Beauty Vixen

I never got around to doing a 2024 favourite things roundup, and now that winter is over, I feel like I should share one. The problem is that I haven’t been feeling motivated to write lately. I’m exhausted all the time, and with the little energy I have, I haven’t been able to be creative. On top of that, my skin is a real mess, so I’m not enjoying makeup or skincare right now, which is disappointing. This post should be an easy way to help me get back into the writing flow… hopefully.

1. Neutrogena Transparent Bar

I started using this for my new Vintage Vanity series, and I fell in love. It is a great, simple bar that gets the job done. You can read about its history and how I really enjoyed it here.

2. Belif Aqua Bomb PHA Exfoliating Toner Pads

Belif's Aqua Bomb line is one of my favourite skincare lines. These pads are pretty self-explanatory; they are toner with PHA in a pad format.

I have a lot of acne popping up along my hairline and dry, flakey skin on my cheeks. These pads have been great for light exfoliation in those areas without irritating anything. The other toner ingredients are super hydrating.

3. Aquaphor Healing Balm Stick

This an absolutely massive stick of Aquphor, with 30% petroleum in it. Because it is a stick, it has different ingredients than the regular Aquaphor, such as avocado oil and wax. I fell in love with this stick because, for the last year, I have had peeling lips. It didn't matter how often I applied balms to my lips; they were terrible. This cleared it up in a week. I also use it on my cuticles and dry elbows as well as on top of my skincare for slugging when dog walking in the winter weather.

I do not believe it is sold in Canada. I had to get it in the USA. The exact same stick is also sold under their Baby Care banner.

4. Hypochlorous Acid

I think we all know how effective Tower 28's SOS Spray is at eliminating unwanted skin issues while still being gentle on the skin. However, I’ve found a similar product that costs significantly less: Microcyn Skin Spray for pets. It’s priced at $29.99 for 240 ml and works just as well.

I used this spray at my previous job whenever a pet had issues like scratching their ears, developing hot spots, or any other irritated skin problems. I even started using it on myself for scratches and bruises, and it worked wonders. When Tower 28 gained popularity for its product, I felt vindicated, knowing that others finally recognized its effectiveness.

I picked up my bottle a few months ago when my dog, Bradley, was chewing on himself to calm and heal his skin. I recently used it on Sterling after he scratched his ear non-stop, making it red and scabby. After applying the spray the next day, everything looked much calmer. I mean, the fact it saved me a visit to the vet alone makes it worthy of a favourite spot.

Now, it’s become my favourite, not just for my pets but also because I've been struggling with acne that I can't control. I started using the spray on my own skin whenever a pimple began to surface, and I noticed that it helped clear them up faster than when I didn’t use it.

5. Vitabath Original Spring Green Bath Gelee

Thinking of a number 5 was really hard. I spend a lot of time in the bath, so I went to have one and it came to me, Vitabath. I used up a small bottle in January and am now working on a bottle double the size. You need so little of it for a ton of bubbles and scent that will fill your whole floor.

They make any scents, but the green is the original and smells the best to me.

So there you go, five things I have loved this winter season. Now, let us hope the weather gets better, and I can spend some more time outside with less dry skin.

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This is part two of my Vintage Vanity series, I am continuing with the exploration of bars of soap that have stood the test of time. Today I am looking at the British favourite, Pears transparent soap.

History:

Pears was first made in 1807, in all its transparent amber oval bar glory. This British gem is known for having royal warrants leading back to Queen Victoria.

The bar has gone through some changes over the last 200+ years, mainly in 2009 and again for a relaunch in 2016. People really didn’t like the 2009 change, and made a Facebook petition, it lost its Royal Warrant and disappeared for quite a few years as a result. In 2016 it relaunched and tried to win back its old fans. It sounds like it is much better than the 2009 version, but not as good as the original.

The bars were first sold in London in 1807, its transparent colour was due to it being a glycerine-based soap, but was also a big part of its marking, promoting how ‘pure’ it was.

Things that make this bar unique are, a divot in the top, which is due to shrinkage as it sets (not moulding), but people love to smush their old bars into it, preventing waste. It is also clear, which at the time of release, was neat. It has a unique scent that is supposed to be that of an English Garden.

Review:

I immediately did not like the scent of this soap when I opened the box. It was overwhelming and unpleasant to me. I am used to a whole bunch of different types of scents, this was not one I had smelled before. After a few days of the bar in my shower, I either got used to it, or the unboxing potency faded and it was a lot better.

