Review: Mario Badescu Cucumber Cleansing Lotion

This lovely little bottle was introduced to frowardfashion in my September Favourites post. After having no prior exposure, it might've seemed out of place.

Background: This was one of those weird purchases Canadians make when in American airports.

The Newark airport had a huge selection of Mario Badescu products next to tacky key chains and gossip magazines. 

It feels extremely watery and thin. I didn't like it at first. Despite being 'cooling' it seemed more aggitating. Maybe my skin was just having a bad week...but I put this at the back of the drawer and declared it a regretted impulse purchase.

But this fall I took it out for a second chance, and boy am I glad I did!

I rotate between cleanser now and this is one of them. It is great to use before bed to remove makeup. It doesn't leave any weird residue and is a nice switch from my creamy lancome cleanser and my cetaphil cleanser (a real staple).

One complaint would be the bottle. Love how the packaging is clean and simple-props Badescu!

But it can be hard to control the amount. The dispenses isn't squeeze triggered, you just tip it and it dribbles onto your cotton pad. Unfortunately when I am in an impatient mood I tip it too quickly and end up wasting product.

In addition, I ate some delicious cheese over the weekend. Had to bring out the camera and take a photo. Warning: you might feel hungry after looking at this! :p

Applewood, brie and a baguette. Forget beauty products, I could ramble about food all day!

** UPDATE/CORRECTION: Since posting I have been in contact with Mario Badescu PR.

Turns out the lotion should be used as a toner-not a cleanser. If you try this product out, they recommend applying with a cotton pad and not rinsing off, then follow up with a moisturizer. I will try this method soon and maybe make another post out of it!

Sorry for the confusion everyone, hope you're having a nice evening. xx

Sunday Things

I just got home from the Library and used this face mask. I've mentioned it a few times on the blog (potentially in a haul and later a favourites post) but never showed you what the product actually looks like. Pretty standard mud mask with a thick consistency and pale colour. Scroll down to see more photos :)

I've also had these three songs on repeat all day! Love 'em, if you have the time listen and please leave in a comment some more songs I should look up.

If you're in Canada hope you are having a great Thanksgiving weekend. It's kind of tough getting into the spirit of 'turkey day' when you are a vegetarian. Oh well, my Aunt brought macaroons this year!

Midnight City - M83

Skinny Love - Birdy

Blood - The Middle East

Review: Lush Cosmetic Warrior

You might remember how ecstatic I was after using Brazened Honey! Everything about it was perfect :) So I was happily prepared to drop some more dough at Lush and try another mask. There were so many to choose from and while Brazened Honey was amazing, I am always looking for something even better. If I didn't do that..I'd be a pretty bad beauty blogger.

With the help of a lovely sales assistant I bought Cosmetic Warrior. Grey-ish taupe in shade and as the photos hopefully show, chunky in texture. This mask is supposed to help combat breakouts using tea tree oil, garlic, grapes, eggs and honey. It has properties that can "smooth and tighten the pores" as well as moisturize. All for $6.95

So what did I think? The mask felt very cooling and refreshing. My skin felt calmed down once I washed it off. I didn't get any new breakouts during the 2 weeks and I thought it helped with a few nasty spots along my chin. Keep in mind I use this in conjunction with other skin care items; masks, moisturizers, cleansers etc!

My reservation with this product is the smell. It is gross. There is no way around it. The combination of garlic and tea tree oil just does it. The scent took away the 'pampered' feeling I typically get from using a mask. It wasn't horrible enough that I stopped applying the product. Just like the other mask, there was enough inside to cover my face about 4 times. 

Overall: If you are extremely sensitive to smells or hate garlic this is not the mask for you! On the other hand, if you are willing to pinch your nose and do something good for your skin I would recommend this mask. Yes it stinks but your face will thank you. I would still recommend Brazened Honey over this one.

My Skincare Routine!

