Have you heard of dry brushing? This pre-shower body ritual has been touted by celebrities and those in-the-know because of its ability to procure an instant glow to the skin. The Danish brand NUORI had clearly heard of it, because they just launched their Smoothing Body Brush. This new product was carefully crafted with soft natural bristles to ensure the full benefits of dry brushing. On the heels of this launch, we wanted to learn more about the art of dry brushing. Here’s is what we found out…
DETOXES YOUR SKIN
Dry brushing is a great way to detox your body, as it encourages lymphatic drainage. In fact, the mechanical act of dry brushing speeds up the rate of blood pumping, which helps get the lymph through the body, removing toxins and pathogens more quickly. Also, by unclogging pores, it’s easier for the body to sweat and eliminate toxins in your system.
EXFOLIATES THE SKIN
Speaking of unclogging pores, dry brushing is a great way to remove the day’s dirt and oil, as well as dead skin cells. The result is increased cell turnover and more radiant, smooth skin.
BOOSTS CIRCULATION
When you’re dry brushing, you’ll notice that the areas you’ve stroked become flushed. The redness you see is not irritation, but increased blood flow. Your body is simply pushing more blood to those areas, therefore increasing blood circulation.
DRY BRUSHING FOR SENSITIVE SKIN
Dry brushing is suitable for all skin types, however, those with sensitive skin may find it to be too harsh. In that case, we recommend exfoliating with a dry washcloth, or body mitt. If you have really sensitive skin, try dry brushing once every couple of weeks. If you build up a tolerance to it successfully, then transition to one to two times a week.
You should also avoid dry brushing on your face since the skin is more sensitive than on the rest of your body. Opt for a chemical or physical exfoliant specifically designed for the skin on your face.
THE ROUTINE
Now that you understand the benefits of dry brushing, how do you get started? Before showering, NUORI recommends brushing your skin with long sweeping strokes that move towards the heart. Once you’ve covered that, hop in the shower and wash away those dead skin cells. After the shower, make sure you hydrate your skin with a nourishing product like NUORI’s Vital Body Balm, Enriched Hand & Body Lotion or Perfecting Body Oil. You’ll instantly notice smoother, more radiant skin!
After months of high temperatures, sun exposure and an inconsistent skincare routine, once fall rolls around, our skin may be a little worse for wear. For that reason, we've put together a skincare guide designed to shed your summer complexion to reveal a glowing layer beneath.
For many of us, once fall rolls around, our skin isn’t looking its best. In fact, after months of high temperatures, sun exposure and an inconsistent skincare routine, our skin may be a little worse for wear.
The change of season calls for a skincare reboot. A routine full of active ingredients that will treat some unwanted hyperpigmentation, dryness, dullness and even acne is what you need. We’ve put together a skincare guide designed to shed your summer complexion to reveal a glowing layer beneath!
1. REBALANCE THE SKIN WITH A TONER OR AN ESSENCE
Although frequently overlooked, toners and essences are essential in a skincare routine. Depending on the toner, it can exfoliate, balance the skin’s pH and help the rest of your products work more effectively. As for essences, they essentially nourish the deeper layers of the skin, allowing your skin to absorb all the benefits from the rest of your products.
2. INCORPORATE A VITAMIN A INTO YOUR ROUTINE
If you placed your retinol aside for the summer, fall is a great time to bring it back! Not only does retinol even out discoloration and hyperpigmentation caused by the sun and environmental elements, but it also helps fight acne and early signs of aging. It’s definitely a must in a skincare routine.
3. YOUR DAILY DOSE OF VITAMIN C
Vitamin C is a great ingredient for overall skin health and radiance. In fact, it protects your skin against daily environmental damage and helps brighten your complexion. Using a retinol at night and a vitamin C serum during the day is a great way to get your glow back!
4. BYE-BYE DARK SPOTS!
Summer left behind some unwanted spots on your skin? Don’t worry! With the help of some brightening serums, you can lighten them up in no time… as long as you’re willing to put in the work. Consistency is key with these serums.
5. A DOSE OF HYDRATION
Hydration is key in achieving a healthy glow. A good moisturizer, packed with hydrating ingredients, is what you’ll want to reach for after a fun-filled summer under the sun!
