Borghese Products on TSC

Check it out - today The Shopping Network is selling Borghese products! So for your shopping pleasure, here's a review of some of the offerings on sale today.

I'm new to the Borghese brand and had never tried any of their products before, but I'm now thoroughly impressed and can't wait to try them all.

Let me start then with what is probably their most talked about product: the Fango Delicato Active Mud for Delicate Dry Skin. Yes, you read right, it's a mud mask but it's one that's specially made for skin that's dry. Smooth it on and wait - upon washing the mud off, you'll find that you have skin that's moisturized and clean. This mud doesn't leave a sticky residue on your face, but it actually moisturizes!

Now we move on to the Borghese Curaforte Moisture Intensifier. This is another unique product from Borghese. What's so unique about it? It's not really a serum and it's not a moisturizing lotion - it's both. The consistency of this product like almost oily - almost. You rub it into your skin and it absorbs quickly and leaves a moistness that you can really feel. Your skin won't be greasy - instead it will be soft and smooth and any visible dryness will be gone. It's so light that adding a regular moisturizer on top (if you need it) will only help your skin more. This is the kind of product that every single skin type can use since it's virtually weightless.

We move then to the Dolce Notte night cream. I've never tried a night cream like this before. I expected it to be a lot heavier and greasy but it's not at all. The Dolce Notte night cream absorbs quickly and leaves your skin so soft. There's really nothing more I can say - that's just how it works.

Finally, we come to my favorite product: The Superiore Mascara. This mascara is excellent and you can just put on coat after coat of it without any clumping or smearing whatsoever. It wears beautifully, your lashes are soft to the touch, and you can build volume with each coat. The formula is great - you just have to try it for yourself!

Have you ever tried Borghese products? Do you have a favourite? You can watch the Borghese segment on The Shopping Channel 1pm, 5pm, and 9pm EST. Also remember that The Shopping Channel has a 30-day money back guarantee, so don't be scared to try new products that they sell!

Canadian Beauty News: July 6, 2007

OK, this version of Canadian Beauty News is all about reader questions but first, I'll tell you about the outcome of the masks that I've been reviewing!

Mask Roundup

Overall, I have to say that I really really liked the Biotherm. I liked how my skin felt afterwards, there was no residue, and it was just what I was looking for. I also really liked the Lancome warming mask and I think that I'm going to use it in the winter. None of the masks that I tried were horrible and I'm sure the question remains - do you even need a mask at all? After doing this project for about a month, I can say YES, having a mask as part of your routine is a good idea. It soaks up excess oil, tones, and has a nice effect on your skin even if it's temporary. A mask is especially useful in the summer.

Though I found it hard to incorporate into my routine at first, I've found that there are two best times to use it. The first time is after work or a day out when your face may be a tad fatigued. It's nice to come home, put on a mask and relax for a few minutes. The other best time to use it is in the morning so that you can brush your teeth, pick out what to wear, and get ready for your day before washing it off. The advantage that this has to using it at another time is that your face is already free of any makeup so you do not have to wash it before applying the mask. Most masks were only to be used once or twice a week and I'm guessing that this is because they're supposed to be intensive products - they are either very hydrating or could potentially be drying. Keep this in mind when you are buying a mask for yourself!

Reader Questions:

We continue then with the following email I received:

Hi there,

What do you think of the Kinerase line at Shoppers?? It is $$$$$ and does not get completely glowing reviews on MUA BUT... I've heard some say that just the gentle cleanser and cream (or lotion, depending on skin type) used together (and as their ONLY skin care products) have saved their skin - transformed it, really.

What do you think? Buying only 2 products could be cost effective if the line is really that good...

I'm thinking Shoppers has an amazing return policy, too, if I'm not that impressed after trying it!

Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to try the Kinerase line but I too have heard a great deal about it. I will, however, give you my honest opinion about what I would try from the line. I would not use the cleanser because I think that there are plenty of reasonably priced cleansers on the market and this is a product that goes down the drain when the job is done. This in mind, there is no replacement for a good moisturizer that works well with your skin. If I thought that Kinerase was the moisturizer for me, then I would go ahead and get the day cream and the night cream. Just my two cents. Have any readers out there tried Kinerase? What did you think?