My skincare routine is a bit of an ever-evolving process. I wrote a guest post on this subject for Sophia Ford's blog (also known as Tattooed Tea Lady)! So you might have already read this, as her blog is immensely popular and lovely. If not feel free to make an attempt at deciphering my ramble! :)

A little back-story… I am acne prone and have combination/oily skin. I have tried just about everything from the Clarisonic Mia to overpriced spa facials.  At the end of the day it comes down to hormone balance for me *sigh* as well as healthy diet. However, these are the products that I find help regulate my skin.

1. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser: I use this because I like a basic, no-nonsense cleanser. Fragrance free, non-comedogenic . It says it is for normal to dry skin but I find it works well for my oily/combination skin. I use  a quarter sized amount of this in the morning and at night.

2. Vichy Softening Exfoliating Cream: After about 2 years of using harsh exfoliators that seemed to aggravate my skin I opted for a creamy and effective product to slough away all the dead skin cells. What I love about this, is the exfoliating beads, the bottle is jam-packed! I use it 2-3 times a week.

 3. Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner: The first ever toner I have been able to consistently use. I tried a Lancome toner maybe 2 years ago and found it did nothing. The sly hippies who work at Lush coaxed me into buying this, and I’ve so glad I did. I spritz it directly on my face (no cotton pads for this rebel) after I shower and it makes my skin feel happy and helps my moisturizer do it’s job!

 4. Boscia Oil-Free Daily Hydration: Alas, I am almost finished this product. Pretty good considering I’ve used it since November! A little bit goes a long way. It doesn’t leave my skin feeling greasy and the packaging is ideal, the design helps you get bang for your buck while still being hygienic unlike those pesky jars. I use this with my toner about once a day.

Hope this was informative and that you have some ideas about new products to try!

If you have any recommendations please leave them in the comments or feel free to tweet me @frowardfashion

I've got some posts scheduled to go up later this week so stay tuned...

Favourite Sunscreens!

Hiya! Before the sun disappears...I figured I should do this post! As some of you might know, I have very fair skin. It burns easily and over the past two years I have become a bit of a sunscreen junkie. I love finding the best stuff for my skin type and of course sun protection.

Here are the the products I've used for most of the summer!

 Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face spf 45

Clinique Sun Broad Spectrum spf 40

Coppertone Sunscreen Lotion spf 30

Biotherm Lait Solaire spf 30

What all of these products have in common is  how good they feel on my skin. Most people associate sunscreen with being a nuisance to apply, feeling greasy or slimy etc. All of these dry to a matte finish (except coppertone) and leave skin feeling normal. They don't clog pores or cause acne! They do help prevent age spots, wrinkles and skin cancer. What's not to love? The prices on these range from $10-$25. Because I slather this on so frequently I try to buy cheaper products that are still effective. Have you tried any of these? What is your favourite sunscreen?

Clinique Acne Solutions Clearing Concealer

I featured this in a haul in early July and haven't talked about it since. I love the idea of a two-in-one product. This claims to cover pimples while treating them. My skin usually reacts well to salicylic acid so I thought I'd give it a try, why not?

First of all...props to Clinique, the packaging dispenses a very small amount of concealer so you don't waste it. A little goes a long way! As a concealer it covers my spots quite well, blackheads and smaller pimples are easily covered and stay that way for 3-5 hours. However, I didn't find that it treated the acne itself. I was hoping after a few days spots would disappear...but no such luck. I ended up using facial masks to try dry out the pimple (sorry if this is getting too descriptive!) and then continued with normal skincare routine. Despite this I would still recommend it-the coverage is good, it didn't aggravate my skin, but it didn't provide an "acne solution". One more tip, do not try this for the under eye area! As you can see from the photos, it creases. Save this concealer for the spots! If you are interested you can purchase it on their website.

Here's a glimpse into my life! ^^^ As if beauty bloggers aren't overexposed enough. I don't instagram etc but I still wanted to show you a little part of my day. Here's three things to note... 1) Lately I've been using my agenda so much-with my new job it has really come in handy for organizing meetings, important dates, travel etc! 2) If you live in Canada go to the Super Store right now-this president's choice drink is too good (pomegranate cranberry sparkling fruit juice). 3) And lastly, one of my favourite youtubers, Lorraine Stanick! I've been watching her videos for years, if you haven't seen them yet check out her channel here!