6. BUFF AWAY DEAD SKIN CELLS FOR A GUARANTEED GLOW!
Shed your summer skin to reveal a fresh layer underneath! Weekly exfoliation is key in increasing cell turnover and keeping your complexion looking fresh and radiant. You can exfoliate your skin with serums, cleansers, creams, masks, whichever you prefer!
PRO-TIP
Boost the effectiveness of your products by incorporating microneedling into your routine. After cleansing and toning your skin, use Environ’s roller on your face and neck. This technique allows your hyaluronic acid, vitamin A and even vitamin C based products to penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, leading to better results. We love to use the roller with the Frown Serum from Environ because it targets fine lines on the forehead and crow’s feet. It hydrates and plumps the skin all at once for a refreshed appearance.
Although it may be difficult to accept that summer is officially coming to an end, it's time to consider what we can do to treat post-summer skin to make it glowing and healthy for the fall season ahead. Here are our top fall skin care tips for your best skin yet - healthy, hydrated, and luminous!
Although it may be difficult to accept that summer is officially coming to an end, it’s time to consider what we can do to treat post-summer skin to make it glowing and healthy for the fall season ahead.
Having a pro-active approach now will save you from that moment when you catch your reflection in the mirror and realize your skin is showing the effects of not enough sunscreen and not enough self-care over the lazy months of summer.
Here are our top fall skin care tips for your best skin yet – healthy, hydrated, and luminous!
BOOK YOUR CHANGE OF SEASON FACIAL
The first and most important step is to schedule an appointment with your esthetician for a treatment. Trust in the advice of a professional to analyze your post-summer skin, apply the appropriate treatment and make recommendations for a fall skin care regimen. All that time spent in the sun this pas summer may have yielded a few sun spots, sun damage or fine lines and wrinkles – all worthy of a once-over by a professional. We love a Brightening Hydrafacial like the Hydrafcial MD Brightening Treatment featuring the Britenol Vortez-Booster we offer in our SPA. It targets dark spots and sun-damaged areas, while encouraging collagen production and cellular renewal. We also recommend our Tata Harper Brightening Facial with Muti-Acid Peel, as it gently exfoliates the skin with natural AHAs to deliver an instantly luminous complexion.
DEEP-PORE CLEANSING
We know that you have been using a lot of sunscreen these past few months, and so you skin may be a bit overwhelmed and may look and feel dull and congested. Clear out clogged pores by applying a clay mask. This will allow you skin to better absorb the beneficial ingredients in your creams and serums. Kat Burki’s Dual Exfoliating Clay Mask is great for removing impurities and cellular debris, while providing a mild exfoliation and a boost of hydration.
THROUGH EXFOLIATION
Now that pores are clear, maintain skin by buffing away any build-up of dead skin cells that remain on the surface. Look for a gentle face polish or a night cream/lotion with AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids). This powerful ingredient will smooth away any roughness, as well as brighten the skin overnight! Environ’s Alpha Hydroxy Night Cream is a crowd-pleaser as it gently exfoliates the skin while providing a deep hydration for a radiant glow.
DARK SPOTS AND DISCOLOURATION
Vitamin A is one of the best ingredients to even out discoloration and hyper-pigmentation caused by the sun and environmental elements. Retinol, a form of Vitamin A, will help to diminish brown spots and blotchiness, while also illuminating the skin’s appearance. For beginners, we recommend SkinCeuticals’ Retinol 0.3. We recommend using it a few times a week to start. Once your skin gets used to the product, you can start using it every single night or every other night.
BRIGHTENING SERUMS
Even though your bronzed summer skin is fading, if your skin is healthy and hydrated, it should naturally radiate. Keep it nourished and radiant by applying a brightening serum in the morning and at night. Our best-selling brightening serum is SkinMedica’s Lytera. This serum minimizes the appearance of skin discoloration and dark spots. It has also been proven to improve the overall appearance of the skin.
HYDRATE AND MOISTURIZE
At this time of year, the summer sun, heat, salt water, and chlorine have taken their toll on your skin leaving it dry and dehydrated. Our natural moisture levels get depleted, which ends up leaving our skin not only feeling dry and rough but looking that way too. Moisturizers should have antioxidants and ingredients that help skin hold on to water, skin-repairing ingredients, and/or anti-inflammatory ingredients. Our clients are obsessed with Vivier’s latest launch: the GrenzCine Face Cream. It hydrates and firms the skin while diminishing fine lines and wrinkles and increasing luminosity.
