Hey friends, long time no see! I'm just going to skip the 'sorry for not posting' blahs and get right down to what you want... memes!

Ok, but really I you want opinions and I want to spill em, so let's get it started. So even when I'm not blogging on the regular, you can bet your bottom dollar I'm still trying products and testing out new things on my good ol' face! And one of the positive things about taking some blogging time off is that I've finished and purged SO MANY PRODUCTS recently, that I can finally add some new things to my routine! So let's dive into some of the latest skincare products that I've tested and loved over the last month.

Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Silky Cream Moisturizer

I've tried many Clarins products before (bronzers, mascaras, lip oils, you name it,) but this was my first time trying a skincare product and I was pleasantly surprised! I've been using this moisturizer every other night for the last three weeks and I've become a big fan of the velvety texture that it leaves on my face. Once you put it on your skin, you're able to very quickly smooth it into place and it absorbs in mere minutes. It reminds me a bit of how quickly a silicone based primer can set, and I do love the idea of a moisturizer that settles fast because I usually wash my face and fall asleep maybe five minutes later, and who likes residue on their pillows? NOT ME. It's soooooo hard to wash.

Overall, after trying it for a few weeks, I think this is a solid multi-tasking moisturizer, which is good for day or night. Just keep in mind that it doesn't have SPF so you'll need some in your foundation or primer or something during the day. It is a nice, solid base for makeup and I had little to no problem with the formula against any other serums or products I use in my routine.

The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the scent. It's not exceptionally strong, but it was slightly stronger than I like to put on my skin. Good thing the moisturizer is so comfy that I'm willing to overlook it this once ;) The fullsize version is $46 CAD which is about normal for the type of moisturizers I usually buy so thumbs up!

For full disclosure, I received this product free for testing purposes from Influenster.

Ole Henriksen Pore-Balance Facial Sauna Scrub

Between me and some of my friends, between all the new beauty brands and stores selling products direct to customers, or with boutiques like Nordstroms invading Toronto, I've felt a bit of Sephora fatigue. They are no longer the big dog on campus, and I find when I do succumb to their siren-like emails and buy stuff, I find myself not touching it for AGES. I know this might also be my Kon-mari purge affecting me, but it seems I'm just kinda overwhelmed right now. Also, I can NEVER seem to swing any of those elusive 1000+ point perks which annoys the crap out of me, so I started slowly plucking some interesting 100 point items to get a hand on some decent skincare instead, and this Ole Henriksen scrub was one of my recent pulls.

I've reviewed Ole Henriksen before (sidenote, it's one of my most read articles!) and while their products can be a bit pricey, they are mostly worth it. Especially when you purchase their stuff in those cost-effective packages or sets, and I'm happy to say that this is one of those products of theirs that I would totally recommend. The first time I used it I was ABSOLUTELY flummoxed because the scrub is made from volcanic sand, which I knew, and when it comes out of the tube it LITERALLY GETS HOT IN YOUR HAND. WHICH I DID NOT KNOW.

So that's when I knew that this scrub was serious business. Truth told, it IS a strong exfoliator, so I don't use it more than 2-3 times a week, but every time I use it it leaves my skin feeling so much cleaner, taking care of some of those JUST-BELOW-THE-SURFACE impurities on my skin and lifting a lot of those dead skin cells thanks to the AHAs. I tend to get a lot of whiteheads and the first time I used this scrub it definitely brought them to the surface, but since then they've reduced quite noticably, so win win! The full size version is only $28 CAD and I just might scoop it up when I'm done.

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% B5

Oh The Ordinary, THE ORDINARY. If you're a skincare enthusiast like myself, you've probably heard of this little skincare company that could. The Ordinary is the affordable skincare line from the brand Deceim: The Abnormal Beauty Company. The brand prides itself on having skincare at affordable, middle and high level price points, but maintaining quality at all levels. I initially went in, naively, to get their Foundation which also has a cult-like status, but I quickly learned that I may have to wait a few MONTHS for it to come in. Ack! So instead I decided to try one of their serums to tide me over for the next little while.

Overall, I don't have much to say since I find this hyaluronic acid works just as well as any other hyaluronic serum I've tried before. It helps my skin feel and look plump, and it sits rather nicely on mah face. But the real standout of this product is the fact that it's only $6.80 CAD because my previous standby was at least $12 so that cuts my budget in half! So even if you have no idea about whether you NEED it in your life, I'm suggesting that you try it. Personally, I'm getting their Caffeine serum next!

Pixi Skintreats Hydrating Milky Mist

There's one post I've been meaning to do for AAAGES and that is a review of my Pixi skincare picks so far! It seems like Pixi slowly took Toronto by storm and for the first few months it was IMPOSSIBLE to get the Glow Tonic, the Mists, the Polish & Peel or any other of their coveted skincare line without being a super sneaky restock master. I lucked out a few times and luckily one of those times was when I got the Hydrating Milky Mist which I've been using LIBERALLY over the last few sweltering weeks.

I do love a good misting/refresher product, and I generally prefer pump sprays with extracts and soothing ingredients to the 'basically water' aerosol of Avene and Nivea. The Pixi Milky Mist is especially nice because it has a VERY mild and gentle smell, and I find it sits nicely on top of makeup as a mid-day refresher, or on bare skin to sooth and hydrate. As summer heats up (ha ha), I find myself reaching for it more and more and it does not disappoint. With regards to price, I know it costs over $20 but I'm not sure if it was $20 on the nose or slightly more. I do love this product but I'm not sure if I'll rebuy this one immediately as I've heard so much about the Glow Mist that I've GOT to try that one too.

And that's all folks! I'll try to do these semi-frequently when I find I've added some new things to my arsenal, or have mini-reviews of other things I've tried. Let me know if you have any more comments or questions about these products in the comments. ✌️