That's all for now, hope you are having a good week! Feel free to leave me a comment :)

My First Trip to Lush!

I know you are all thinking 'LAAAME' after seeing the title of this post-but why not be honest? Yes, I did lose my Lush virginity, after all these years I had to wait until it was right for me. After responsibly preparing my wallet, and checking to make sure I had the necessary funds I popped into the  store one lonely night after work.

All joking aside I am so happy I bought these products! The verdict isn't quite out on the toner yet. I've used it about 3 times and it made my skin feel lovely, but I will need to use it a bit longer before formulating an opinion. As far as the mask goes, it is fair to say that I am OBSESSED! My skin looks brighter, feels smoother and my complexion overall has improved! I've used it 3 times and probably have enough product left for 1 or 2 more uses. 

What is the next Lush mask I should buy?

Here Comes a Break Out

Not sure if I've already complained to you about my acne scarring. No doubt I have. But I think it's completely fair, I never pick at my pimples yet every time I get one, it gradually goes away leaving a souvenir of our time together. This souvenir usually comes in the form of a reddish brown spot. Not raised off the skin, simply discolouration.


My naive self went to the Body Shop to try to get something to help them disappear. I purchased the Tea Tree Night Lotion.

"Lightweight lotion helps improve the appearance of marks caused by past blemishes."
I WANTED to like this product. First of all I love the minty, tea tree scent! The texture is smooth and feels cool on the skin. Don't even get me started on the packaging...the pump dispenses the perfect amount of product. The cap even gives a satisfying 'click' sound when you close it. Everything was going so well, until it broke me out.


I tried using it in different ways, at different times of year etc etc. Nothing worked, instead of improving my skin, it agitated it. I've never used a skin care product that irritated my skin more than this. It almost makes sense, when I looked at the list of ingredients they were all impossible to pronounce chemicals. I think this is where consumers need to be careful with companies that boast being 'au naturel', sometimes it's all talk. Ultimately I can't really pinpoint what exactly made me react so badly to this lotion, but I know to never use it again.


I suppose I've been sufficiently over-dramatic and complained plenty during this post. If you're still with me after reading this ramble give yourself a pat on the back. 
Have you tried this lotion or have any opinions on the tea tree range? I'd love to hear other opinions :)

June Empties!

Clinique Moisture Surge: Extremely hydrating, doesn't clog pores or irritate my skin. Works well under makeup in the morning, at night or as a 5 minute moisture mask. Downside is the packaging, jars are unsanitary. Repurchase? Yes, or I will wait to get more deluxe sample sizes that come in the more hygienic tube.


Lancome Creme Radiance Cleanser: Lasted 6 months! A little goes a long way with this product. Smells good, formula really cleans skin. Downside is the price (over $40) yikes! Repurchase? Not right now as I have been loving my Cetaphil cleanser.


Sephora by OPI Nail Polish Remover: Gentle but powerful! Removes the glittery-ist of nail polishes. Not much else I can say besides I like the sleek look of the bottle. Repurchase? Again, no because of price. The drugstore nail polish remover is just as good.


Neutrogena Sport Face Spf 70+: Loved this product. Seriously protected my skin and didn't smell like your traditional sunscreen. Despite being a think cream it was absorbed relatively quickly. Repurchase? I bought this in America and haven't found it yet in Canada..


I know I don't have very many to share, and truth be told, I don't go through many products :P
Let me know what you think and maybe I'll keep doing "empties" posts! Hope you're having a good weekend, is anyone celebrating Canada Day??


xx Veronica

Review: Vichy Softening Exfoliating Cream

My adventures with Vichy continue as I try out my second product from this brand. You may remember my Vichy Dermablend Foundation review. You can read it here Now I want to talk about their exfoliator. There's a few quick things you need to know before I get too in depth.


Long story short...

1. Formulation is very creamy.
2. Doesn't cheat you on micro-beads i.e, bang fo yo buck
3. Gentle.

Long story...

