A few months ago I was invited to a blogger event at the Miracle 10 Skincare Boutique in Yorkville. At the event we were given a consultation on our skin type and how it fit in with their product line, and offered a chance to book a complimentary peel treatment at their boutique on a later date.

 

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Being a treatment newbie that I am, I booked my peel treatment for right before I left on my trip to BC in December. When I arrived at the boutique, there had been a mix up with my appointment time, but they were incredibly accommodating and took me right away. I was taken into the treatment room by Shirali, who then asked me a series of questions to determine what type of peel treatment would be best for me. 

 

When she asked if I would have any extended periods of sun exposure in the near future, I told her I would be leaving soon on my ski vacation. I was so glad that she was thorough in her questions, because she informed me that doing the peel treatment makes your skin very sensitive to the sun exposure after the appointment. She said we could go ahead if I really wanted to, but that she would suggest rescheduling since there was a higher risk that I would burn during my vacation if I did the peel. I had no idea, and agreed it was better to be safe than sorry when it comes to skin.

 

 

Last Saturday I finally had my treatment. Neda cleansed the skin and used a tiny dermablade to remove all the dead skin and hair from my face so that the products would be better absorbed by the skin and not the hair. Who knew? She applied Lactic Acid, which is the most gentle of acids since it was my first experience, and left it on for two minutes. It did tingle but it was nothing unbearable. After it was removed she immediately applied a mask with lavendar and vitamin K to heal and calm the skin. She left me to relax for 10 glorious minutes then removed the mask with a hot towel and massaged a mix of SPF and a moisturizing treatment into my skin.

There was no redness from the treatment when I left the boutique, just a bit of shininess from the thick moisturizing treatment that was applied. I was able to apply makeup that night without any problems, and noticed that my hyper-pigmentation left behind from previous acne was definitely reduced. The next day I noticed a slight irritation between my right eye and hairline, which developed into a small, dry, rash-like patch over the next few days. After five days the dryness has disappeared but there is still a bit of redness. I do have very sensitive skin, but I'm not sure what would have caused the irritation in that particular area. 

These treatments are definitely not cheap. At $125 I can't see myself making it a regular habit, but it could be a nice treat before a special occasion. I would definitely discuss my irritation with them before booking a second appointment.

As for the skincare line, it is a definite win in my books. As you can tell, my favourite product is definitely the Light Serum, which was featured in my gel moisturizing round up and November favourites and is still going strong. The other notable mention - the Miracle 10 sunscreen, which unfortunately I left out of this picture, is one of the best facial sunscreens I've tried. It leaves your skin smooth and matte making it a great base for makeup. Its ingredients don't break out my sensitive skin, which is why it was one of the only products I took with me on my vacation.

Have you ever tried a facial peel treatment? What was your experience?

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Next up in my 2014 Hit List Series we have my favourite products in the Hair/Skin/Body categories. If you missed yesterday's post, I've already recapped my top picks in the beauty department so make sure you check that out as well!

The Samy Fat Hair 0 Calorie Amplifying Mousse has been my favourite volumizing product for two years running. I only use it when I'm blow drying, but it gives my fine hair incredible volume that lasts for days.

I've gone through countless cans of the Batiste dry shampoo this year. It absorbs oil like none other and allows me to go days without needing to shampoo, and for someone with naturally dry curly hair that is amazing. I discovered the hint of colour range this year and it is great for sneakily extending time between salon visits by covering up root regrowth while also keeping hair feeling fresh.

I finally gave into the hype surrounding the Macadamia Deep Repair Masque this year, and I'm so glad I did. It leaves my hair so hydrated, soft and smooth and nothing else performs quite like it.

As a blonde who enjoys keeping my colour on the cooler end of the spectrum, purple/blue shampoos are an absolute must. Light Blue Shade became my favourite because it not only helps tone my hair, but leaves it feeling moisturized and only costs a few dollars at Walmart.