When I used it, I instantly felt a film on my body that I did not like. I did not find it rinsed off well unless I used a body wash mixed with it or afterwards. It wasn't the worst soap film, but not a great feeling.

It did do an excellent job cleaning like all soaps should. I did not smell bad after using it and the bar's scent did not linger.

Pros:

Cheap, at 3 75 g bars for under $4.00 CAD
Easy to find, can find it at dollar stores, grocery stores, and drug stores easily.
Cleans well, and removes odour easily.
Lathered well.

Cons:

I do not like the scent of this soap.
Residue feeling after using.
The scent did not linger.
Soap is wrapped in plastic, so not plastic-free.

Overall:

I did not like this soap. I can see why people got mad about the changes in it. It did not smell good, it did not feel good. I would not recommend it unless you could not find another bar to use.

Ingredients: Aqua, Sorbitol, Sodium Palm Kernalate, Sodium Rosinate, Glycerin, Sodium Palmate, Sodium Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, PEG-4, Sodium Laurate, Alcohol Denat, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Sulfate, Parfum, Gugenia Caryophyllus(Clove) Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Carum Carvi (Caraway) Fruit Oil, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Lauryl Alcohol, Tetrasodium EDTA, BHT, CI 17200, CL 47005

*This post features affiliate links. If you use it I may get a small commission. Thank you for your support.

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This is part one of what I hope is a very long series about vintage beauty products that are still sold today. I decided to hunt down a big old pile of products that have been on the shelves of stores for decades. This included soaps, lotions, balms and lip balms. I started my project with a bar of soap, and well ended up using it for 5 months straight. Which was great because I loved it, but it didn’t help review all the soaps I could.

I also was at a loss on how to even approach the project. I have tried to write one big post for each category, but there have been no reviews. Instead, for now, I am reviewing each item as I use them. Today that is Unscented Neutrogena Facial Cleansing Bar Original Formula aka Neutrogena Transparent Facial Bar.

This soap has been around since 1954. Manny Stoloroff, the founder of Neutrogena, went to Belgium and found a non-alkaline soap that was created by a chemist there. He bought the distribution rights and called it Neutrogena. In the ‘50s, it became popular for those who did not want the harsher soaps of the day on their face, and people were willing to pay a huge price increase for it ($1 vs 10 ¢ for the competitors).

Today the key thing that continues to make it a special bar is that it is dermatologist-recommended.

Review Time:

Now I used this bar on my body for the most part, I only used it on my face a few times.

I have never really liked bar soap, it has always felt like a film is left all over my body when I am done using it. It doesn’t matter if I use a loofa, a poof or even a washcloth, I feel a film after rinsing. This soap never once did that for me. Every time I washed with it, it felt like I used a body wash. It rinsed clean away.

After every use, my skin felt great, never once dry or tight. That goes for my face too, which is surprising since I have very dry skin.

It is completely fragrance-free, which if you are going to use it on the face, is fantastic. It lathers easily with a loose lather. It did a great job of eliminating odour on my body, so I knew it was getting me clean.

Pros:

- Oil-free

- Ph of 8 (in the ideal bar soap range)

- Dermatologist recommended

- Fragrance-free

- Easy rinsing

- No residue

- Safe for the face (actually recommended)

- Inexpensive (a 3-pack costs $7.50 to $10.00 CAD)

Cons:

- Each bar is wrapped in plastic, so it is not plastic-free.

Overall:

Overall I am shocked at how much I like this bar. Every time I use it my skin feels soft, clean and just overall nice. Which is how I want to feel. As someone who generally hates bar soap, I am surprised I did so well right out the gate with trying out this bar. If this was the only body wash or soap I had for the rest of my life, I would be ok with that.

Ingredients:
Triethanolamine, TEA-Stearate, Glycerin, Sodium Tallowate, Water (eau), Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Ricinoleate, Sodium Oleate, Cocamide MEA, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Stearate, BHT, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Trisodium HEDTA, Sodium Metabisulfite.

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It is the new year, which means it is time for a recap of my Fall and the first two weeks of winter.

My Last recap was for Aug - Oct, so this one is going to cover November and December.

November. I can't remember anything at all. This sounds terrible. The reality is I was trying to finish up school and that took more focus than I really had.

Here are the big things that happened.

