Rodial Dragon’s Blood Skincare Review

People slather a lot of weird stuff on their face in an effort to reduce visible aging and maintain a clear complexion. I’ve tried snail slime and even plant based placenta masks but Dragon’s Blood isn’t quite what is seems. This odd sounding extract is actually harvested from tree sap and used to smooth wrinkles, calm redness, plump, firm, heal and reduce inflammation. It is also high in hyaluronic acid and antioxidants that fortify skin’s natural moisture barrier, protect against environmental aggressors and alleviate irritation.

Rodial’s Dragon Blood Cleansing Water ($45.00) is a gentle micelle solution for the face and eyes. Use it to remove makeup and impurities, brighten, tone, hydrate and refresh. The rose water complex is infused with vitamins and gentle cleansers that purify pores and eliminate excess oil, dirt and pollutants. Makeup artists, busy moms and avid travelers will love the convenient pump bottle and no-rinse formula.

One of my new travel essentials to combat dry aircraft cabins, harsh weather and jetlag, is the Dragon’s Blood Essence Mist ($52.00). This lightweight invigorating spray deeply nourishes parched skin and has intelligent ingredients that react to sun exposure and adjust to your individual needs. During the day it visibly improves skin’s appearance, primes for makeup application and supports cell defense against the elements. At night it rejuvenates, boosts elasticity, supports collagen, soothes and improves uneven skin tone. The bottle contains 100 ml (the maximum amount of liquid per container allowed on airplanes) so I keep it in my carry-on and spritz generously during long flights.

Although I have a lot of great lip balms, the cold weather makes it difficult to keep my pout adequately moisturized. The Dragon’s Blood Lip Masks ($7.00 each or $45.00 for a box of 8) have a rich bio-cellulose, hyaluronic acid complex that plumps, smooths, softens, protects and restores chapped skin for younger looking lips.

I usually start with light exfoliation/lip scrub, apply the mask for 15 minutes and follow-up with an ultra nourishing treatment like the Rodial Reshape and Rejuvenate Lip Balm. The 24K gold boosts collagen production, improves firmness and conditions with a blend of shea butter and rose extract. 

Your hands can be a telltale sign of age and nothing ruins a pretty mani like dryness and crusty cuticles. The Rose Gold Hand Cream comes in a set with the lip balm for just $40.00 and the non-greasy formula firms, smooths wrinkles, enhances radiance, dulls imperfections and hydrates rough skin and brittle nails with powerful peptides.

Rodial Beauty is available at Shoppers Drug Mart and online at beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca

Rodial Vit C Brightening Skincare Review

This summer I have a lot of exciting plans – last Saturday I was braving the white water rapids of the mighty Niagara River and this weekend I’m strawberry picking with the family before enjoying a leisurely brunch in the country and date night in Toronto. Basking in the sun is fun, but UV, pollutants and city smog can damage and dull the complexion so I’ve been using the new Vit C Collection by Rodial.

If you aren’t sure why people are going crazy for Vitamin C and why beauty brands are putting it in almost everything, let’s do a little recap. This potent Ascorbic Acid is high in antioxidants that brighten, fight free-radicals, heal wounds and synthesize collagen for firming, wrinkle reduction and tightening. It also helps even skin tone by fading blemishes, scars, imperfections and hyperpigmentation while reducing photo damage caused by UV.

I usually start my morning routine with the Cleansing Pads ($56.00) – formulated with pure Vitamin C and an invigorating blend of Fruit, Lactic, Glycolic and Salicylic Acids that resurface and retexturize. The soft pads are soaked in brightening solution to gently purify pores, exfoliate and eliminate dirt, oil and bacteria. Skin appears firm, toned and clear with less breakouts and the jar is easy to slip in your carry-on for a healthy glow on-the-go. The pads do remove makeup but they aren’t really designed for wiping off all your foundation, so don’t waste them. Instead, use them to prep the skin and remove residual debris after cleansing. Remember to close the lid tightly so they don't dry-out. I cover the jar with a piece of plastic wrap before twisting the cap on securely.

The Vit C Brightening Cleanser ($65.00) helps improve texture and tone while removing pollutants, and impurities. It feels more like a glossy serum than a foaming soap, leaving my skin soft, smooth and supple with no dryness. I can smell the refreshing blood orange water among the grape and pomegranate extracts, and my face appears radiant and clear after each use. The formula does not lather into rich foam but it is effective, especially if you double-cleanse to help breakdown the layers of makeup, oil and sunscreen.