I did a total 180 on the It's a 10 miracle leave in product this year. I really didn't see good results the first few times I used it, but after bringing it back out again later in the year I've really come to love it. It is great for detangling and leaves my hair feeling soft even without the assistance of any other products.
The Marcelle Soothing Cleansing Water/3-in-1 Micellar Solution is a fairly recent addition to my skincare routine, but it quickly knocked out Bioderma and cleansing wipes for my favourite makeup remover. I've talked about it a lot lately, so I suggest you go read my full review and comparison to Bioderma if you're curious to know more about it.

The Philosophy Purity Cleanser is a cult favourite of everyones, including mine. Even though I try out other cleansers, I always end up back using Purity and remembering how much I love it. It's exactly what it claims to be: a simple cleanser that removes makeup and leaves the skin feeling clean and fresh without over-drying.

I recently did a whole roundup of all my favourite gel moisturizers, but the Garnier Refreshing Gel Cream has been on the top of my list for years now. It's great for balancing oily skin, feels refreshing and comes in at under $10.

Josie Maran's Argan Oil became my go-to for deep moisturization over the past year. It became a game changer when it came to helping covering up acne spots, but I also used it a ton during the bitter cold of last year's winter as a boost to my facial moisturizer. The tiniest amount goes a long way so even this sample size bottle has lasted me over a year and is still only half way through.

The Clarins Radiance-Plus Glow Booster is hands down the best facial self tanner I have ever tried. The fact that you can mix your desired amount with your own moisturizer is seriously genius. It never broke out my sensitive skin, and made for the most amazingly natural and buildable colour even after the first use.

I could not get enough of the Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub and Body Buttercream during the last half of this year. The scrub is not too abrasive and rinses clean without any sort of film left behind. The cream is a great not too thick and not too thin texture that really moisturizes without feeling too heavy for day wear. I'm someone who will easily focus on my hair and face and forget about taking care of the skin on my body, but these two products smell so fabulous that it makes me excited to use them.

Lastly, I got much more into staying out of the sun and relying more on self-tanner this year. I had previously tried the St. Moriz Medium self tan, and liked it, but I bought the Dark this year and fell in love. It creates a really beautiful colour that wasn't too drastic with just one application, but still lasted on my skin. The mousse formula is easy to apply, dries fairly quickly and comes in at under $15.

Do you have and hair/skin/body standouts of 2014 that should make it on my 2015 list?

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Even though I do love testing out new products, I have normal to oily/acne prone/somewhat sensitive skin so when it comes to my face I don't mess around. I think I've finally got a routine down pat that has been working great for me, and if it aint broke why fix it, right?

 

Mornings are simple - cleanse, moisturize, and get on with the day. Currently I am using Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser, but if you're looking for a cheaper alternative, try out the Cetaphil cleanser for oily/acne prone skin. I follow up with my old faithful Garnier Gel-Cream for Normal/Combo Skin, a great dupe for the Clinique Gel Face Lotion.  Add a little Origins Vita Zing Eye Cream to brighten things up a bit and I'm ready to go.

If I could give one piece of advice about skincare, it would be: PLEASE remove your makeup! I use the lazy girls bff - Kirkland Makeup Remover Wipes. Looking for something a little more heavy duty? Coconut oil is great at removing tough eye makeup in a breeze. I follow up with my trusty favourite cleanser and night time moisturizer. The Garnier Gel-Cream for Dry Skin is perfect for night to give a little more moisture without getting greasy.

If my skin is having a freak out moment, I have a few tried and true spot treatments. Mario Bedescu Drying Lotion or Tea Tree Oil are my go to for on the surface spots. If it's one of the deep demons, I like to think that the Mario Bedescu Drying Mask helps speed up the process of going away or coming to the surface.

If you want details on any of these products click the link or comment below!   keep up with me: bloglovin' | instagram | pinterest | twitter