The hubs and I went to the US on Remembrance Day to do some shopping. He was in the process of transitioning jobs and was using up his vacation days. I wanted to go to Target and Trader Joe's. We got a lot of stuff and I spent a lot of money for a person who hasn't worked in almost a year. But, it was well worth it, I am still hoarding candy and other food we got. I do love that we went in peak Pumpkin Spice and the start of Gingerbread season.

Since getting access to Shippsy (affiliate link), I haven't been as eager to go to Target, as I can now cheaply order from them.

We went to the Drive-In one last time to see The Wild Robot and Venom: Last Dance. We always have a good time, and I get to cuddle Bradley there.

We also went to the movie theatre to see Gladiator II.

A friend and I went to the Sheshedo warehouse sale and we waited an hour to get inside. I picked up a fair amount of Nars products there.

Shortly after I went to the Lisa Sale with my mother. Lines are back, even on weekday mornings, so that was unexpected. I got some of those glossy Revlon lipsticks that got discontinued right after they went viral the other year and a bunch of Nars liquid lipsticks.

That was my not-too-exciting month.

December was a bit more exciting. I finished school. I really studied for my exams and I applied to graduate with High Honours (woot).

Sterling got this great cardboard gingerbread house from Dollarama. He has been very happy.

After that I got to celebrate my brother's birthday and then a week later 3 family Christmases. It was exhausting but fantastic.

I made family members these hot chocolates with freeze-dried marshmallows as a gift. They all loved it.

I got a record player for Christmas from the Hubs, so I went and picked up some used vinyl around town. I am still trying to figure out a good way of getting records without them costing me $50-75 each.

I've also been driving a lot. I drive the hubs to and from work twice a week. Which has been great. I need to get on the highway though, because I have until the spring to take my final test.

So that was my end of the year, not too exciting, but I did finish school. I hope you all had a great holiday season.

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I decided for 2024 to yet again do a movie-watching challenge. This was my fourth year doing a challenge, and I am super happy I finished it. I challenged myself to watch 75 movies I had never seen before. I did this after two years of failing to watch a select number of new movies and new-to-me documentaries, so I decided to combine the two tasks. I succeeded but by the skin of my teeth. So let's break down what I watched in 2024 and what I plan on doing for 2025.

I managed to watch exactly 75 films this year, most of which happened in the second half of the year.

First off, we went to the drive-in again!

I love the drive-in, and I will never stop loving the drive-in. We get to see two movies and it cost less than $30 for both of us, it is such a deal. We get to bring Bradley along and eat great food. I also get to wear pyjamas! It is all lots of fun. I do prefer spring and fall shows because the sunsets earlier and we don't tend to fall asleep during the second movie as much.

This year we saw Kung Fu Panda 4 with Ghostbusters Frozen Kingdom at the start of April then Inside Out 2 with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes in July. We didn't go back until November when we saw The Wild Robot and Venom: The Last Dance. By far the earliest and latest we have gone to see movies there.

In theatres, we saw quite a few films and with the expectation of Twisters, we saw all of them at an independent theatre, Imagin Cinemas. We love it there because they are cheap ($11 movies and $8 matinee) and they have huge reclining chairs.

We saw Dune 2, Deadpool and Wolverine, Twisters, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Alien Romulus, Transformers One, and Gladiator 2 in the theatre this year. I must say it was nice to just go to the movies a lot this year, it reminded me a lot of when we were dating.

I went yet again to Drunken Cinema with my pal Melissa to see Scream movies. This time it was the Sequils, Scream 2 and Scream 5. We really love this series and have now officially seen all the films in the series at the Drunken Cinema experience. I do feel the first time we did Scream 2 the opening scene was so much fun live, but this time there were a lot of newbies and it was surprisingly less lively. It truly is a meta moment to be waving around a glow stick and screaming while a Ghost Face runs around you while you watch that opening scene.

I watched a bunch of bad movies, just in the hopes of watching something new that I had not watched before, which actually made me a bit sad.

Which brings me to my goals for 2025.

I plan on watching 52 new movies this year. That makes it one a week, a realistic goal that I will not struggle to get to by the end of the year. I also plan on making a list of classic movies I still need to watch and make an actual effort to watch them this year (yes, I finally watched Citizen Kane this past year, so at least I can cross that one off the list).

Follow along with me on my Letterboxd this year and see how well I do at meeting this year's goal.

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1. Neutrogena Transparent Bar

2. Belif Aqua Bomb PHA Exfoliating Toner Pads

3. Aquaphor Healing Balm Stick

4. Hypochlorous Acid

5. Vitabath Original Spring Green Bath Gelee

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