INVEST IN A ZIIP
ZIIP is an electrical facial in the palm of your hand. It uses nano currents and microcurrents to communicate with your skin cells, increasing their effectiveness, prompting them to heal, and encouraging them to make an abundance of Collagen and Elastin.
With 7 different treatments to choose from, the Pigment Treatment is designed to even skin tone by suppressing the overproduction of melanin that leads to dark spots and hyper-pigmentation. The six-minute treatment is meant to be used every other day until pigmentation improves and then once a week for maintenance after that.
MAINTAIN YOUR GLOW WITHOUT THE SUN
Summer is done but no one said we had to stop looking fabulous! Yes it’s possible to have ridiculously radiant skin without being in the sun, and yes, it can be from an all-natural formula too. The Impossible Glow from Pai Skincare is a great way to get that sunkissed glow in no time. Its all-natural and certified organic formulation give you a post-holiday glow without ever having to board a plane. Just add a few drops to your moisturizer and you’re ready to go.
If you have any questions or need help building a routine that works for you, contact us at [email protected]
A few months ago, Tata Harper launched a skincare collection designed specifically for reactive skin. This past week, Tata launched two new additions to the collection: a serum and an eye cream, thus completing the Superkind routine. If you have sensitive skin and couldn't handle Tata's original products, listen-up! This routine is for you...
A few months ago, Tata Harper launched a skincare collection designed specifically for sensitive, reactive skin. This collection included a cleanser, a moisturizer and a mask. This past week, Tata launched two new additions to the collection: a serum and an eye cream, thus completing the Superkind routine.
With the latest launch of the Bio-Barrier Serum and Eye Crème, we thought we would shine a light on the Superkind Collection and walk you through the products. If you have sensitive skin and couldn’t handle Tata’s original products, listen-up! This routine is for you…
A SUPERKIND STORY
After talking with family members and friends who struggled with sensitive skin, Tata was inspired to create all-natural formulations that would be gentle enough for sensitive skin types. There seemed to be a common denominator when talking to those who struggled with reactive skin: there were limited options on the market for their skin type. The solutions that were available were mostly synthetic and they offered very limited results. The idea was then born to create solutions that would not only act as a calming force for the skin, but also deliver real results.
It took a year of research and two years or formulating to create the Superkind Collection. This hard work led to products that are super gentle and super powerful.
SUPER GENTLE This collection excludes a comprehensive catalog of 85+ common irritants and allergens that can trigger reactive skin and further compromise a weak skin barrier.
SUPER POWERFUL Tata Harper has included a careful curation of 36 multifunctional ingredients that are able to transform reactive skin with green technology that it can tolerate.
THE ROUTINE
As with all of our recommended routines, we always encourage cleansing the skin as a first step. The Softening Cleanser from Tata Harper is non-stripping and works to gently dissolve buildup and impurities. Its formula is hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, and vegan. It’s also free from 85+ common allergens and irritants, as are all of the Superkind products.
Follow up the cleanser with the Bio-Barrier Serum. This all-in-one anti-aging serum, smoothes, firms, and brightens to restore a comfortable, healthy complexion. We love this serum because it offers real anti-aging results for sensitive skin types! Many anti-aging products contain active ingredients that can be irritating for reactive skin. This serum’s gentle formula acts as a calming force while still delivering real results.
Next up, eye cream! The Bio-Barrier Eye Crème helps brighten, depuff, firm and smooth the skin to diminish signs of aging and fatigue. Real anti-aging results without irritation.
Follow the eye cream up with the Fortifying Moisturizer. This ultra-silky and smoothing formula delivers a cocoon-like barrier that hydrates, fortifies, comforts, and defends reactive, stressed skin.
A few times a week, apply the Radiance Mask from the collection. We love this mask because it allows sensitive skin types to reap the benefits of a good exfoliation. This creamy, gel-like mask is infused with a delicate blend of self-neutralizing AHAs that replenish moisture and gently exfoliate to revive dull, stressed skin and reveal a healthy-looking, radiant complexion.
Need help building a skincare routine that works for you? Contact us at [email protected].
Our story with Juliette begins a few years ago, when we discovered her chocolate shop on Sainte-Catherine. We wanted to learn more about how Juliette & Chocolat came about and how Juliette juggles life as a successful business owner, mother, wife and friend.