If you spent your weekend drinking fishbowl sized cocktails with the girls (like I did) the Vit C Energising Sheet Mask ($60.00 per box) definitely comes in handy. Enriched with rejuvenating Vitamin B3, Amino Acids, Green Tea and Hyaluronic Acid, the lush formula transforms dull, pasty skin by boosting luminosity, deeply hydrating and combating key signs of aging. Leave it on for 15 minutes and relax as the serum sinks in and replenishes tired looking skin. After just one treatment my face was smooth, plump and velvety soft with very little evidence of sleep deprivation.

The Vit C Mask ($110.00) is also available as a clear gel with a higher concentration of exfoliating acids to resurface, smooth, rejuvenate and diminish age spots, blemishes and other imperfections. The gel is very easy to apply with minimal mess and dries down into the texture of a peel-off mask that gently fuses to the face to lock-in nutrients. Leave it on for 15 - 20 mins and voila! You’re one step closer to silky, even skin and flawless makeup application. I use this treatment before big events or special occasions because it gives my complexion a boost of hydration and youthfulness. 

Rodial is available is Murale and Shoppers Drug Mart. Visit the website by clicking HERE.

Rodial Smokey Eye Sculpt Eyeshadow Palette & Suede Lip Crayon Review

You may be familiar with Rodial’s innovative skincare but the brand also makes impressive makeup for effortless everyday looks and glamorous occasions.

The new Smokey Eye Palette ($45.00) caters to my style perfectly because it includes flattering shades I wear on a daily basis. If you are looking for a travel-friendly collection of neutrals, deep hues and all your basics then this little compact is great!

I like that the central lid color is shimmery gold while the supporting colors for highlighting, contouring and creating definition are silky mattes. The shadows are well balanced and expertly matched to create depth and contrast with a nice range of crease and transition shades.

I use the deep brown to begin shaping my crease, smoke-out the outer corners and lower lash line with some black, apply the gold to my lids and inner tear ducts, transition upwards with the beige or caramel and highlight under the brows with the matte cream. With this palette you really can’t go wrong and the blendable texture provides long-lasting wear, buildable coverage and versatile saturation to adjust intensity. Slip it in your purse or weekend tote and you have a handy little palette for a night out.  

The Suede Lip Crayon ($30.00) is available in 3 beautiful shades with a full-coverage, creamy formula that saturates lips in intense matte pigment. Enriched with vitamin E for comfort and hydration, the rich color glides on smooth and consistent making it easy to shape and outline the lip contour. I would have preferred twist-up packaging since I don’t like sharpening but I love these crayons!

Rodial is available Murale

Rodial Bee Venom Collection Review: Luxury Skincare and Gift Ideas

I have been using Rodial skincare over the last several months and I recently published a review on the Galmoxy Snake Mask which I use on a weekly basis to brighten and revive my complexion. Today I will be sharing some luxury items that are perfect for pampering your skin at home if you love spa quality results or if you are searching for impressive holiday gifts for those who crave beautiful skin.

The Bee Venom collection like the Snake Mask may sound a bit daunting and let’s be honest it’s pretty darn weird but I can assure you that the ingredient list is not quite as strange as the names indicate. The products are inspired by the freezing effects of venom relating to the aging process and slowing down the effects of sagging, wrinkles, fine lines and other unsightly blemishes. Although the products do contain actual bee venom (which is not harmful unless you have an allergy to bee stings) the venom/peptides work in synergy with plant stem cells to help correct skin tone, plump, enhance elasticity, hydrate and smooth the appearance of lines.

The Bee venom works by tricking the skin into thinking it has been stung and directing blood flow to the area of application. This stimulates the production of collagen for younger looking skin and essentially helps you retain facial shape and contour. It is also important to mention that the venom is collected from the bees using non-harmful methods.

The Bee Venom Super Serum is formulated for extreme performance and aside from diminishing the signs of aging with powerful stem cells, oils and extracts it also improves the surface of skin to boost radiance while providing a lush layer of moisture. The serum melts in quickly leaving your face soft, supple and silky with a non-greasy healthy sheen that smells fantastic! I prefer to use the serum under the cream before bed as the skin regenerates and heals but you can also use it during the day because it works well under makeup. It retails for $200.00.

