May beauty picks: UV shielding lip care and a shiso-scented treat
Leaning into summer starting with our cosmetics!
Updating your makeup bag or skincare routine is a great way to lean into each season, so every month we list off the latest must-haves from the beauty universe. But like a good multi-stick, our picks serve more than one purpose — they serve to update, add glam or invite an element of self care into your life. Here are our favourite picks this month that should be on your radar.
H2-oh yeah
To a beauty lover, nothing feels as refreshing as a good morning complexion cleanse. With French-girl beauty influencers touting its benefits, micellar water has become a staple in so many regimens, especially for those with sensitive skin. New to the game is Philosophy with their Purity Micellar water, which removes dirt, makeup and impurities with one swipe of a well-soaked cotton pad. It also works as a toner so no need to rinse off, just pat on your favourite day cream and start your regular morning makeup routine.
Philosophy Purity Micellar Cleansing Water, $29, thebay.com
Scent-sual
Gwyneth Paltrow's beauty brand, goop, has branched out into fragrance with the launch of scented candles and eau de parfum. Available in three smouldering scents (a fourth is one its way), Edition 02 Shiso is a stand out, and will burn for up to 65 hours, making those late night work sessions a little more luxurious. The star ingredient, shiso leaf, lends a spicy and fresh earthy perfume to the candle.
Goop Scented Candle Edition 02 Shiso, $95, thedetoxmarket.ca
Bite me!
Give the gift of a great pout, to yourself or a pal with an upcoming birthday — what a treat! With a full-sized agave lip balm (to use as a base before lipstick, swipe on the hydrating formula, let sit for five to 10 minutes and then pat with a tissue just before you apply!), three mini lipsticks in flattering pinky shades and one lip pencil to match them all. All comes housed in a cute graphic makeup bag.
Bite Beauty XO BITE: Prep, Line and Color Lip Set, $35, bitebeauty.com
Bright eyes
Everyone wants to look refreshed and awake this season (tbh, any season!), and Confidence in an Eye Cream, from IT Cosmetics, promises just that. The line was developed with the help of plastic surgeons, and their best-selling "Confidence in a Cream" is now available as an eye cream, containing proprietary ingredients with names like "Anti-Aging Armour Rejuvenating Concentrate", alongside a ceramide complex, licorice root, avocado and squalane.
IT Cosmetics Confidence in an Eye Cream, $48, itcosmetics.ca and sephora.com
The Cleaner
Renowned for their moisturizing line-up (Gabrielle Union is said to be a fan!), drugstore staple CeraVe (pronounced serra-vee) has added cleansing care to their roster, including their new Hydrating Micellar Water. Like the Philosophy version above, this is a 3-in-1 formula that works to remove dirt and makeup, but this cleanser also contains ceramides to help restore the skin's natural protective barrier, making it perfect for acne-prone skin and drier complexions, as it will help keep the epidermis well balanced.
CeraVe Hydrating Micellar Water, $15.99, Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall/Pharma Plus, London Drugs, Pharmaprix, Jean Coutu and Uniprix.
Give me a boost
If you're looking for an instant hit of hydration, while packing a brightening boost of vitamin C, Rodial has got you, girl. This bio-cellulose sheet mask helps to even out skin tone, thanks to its star ingredient (vitamin C), while plumping the complexion via hyaluronic acid, reducing fine lines with the help of vitamin B3, and calming the skin with a hint of green tea. This 10-minute treatment is perfect pre-makeup application on a big night, or any time you feel your skin needs a recharge.
Rodial Vit C Energising Face Mask, $60, Murale
Botanical wonder
Caryl Baker Visage has partnered with New York-based, all-natural brand emergin-C to bring Rawceuticals to Canadians. Consisting of cold pressed (all-natural ingredients can lose potency when heated during production) and organic ingredients, this clean beauty line is luxurious and worthy of a spot in your daily beauty routine. The wet/dry oil cleanser smells divine, works to help target dehydration, sun damage, fine lines and breakouts, and is rich in sunflower oil, hemp seed oil, aloe leaf extract, argan and avocado oil, among other skin-saving elements. The brand also produces a biodegradable, raw wood cloth that is said to help provide a deeper cleanse and can be used for up to 1,000 uses, with gentle washes as needed.
Rawceuticals Clean Wet/Dry Anhydrous Oil Cleanser, $60, Caryl Baker Visage
In the thick of it
It's interesting to note that 43 per cent of women and one in two men will one day deal with problems related to thinning hair. Definitely not ideal! If you want to really give those strands a boost, try the new Serioxyl line from L'Oréal Professionnel. Formulated with proprietary Glucoboost and Incell (the former works to boost hair density while the latter works to smooth the cuticle), this treatment line also contains two serums to help aid in creating a fuller, thicker head of hair. With it's refreshing mint scent, it's a good pick me up before you head out the door for work or play in the morning.
L'Oréal Professionnel Serioxyl Clarifying Glucoboost Shampoo, $30, Bodifying Glucoboost + Incell Conditioner, $32, available at professional salons
#SelfieReady
Guerlain's latest lipstick was made with the Instagram generation in mind. It's luxurious Rouge G colour comes in 17 saturated shades, including a highly pigmented green and blue, amongst reds, nudes and corals and is now housed in a mirrored case meaning applying your favourite hue, or touching up, can be done with ease on the go.
Guerlain My Rouge G Lipstick Case, $20, My Rouge G Lipstick Shade, $36, Holt Renfrew
The update
A staple in many women's routine, Fresh's Soy Face Cleanser rates a 4.4 out of 5 on Sephora, so you know it's a fan favourite. The brand has just launched a limited edition bottle of the extra gentle gel cleanser in collaboration with fashion illustrator Blair Breitenstein, who reimagined the original Soy Girl that graced the bottle when the cleanser first launched in 2000. Same delicious cucumber smell and calming formula, new, fun and feminine design.
Fresh Limited Edition Soy Face Cleanser, $52, sephora.com
Pout protect
Now that spring has actually arrived, it's time to think UV protection, not just for your complexion, but also for your lips, an often overlooked area when it comes to SPF. Enter Colour Splash from Shiseido. With SPF 30 and four different hues, you can keep your lips tinted and protected from damaging UV rays all summer long. We're partial to the Miami pink, which leaves behind a slightly tinted rose glow.
Shiseido UV Lip Colour Splash SPF30, $30, beautyboutique.ca