@juliettechoco
Our story with Juliette begins a few years ago, when we discovered her chocolate shop on Sainte-Catherine, just a few blocks from Etiket boutique (we’re practically neighbours!). Our love for Juliette & Chocolat grew when we learned more about the woman behind the brand.
In fact, Juliette & Chocolat was founded by a beautiful woman named… you guessed it, Juliette! All you need to do is follow her Instagram page to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how she runs her successful business with her husband and her 5 adorable kids. We wanted to learn more about how Juliette & Chocolat came about and how Juliette juggles life as a successful business owner, mother, wife and friend.
How did the idea of creating Juliette & Chocolat come to you?
I’m a foodie. Always have been, and I love to cook. Eating has always been one of my life’s greatest pleasures. I’ve always had a weakness for sweets. I can’t imagine ending a meal without a dessert, that just doesn’t make sense to me! When I go out to restaurants, I always start by asking for the dessert menu. Choosing my dessert first allows me to then choose my main course.
I got the idea of creating Juliette & Chocolat when I was at the end of my studies in Finance. At the time, I was looking for start-up ideas. Because I have such a sweet tooth, and because I wasn’t able to find any hot chocolate in Montreal like my grandmother used to make (!) the idea came to me to open a chocolate bar, similar to a coffee shop, but where one could sit and drink a hot chocolate. This idea then led to a menu filled with chocolate recipes, from hot chocolates and pastries to fondues and candies. I wanted Juliette & Chocolat to be a paradise for chocolate lovers. Finally, wanting there to be a French flare to the business, I added salty and sweet crepes to the menu.
With your own business and a family of five, how do you juggle it all and have time for yourself?
Hahahaha! I’m often asked this question. Honestly, it all comes down to being organized, while also being laid-back and taking life as it comes. Every hour of my week is organized, and I have “to-do lists” for every part of my life. I have a day planner that allows me to stay on top of everything. However, if at the end of the day, the house is a mess, the dirty dishes are still on the counter and the kids go to bed a little past their bedtime, I don’t lose sleep over it. I’d say that I also have an amazing support system in my personal and professional lives (even though the two overlap). I have friends and colleagues that are as invested in my business as I am and who want to see me succeed. I’m very blessed in that respect.
How do you start the day? What is your morning routine?
My mornings are always chaotic: imagine a house of 7 people who all went to bed late the night before! I help the kids get ready for school, make sure I have my eye makeup on … it’s a little like a race against the clock, though we do manage to eat breakfast all together. No coffee for me, I have enough energy as it is! Instead, I make a healthy, vitamin-filled smoothie for us all to drink before heading out the door!
I then drop the kids off at school. Making sure everyone gets to school on time, with their schoolbooks, lunch and PE clothes is a challenge… it’s like a little victory every morning.
What does your everyday beauty routine look like?
Morning: My routine is remarkably simple. I hydrate my skin with a cream I have on hand (I’m lucky enough to receive beauty products as gifts, so I switch them up a lot).
Night: My nighttime routine is also simple. I wash my face with cold water and a gentle cleanser. Right now I’m using the Peoni Cleanser from JB Skin Savvi. After that, I hydrate my skin with the Peoni Oil from JB Skin Savvi.
Do you do something special to take care of your skin?
Once or twice a week I will deep clean my skin with a Clarisonic brush. Besides that, I hydrate my face and body every night.
What’s the best beauty advice you’ve ever received?
Happy people are beautiful, be happy!
Who is your beauty inspiration?
Audrey Hepburn
What does your makeup routine look like?
I apply makeup everyday but I keep it simple. I apply a kohl liner that I bought at a souk in Damas when I lived there. It’s a black liner that stays put all day. I love it! After that, I apply a few layers of mascara. From time to time, I add a neutral eyeshadow and a pop of blush to the cheeks.
What beauty products can we always find in your handbag?
Hahahaha, I have more toys in my purse to keep my kids entertained than I do beauty products. I always have a lip balm (does that count?). Sometimes, I’ll have a lipstick in my purse for touch ups throughout the day.
I’m a huge fan of Angel by Thierry Mugler. It’s a sweet, candy scent and so enticing to me. I have no idea how I found it, but I can recognize it anywhere!
What do you do to unwind at the end of a busy day?
I play with my kids, I read, I cook, I watch movies with my family, I never run out of ways to unwind at the end of the day. I always find time to relax and to ground myself. It’s the key to not burning out!