One of my friends has also asked me about my favourite body washes and it just so happened that I was recently gifted a Body Shop Satsuma Gift package! Those of you who have been reading this site for a while know that I love coconut scented products so I wouldn't have picked this up myself, but I am thrilled with it! I especially love the Satsuma shower gel! I had never tried it before, and I now know why it's been a part of The Body Shop roster for so long! It smells so fresh and tangy which makes it perfect for the summer. The scent is strong enough that the whole bathroom smells of it.

Satsuma - Canadian Beauty Approved.

Great Beauty Reads

Teri from Pretty By Nature brings you some great Do-It-Yourself Skin Care Recipes.

Toya from The Life of a Ladybug gives you her reaction to MAC's C-Shock collection.

The Indie Perfume Blog tells us about Ava Luxe, an artisan perfume line.


Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Lancome Pure Focus Mask

This mask is goopy - but don't stop reading just yet. This is a non-clay based mask that's warming and wow is that a great experience. Don't just slap this on. Take your time, rub it in, enjoy the fresh spa-like aroma and warmth. Your pores will thank you and so will your once-high blood pressure. This mask is another one that doesn't dry, and one gets used to the warm feeling. But the warming comes back as you're taking this mask off and what comes through then is a slight mintiness that's refreshing! The best time for using this mask would be in the morning - the mintiness will wake you up and your pores will be cleaner! Love it.

Biore Self-Heating Mask

A self-heating mask? Sign me up.

The Biore Self-Heating mask is easy to find and like most Biore products, is designed for those with oily skin. Put it on and after wiping off, you're left with wonderfully soft and smooth clean skin. This mask is definitely suited for oilier skins since it did leave my skin a little on the dry side.

What I don't like about these masks is the format that they come in. You don't get a tube or a jar, you get 8 little pods that contain individual amounts of the mask. I'd rather be able to choose for myself how much of the mask I'd like to put on and how thickly I'd like to layer it instead of trying to use everything in a tiny little pod.

Bliss Steep Clean

A non-clay mask that promises to clean your pores inside and out - this I had to try. The mask comes out in two colours and you mix them together in your hand to make a thick green cream. For some reason, having this mask on made my face feel like it was sweating and perhaps that's how this mask does its work. It's not a warming mask but everytime I tried it, the feeling was there. In any case, this did not detract from the way I felt about the mask itself.

This mask does leave your face clean all without leaving a residue and doesn't leave it dry either. All oil is washed off and your face is left feeling considerably cleaner than before. I would say that this mask even took off makeup better than most of the other masks that I tried ,but they all did say to use on a thoroughly cleansed face. This mask is for all skin types.

Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Clay Mask

Check it out - the Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Clay Mask is anything but your typical clay mask. The mask is unbelievably creamy. So creamy that it doesn't really "dry" on your skin and just sits there. It's super emollient and takes off dirt and grime without at all drying your skin. Like all Dr. Hauschka products it smells like a mix of herbs and flowers. This one is definitely for those of you with dry skin and it's not really the type of mask you'd expect to use in the summer.

Clarins Normalizing Facial Mask

The Clarins Normalizing Facial Mask can be found at pretty much every Clarins counter. This clay mask is a pretty light peach colour and has a beautiful floral scent to it. It applies like a dream because it's so smooth and well blended. This mask doesn't get super dry so you can put it on and forget that it's there!

Though meant for oily skin this mask doesn't really dry out your skin - rather it absorbs excess oils and leave behind slight moisturization. The effects of this mask do last a long time and I would recommend it to anyone who has combination skin. It's soft texture and more mature scent make it suitable for those who are looking for a luxury product rather than something that's more clinical.

Caudalie Purifying Mask

This one is for those of you who want the clay without the tight drying feeling that some masks can leave. The Caudalie Purifying Mask smells wonderfully herby but doesn't go on as smoothly as some of the other masks that I've tried. Applying a thick layer, however, does the trick and since the mask doesn't dry like others you easily forget that it's on.

