soft flannel type cotton, and according to Olay, have been soaked in the equivalent of an entire bottle of firming/moisturizing serum. They are folded in the package and are quite wet and a bit drippy so I recommend applying them in the bathroom. They feel cool and a bit clammy and take a tiny bit of patience and practice to apply. There are cut outs for your eyes and nose and a long piece to go under your chin. After the first one, you will have a better idea of how to apply it. Again, the sensation is cool and wet, and I don’t actually love the “wearing” part of the mask. My little thought was to perhaps put the package in a bowl of hot water before application but I’m not sure if that would be good for the product. I’ve contacted Olay about that so stay tuned. That said, a little bit of cool and damp is well worth the real results I see.

The mask stays on for 10 minutes. I have worn one while soaking in a scented bath, or while watching my TV boyfriend Jon Stewart on The Daily Show before going to bed, but for the most part anytime would work. It is best to sit still while wearing it though, as it can move around and slip, and before bed is nice for that reason. When the mask comes off there is excess product on your skin- I just rub it all in on my face and neck as to not waste a drop. The effects are dramatic, to say the least, and I would not have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself. If you feel your skin could use a pick me up, these masks are just what you need. The words “dewy” “plumped” and “smooth as a baby’s bottom” come to mind as I examine my skin in the mirror after the mask. The effect is remarkable and there is actually a palpable glow. Fine lines disappear and I literally put on my glasses and leaned in to the mirror to get a good look. Wow. Just, wow. 

These are perfect for travel, winter dryness and anytime you need a boost and want to look dewy. I have been using one mask a week as I am concerned about shocking my acne prone sensitive skin, but before a party or special event would be perfect as well. You will look like you slept for hours and woke up with a “special glow”. For $25 for a box of 5 masks, sign me up.

Olay is available at most drugstores. I got mine at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Get Beautiful in 15 Minutes or Less....

As much as I love makeup and all things beauty & cosmetic related, I am not into a heavy, made up look. At all. As I get older, the “less is more” theory becomes more relevant. If I have a special night out, I can add a little more drama with a slightly darker eye and some color on my lips, but for my daily Daly (lol) look, I keep it pretty simple. Long wearing is also key for my day-to –day cosmetics; I don’t have the time or desire to tote a large make up bag full of everything I need around in my purse. There is enough in there to sink a ship already…. if you read my Top 5 in my Purse post, you know that I stick to the basics. I also have oily skin so, make up, if not long wearing, tends to slip away and disappear before lunch. The descriptions may seem detailed and long winded, but trust me, get the hang of this routine and you’re out the door in minutes. So here we go. Get ready quickly, and look good all day. …

Tinted Moisturizer

I am not, and have never been, a foundation gal. On the days when I feel a little blotchy or pale, a little TM is all it takes to give my face the dewy look of an 18 year old. LOL, okay, not quite, but you know what I mean. I have two favourites- a high end product and a drugstore product. I love them both and actually alternate depending on my mood. High end- Dermalogica Sheer Tint Moisture spf 15. Incredible, sheer, matte and long lasting, I use the medium tone all year round. Makes me look healthy in the winter, blends with the light tan I inevitably get in the summer. Drugstore- Olay Totally Effects UV Moisturizer + Touch of Foundation . This one is actually fantastic, and it adds a little more moisture to my face in drier weather, ie winter when the central heat sucks every bit of moisture out of everything. I have been an Olay lover for years and this product does not disappoint. The magic Total Effects ingredients have won over users in blind tests involving super high end creams (hello La Mer….) since it was released and the tinted version is fantastic. The anti aging ingredients offer a light exfoliation, which helps keep oil at bay as well as smoothing out wrinkles. Not that I have any…

Concealer

This is a KEY product for me. Probably the one thing I’d use if (HORRORS) I was asked to choose the one thing I could not be without. You can go from tired and old to perky and young in a minute with the right concealer. And the only one, as far as I am concerned, is Lancome Effacernes Waterproof Protective Concealer . This product was recommended to me years ago by a make up artist at a Lancome counter. I went to buy Lancome waterproof mascara as I was going to a wedding (preparing for tears...) and she showed me Effacernes. WOW. This stuff is truly *Holy Grail material and I could never be without it. It is creamy and moisturizing while also having a matte finish. I use it under my eyes and on my eyelids, as it says it’s for under eye area. But I use a brush and lightly dab “spots” (ok, pimples) and very lightly dab it on the sides of my nose. A light dusting of powder on top and it stays put. As we age, that area gets red/darker and you would be shocked at how your face changes when you lighten the sides of your nose. Worth testing first, as a waterproof product may irritate a supersensitive skin. But I guarantee if this works for you, you will never be without it. A huge selection of color choices makes matching your skin tone exactly easy peasey. No more dark circles, the color will not settle into lines and will last for hours.