The Bee Venom Moisturizer Revitalise and Firm has become apart of my nightly beauty ritual and as the weather cools down my skin needs more hydration to battle dryness, flaking and peeling. The cream is formulated for “mature skin” and although I have admitted to not having fine lines, wrinkles or any visible sign of aging I still take preventative measures!

Infused with skin plumping bee venom, hyaluronic acid for intense, long lasting moisture, vitamin C, biomimetic growth factor to even skin texture and fruit stem cells to help reverse the signs of aging this cream is definitely the “Queen Bee” (pun totally intended) of all face creams! The lavish formula makes my complexion look dewy and fresh in the morning and to increase absorption I use my face steamer to open my pores and cleanse with my Clarisonic OR exfoliate with my microdermabrasion machine prior to application. This process is one of my secrets for beautiful, even skin.

The moisturizer retails for $190.00

I love these products so much that I have recently acquired the Bee Venom 24 Carat Gold Super Essence which is as luxurious as it sounds! This extreme rejuvenation serum is also infused with bee venom peptide and liquid gold for a 3D express lifting effect and glowing skin. It also includes stem cells to sustain hydration, blur imperfections and reinforce the structure and contour of the face to help improve elasticity. The formula has a luminous rainbow hue that blends in clear except for the gold micro particles that shimmer on the surface of skin for a subtle highlight. I personally don’t think you need both serums as they are in the high-end price range and contain many of the same active ingredients. If you are looking for radiant results quickly then the gold infused serum may be the better option as it reflects light but if you are not a fan of the gold flecks then go with the other serum. The Super Essence retails for $270.00.

One of my favorite skin pampering products especially during the winter are creamy indulgent body butters so it’s no surprise that I am totally smitten with the Bee Venom 24 Carat Gold Body Soufflé.  This delicately whipped formula comes in a huge golden jar and although it is very rich and silky the texture is surprisingly light and fluffy! It absorbs quickly with a wonderful aroma and no greasiness, just a brilliant sheen that quenches even the thirstiest skin to eradicate dryness and alleviate discomfort instantly. You can actually see the small sparkling flecks of golden particles on your body which is great for holiday parties! Again the ingredients are very similar to those in the face products to lift, plump, firm, tone, blur, smooth, condition and more so if you need all over anti-aging results you can use this collection from head-to-toe! The body cream retails for $190.00.

You can find these amazing skin pampering products at murale.ca

*Press samples featured

Rodial Skincare Glamoxy Snake Mask Review

On Fridays I like to kick back, unwind and treat my skin to a pampering facial so that I look rested and revived for the weekend. A great face mask is always a part of my weekly routine and recently I’ve been using the Glamoxy Snake Mask by Rodial to help get me red carpet ready for The Toronto International Film Festival. Most of you are probably thinking that “snake” is not a word you want to see in the title of any beauty product and when you realize that the mask is also jet black you will probably be even more intrigued by this innovative formula.  

After the UV of summer has taken its toll I like to refresh my complexion and this mask is formulated with unique dipeptides inspired by the venom of the Temple Viper. They work by freezing the appearance of wrinkles while relaxing expression lines and reducing the appearance of age spots. The actual ingredient list does not contain any real snake venom so don’t let the name scare you! Since I don’t have wrinkles I am more interested in the mask’s brightening abilities, the infusion of liquorice extract naturally evens and corrects skin tone for a healthy, youthful glow. I have researched the benefits liquorice extract before and I use to purchase the pure form to mix into my homemade serums. Overtime it helps lighten blemishes and dark spots and after each facial I notice a visible difference in my complexion! The mask also helps shrink enlarged pores for a refined, supple finish and my skin looks fresh, bright and more radiant.

The mask also contains French clay enriched with natural minerals that deeply cleanse to remove dirt, oil and impurities while unblocking clogged pores, diminishing excess sebum and purifying. It is also clinically tested to increase hydration up to 96% in 30 days and the pomegranate extract is rich in antioxidants to protect and reduce the signs of aging. The scent is a bit strong and a tad sweet, it kind of reminds me of a popsicle!

After the mask dries you simply peel it off from the edges or rinse off with warm water. The texture isn’t very creamy so it doesn’t spread or distribute as easily but after use my skin definitely feels clean, smooth and silky plus it seems to enhance the absorption of my moisturizers and organic oils. When your complexion needs a boost and a little rejuvenation the Glamoxy Snake Mask is a great solution! The 50 ml tube retails for $83.00 and you can pick it up at Murale and The Bay. 

*Press samples featured