The mask took the day's grit and grime off quite well but it doesn't leave you with that squeaky clean feeling. That may be a good thing if you've got sensitive or dry skin.

Minty Masks Part 3

I expected Lush's Mask of Magnaminty to be super minty what with the etymology of the name coming from the Latin magna meaning big and the American minty meaning... that which is of the mint.

In any case, this mask is minty but it's not too strong. The scent of the mask is actually more like a chocolate-mint combo, much like an After Eight chocolate. The mask is quite thick so it works best when you've wet your face already and it has scrubby bits in it but I found that they're so big that they're not very effective. As I was rubbing the mask on and trying to scrub my face, the bits fell off and were thus ineffective altogether.

Overall, if you want a minty mask, this one is great but don't count on it for scrubbing. I should say that Lush has a huge range of masks that are a part of their Fresh range. The line is products that are so fresh that they have to be refrigerated and used within a month (for the most part). There are options for every kind of skin and every age, so if you're in the mood for a mask, you should definitely check out the entire line!

More masks reviewed tomorrow and Thursday!

Minty Masks Part 2

The Body Shop Blue Corn 3 in 1 Deep Cleansing Scrub Mask has been part of the Body Shop line ever since I can remember but I had never tried it before. To my surprise, this mask was actually quite minty! The scrubby bits in this mask are very finely ground so they end up providing mild exfoliation. If you find that you're sometimes pressed for time with your skin care routine, this may be just what you're looking for - a product that scrubs and deep cleans all at once. Sensitive skins should keep in mind that the level of mintiness in this mask might be irritating to the skin. The mask does absorb oil nicely and is great for the summer.

Minty Masks part 1

This one's for those of you who like your masks minty. The B. Kamins Diatomous Earth Mask has the scent of sweet mint and feels refreshingly cool on the skin. It's not so minty that your face burns - nobody needs that kind of irritation. It's just minty enough to wake you up!

The mask is clay-based and hardens to a tight cast. Washing it off is easy and the result is soft smooth clean skin. More minty masks reviews later today!

Biotherm Biopur Balancing Purifying Mask

This is a traditional clay mask and what a mask it is! Major points for smelling beautifully fresh and clean. This mask has white clay in it to aid in the absorption of excess oil and impurities that may be on the surface of the skin. The Biopur mask is silky smooth, unlike some other clay masks I've used, and it's a dream to put on.

The mask quickly starts to dry and hardens on the face. Afterwards my skin had that tight feeling but wasn't at all dry. It was wonderfully soft and smooth to the touch and I noticed that a few red spots that I had before were now gone.

The best part is that the clean feeling lasted all day long.

This mask is a keeper.

Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Masque

We start then, with a mask that's not necessarily for combination skin but is definitely a mask that's good for the summer. The Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Masque is a green gel that claims to soothe skin so that it looks its best.

Upon putting this masque on, my skin felt instantly refreshed - and it should since it is a water-based gel. This is an excellent option for those people who have experience sunburn or simply need to calm their skin after spending time in the heat. The gel mask goes on clear and doesn't really dry out - it stays wet and provides refreshing relief to the skin while providing sheer moisture as well. After using this mask, my skin was wonderfully hydrated but not at all oily. This is a fantastic product to have on hand if you're planning to spend a lot of time in the sun or travelling to much warmer climes.

You asked for it...

A while back I had a reader ask me to recommend a mask for combination skin - lucky for her, it was a project that I was already working on! This summer my skin has been quite oily and I think that it's because I've been spending so much outside.

I'm reviewing masks this whole week. Not only am I going to look at masks for combination skin but also those for people who have dryer skins. You see, besides having skin that can be oily, sometimes you can end up with skin that's dry because of excessive sun exposure. It's important to know what to use to treat different conditions.

Will I notice a difference in my skin? They say that the effects from a mask is temporary so does that even make them worth using? You'll find all this out and more! Sit tight, reviews are coming up starting tomorrow.