Bronzer &/or Blush

A touch of color is essential to a complete & healthy look. I don’t always wear both but sometimes a bit of blush and a light dusting of bronzer give me the pick-me-up that I need. You know those days - tired, run down and pale – without a good look and I am a big believer in “live it- be it” so sometimes I hope to psych myself out with a pretend glow. My number one blush is Benefit Benetint which is a liquid tint originally created, according Benefit’s site, “for an exotic dancer in the 1970s”…interesting. It is sheer, easy to apply and the perfect blushing cheek tone that lasts almost all day. I use few drops on my lips too! It also comes in a handy little package paired with lip gloss that is another perfect purse item (now that’s another Top 5 post!). My number one bronzer is the classic Guerlain Terracotta. My beautiful friend Heidi always looks so lovely & effortlessly bronzed- years ago I asked her what she used & she said Terracotta. Perfection! I had used it eons ago and now would never be without it. I use the lightest formula (01, sometimes called Blonde), which is foolproof. The Guerlain or Sephora rep can help you find your perfect shade. Using a nice big poufy brush giving yourself a light , even dusting all over the face can take you from tired to tan in an instant.

Eyeshadow & Primer

I cannot believe there was a time that I ever did not use Urban Decay Potion Primer which is basically the most incredible thing. Ever. It is a neutral coloured eye lid primer, to be used before you apply your eye make up. Using the Original formula, very lightly applied (a little goes a long way and too much is sticky) UDPP will make your eye make up last until you remove it. This could be overnight if you are a bad girl and don’t wash your make up off (like my daughters). Tsk tsk! They have 3 formulas, but the slightly shimmery Champagne toned Sin is a lovely colour on it’s own for pretty natural look. Then I swipe a little taupe eye shadow on my brow bone for depth. My faves are MAC Quarry and Omega- there are swatches on this page…just scroll down on Tempatalia to view. They are my Holy Grail taupe/natural shadows as they perfectly enhance the eye and give your lids some depth, rather than screaming, “Look at me I’m wearing purple and green eye shadow!”

Eyeliner Trick

This is a great little trick to add some depth to your lash line and open your eyes without looking like you are wearing any make up. As a blonde, this is something that really helps but it really works for anyone. Again, my desire to remain relatively low maintenance & my laziness dictates that this be a long wearing look. For this purpose I find the felt tip style is perfect- foolproof and easy to use. My personal favourite is L'Oreal Lineur Intense Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner . This stuff lasts until you remove it, comes in an array of colours to suit anyone and the product goes a long way as well. That and it is around $10 at the drugstore- also fabulous. So, my trick. After applying concealer and my primer (UDPP) and letting them set, I apply the liner. I take the tip and gently dot all along my upper lash line- not above the lashes but IN the lash line. And by dot, I mean connect the dots. It may seem a little awkward at first but I can do each eye in around 30 seconds now. I start at the outer corner and work my way in and as I approach the other end of my lid, I make the dots a bit smaller until they disappear/taper off. Give it a minute to dry and you have a lash line that looks defined and subtle. Add a brush of mascara and you look bright eyed and wide-awake. My day-to-day fave color is the brown, which works well with my medium-fair colouring and hazel eyes, but they have a great black that I will use for a more dramatic look. I have even wanted to try the grey, so stay tuned….

Powder:

Everyone has their favourite powder- and it is essential for setting your make up after application. A light dusting of powder on your lashes before mascara will also help it adhere and again improve longevity.  I alternate two formulas. MAC Studio Fix, a matte powder foundation, which offers some extra coverage when I want it. A little goes a long way so a light hand is helpful with this. My day to day powder is Guerlain Meteorites Poudre des Perles I will admit a love and obsession with the Guerlain Meteorites line- very finely milled  and violet scented…. But frankly,  as long as it matches your skin, is finely milled and you apply it with a nice poufy brush (I have many- for powder, blush, bronzer…) then stick with the powder that works for you.

Mascara

Everyone has their favourite mascara…some are high end and some swear by drugstore deals. My personal preference is for lengthening mascara that does not look thick or clumpy and it has to be in a waterproof formula. Non-waterproof ends up as black circles under my eyes in a few hours. Ah that oily skin. And its nice to know I can rub or scratch my eye without making a mess. At any rate, so far I have yet to find a High End mascara that works as well as L’Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara in black. Waterproof formulas tend to dry out a bit quicker than non waterproof versions so I also feel a bit better replacing a $10 mascara more often than, say, a $30 mascara. But in the end, for me, it is about performance and L’Oreal Voluminous lengthens and holds a curl beautifully. Two coats on my top lashes and I’m out the door…

The End

* Holy Grail: A very desired object or outcome that borders on a sacred quest