Talk us through your skincare regime…

Skincare in my opinion is the most important thing to looking youthful and fresh.

In the morning I follow 4 steps: 

Cleanse I use CeraVe Foaming Cleanser for oily skin. 

Peel : I use the Alpha Beta Peel pads by Dr. Dennis Gross. They are a simple two step acid peel, gentle enough to use daily.  The first pad exfoliates and smoothes the skin. The second packs the skin with nutrients including retinol to even out skin tone.

Serum:  Serums unlike moisturizers do not hydrate the skin.  Their sole purpose is to feed the skin with highly concentrated vitamins and peptides. Their lightweight consistency allow for quick penetration and work from the inside out.  I’ve been loyal to Timeless Skincare for many years and use the Vitamin C with Ferulic acid, the Matrixyl 3000, the Matrixyl Synthe 6, the Pure Alpha Hydroxy Acid and the CoEnzyme Q10.  I layer them one over the other in this order.

Sunscreen: I wear sunscreen 365 days a year. My fave is the Laroche Posay Anthellios SPF 60. They just came out with their Anti-shine version, a great option for us oily skin girls. Sun damage will age you faster than any other pollutant so SPF is a must for me.

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?

Whether its the morning or before a party I like to give myself a good hour and a half.  I really enjoy the process; from showering with my favourite shower gel and body scrub, spray tanning, doing my skin care and makeup. I light a candle in my bathroom and put my iPad on the counter and listen to relaxing music or a Law of Attraction guided visualization.  When I take the time to look good, I feel good. I love being a woman, I love the makeup, the clothes, the perfume and jewelry.

What if your skin needs a little extra TLC?

Whenever I’ve been away whether on vacation to a sunny place or camping in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, I like to give myself a good pamper session to bring my skin back to it’s “normal” self.  This includes a good face mask which I’ll put on while I’m relaxing in a warm bath. One I love is the Honey Charcoal creamy mask by Origins.  Charcoal draws out impurities (aka black heads) and Honey heals and plumps skin. Another one I purchase over and over again is the Rose Plumping Mask by the Body Shop.

If I have an event I want to look great for or am feeling like my skin is lacking glow then I go for the big guns; Retinol and Glycolic Acid.  Shiseido’s Retinol sheet masks or Strivectin’s Skin Reset mask.

Is your skincare regime different at night?

Yes. After a day of being out, wearing makeup and because I was “blessed” with oily skin (which apparently ages slower than dry skin – glass half full), I start by double cleansing. Clinique’s Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm melts with the heat of your skin and turns into an oil that gently yet easily melts away any makeup including mascara and lip stains.  After massaging it into my skin I use a warm terry cloth to remove all traces of the day and follow up with my CeraVe foaming cleanser for a really deep clean.

Patting my skin dry, I apply the Elizabeth Arden Retinol Capsules then Timeless Matrixyll Synthe 6 and CeraVe Retinol serum on my neck, décolleté and the back of my hands. 

What are your favourite product lines in your makeup case right now?

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit palette. It’s a pressed powder, highlighter, blush, contour and bronzer in one.  So great for travel.

I also love the YSL primer, Kiko Cosmetics bronzer, Dior Airflash Spray Foundation, L’oreal Lumi Glotion, Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Contour Kit, Charlotte Tilbury Unisex Healthy Glow, Nars Creamy Radiant concealer, Stila Heavens Hue Highlighter and the Real Techniques brushes. 

Any Beauty hacks you swear by?

I get my eyebrows threaded and tinted regularly. If I don’t have a lot of time do get ready or if I’m running around on my day off without makeup, there’s just something about having your brows done that make you look made up. Another is: any time I’m doing my skin care I make sure to apply some on the backs of my hands.  Our hands and necks show our age more than any other part of our body and it’s very obvious when the skin of the face has been cared for and the neck hasn’t. 

What’s the secret to keeping your hair looking healthy? 

I wash my hair once a week.  Yup! ONCE. Long hair needs the natural oils our hair produces and if we wash too often we strip the hair of these oils which can end up in breakage, damage or dry brittle hair.  I’m a loyal user of MorrocanOil Shampoo and conditioner and use it throughout Autumn and Winter.  In the new year I switch over to something lighter and just started using Malie Organics shampoo and conditioner in the Koke’e scent which transports me to the tropical rainforests of Hawaii every time I use it. 
A couple of times a month I’ll apply MoroccanOil’s deep conditioning hair masque and leave it in all night.  My hair is shiny and oh so soft for days afterward.

What is your go-to hairstyle?

Right after washing my hair, I wear it down, parted down the middle and pin straight.  Day 4 – 6, when it’s getting oily-er, I wear it in a ponytail or a bun high on my head..with giant gold hoop earrings and a red lip (wink).

Five things you

wouldn’t  leave the house without?

I always carry: 

-Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream. It’s the BEST lip balm ever!

-Breath mints

-my wallet

-my Kindle or whichever book I’m currently reading.

In the Winter: my faux fur bobble hat

In the Spring/Summer: sunglasses

What do you do to keep fit?

I alternate between Yoga and Cardio.  I’ve practiced Iyengar Yoga for many years and for cardio I like to hike in the forest with my husband and at home I either do 30 mins on the elliptical, Carmen Electra’s Fit to Strip (lol, I’ve done this workout for years and love it!)  or I love doing HIIT workouts that are on Youtube. 

I also do Infrared Sauna every week and although it may not seem like a workout, you do burn over 600 calories in under 1 hour so I include it as part of my “workout” regime.

Do you wear make-up when you exercise?

NO!  When you’re working out, your pores open up to allow sweat out and detox the body.  Wearing makeup will clog your pores and can create breakouts. 

Favourite sport? 

I only watch the world cup of soccer every 4 years and cheer for Colombia!

How do you make yourself feel at home when you’re travelling?

I bring something that comforts me like a travel sized candle in a scent I like to burn at home.  I always bring my tartan blanket with me on every flight. It’s warm and smells like home.

Do you have an in-flight beauty regime?

Whenever I do a long haul flight it’s spa time for me.  Last June we went to Italy.  We flew from Vancouver to Munich (10 hours).  As soon as we’d reached cruising altitude I pulled out my makeup case.  In it I put cleansing wet wipes and remove all my makeup.  Then I apply a cream face mask (I got a sample from the Clarins counter), applied a thick layer of lip balm, tied my hair up, pulled on my sleep mask and took a 6 hour snooze while listening to Harry Potter on Audiobook.

After I woke up, I removed the mask with another cleansing wipe, spritzed on some hyaluronic acid spray by Pixi, applied my Clarins sample size moisturizer, Lancome sample sized under eye cream and touched my makeup (just a little concealer, my mini clinique mascara and lip balm).  And I was refreshed and ready for my Luftansa breakfast!

Luxury is…

Having time to do whatever it is you most enjoy.  I indulge in luxury daily.

 

Love,

Jennifer