I had given up on exfoliators. After about a year of trying to find the perfect one (and a year of failing) I decided to take a 2 month break. I felt they irritated my acne prone skin and were causing more harm than I was willing to put up with! >:(

But recently I was shopping for a new facial sunscreen at Shoppers (let me know in the comments if you are interested in a sunscreen post) and I came across a bottle of the Vichy exfoliator. As you can imagine after a 2 month hiatus I certainly had some dead skin cells that my cleanser alone couldn't remove. So I bought it, re-entering my abusive relationship with exfoliators.

For the entire month of June I have used it 1-2 times per week. It really does help revive your face and just go that one step above and beyond a cleanser. It sloughs away dead skin cells and really feels good after using sunscreen. I think one reason why I like the exfoliator is the texture, the creaminess makes my skin happy! :)

I have yet to try it using my Clarisonic and I am very hesitant about this. Have any of you used the Clarisonic with a creamy, thick product? I usually stick to water based products with light weight almost oil-y consistencies for that machine.

Thanks for reading, I hope you've had a fantastic month so far. Please leave me a message, comments always put a smile on my face! 

Skin Care Update!

Hey everyone, hope you are having a good week and you are looking forward to the summer! Crazy to think it is almost June :o


I think I've talked about how my skin has becoming increasingly dry this year, still not sure why but I've been trying to adjust and do what's best for my skin. Switching in and taking out different products to find what works for me. The truth is-sometimes the simpler things are better. 


For example; my Cetaphil cleanser. Fragrance free, bland packaging and no wild claims. After using it for the past two weeks I didn't notice anything drastic until this morning. I was in the shower, washing my face and noticed a lack of acne and general smoothness to my skin-quelle surprise! 


To remove impurities I've been using a mud mask (again, pretty basic) that I bought while away earlier this month. I've been using it once or twice and week and each time I wash it off my skin feels fresh and reinvigorated! The mask includes ingredients such as orange and bergamot and is made by the company Formula 10.0.6.

Another aspect of skincare which is certainly not preached enough is diet! Your skin can be an indicator of overall health. Personally when I munch on salty and sugary foods it shows on my face (yikes!) so I wanted to include a picture of food that is good for your skin and loved by your taste buds. 

I love reading and answering questions and comments so feel free to leave a message below!


xx Veronica

Oh-Lay!

Hey everyone, hope you're having a good week! This is the first Olay product I've ever tried-after reading this post please let me know about your experience(s) with Olay and if there is anything I need to try out!

My skin has been dry lately and while the weathers been getting warmer I need a product to combat both 'problems'. This moisturizer by Olay is easily mixed with foundation to make a tinted moisturizer. However, I prefer using it before applying foundation. It quickly absorbs into the skin, provides sun protection and moisturizes. This product is also easily accessible and affordable!

The downside is the greasy texture :( It looks quite shiny and doesn't quite have perfectly formulated, lush quality of say, Chanel, Dior, By Terry and other high-end brands.

Overall, I would still recommend this to anyone in the same boat as me. It seems like a product that would work for many ages because it doesn't specifically target aging or acne. 

By the way...I did not mean to make the photos have such a dreary quality (i.e. the rain on the windows and dark lighting)! I just tried to photograph while I could :I

A Little Lipstick & A Skincare Complaint

This is from the Chanel Rouge Coco line that came out last year. As you can see the shade is slightly coral and has a bit of shimmer. It looks good on the lips (in my opinion) although I usually just bring it over for spring/summer!

In the third picture down you can see how natural looking the colour is. Sort of a better version of my lips. I actually like this more than MAC's Hue because the hint of coral adds some warmth to my pale complexion.

Other bonuses include...

It doesn't dry out my lips, packaging is très chic, smells nice :)

Downsides...

The staying power is just mediocre. 

Now for an all-out rant!
These Neutrogena All-In-One wipes are the biggest let down ever! They broke out my skin in areas where I never usually get acne. 


If I pay $6 for 7 wipes they better work well. But there was nothing redeeming about these. The Ponds brand is actually just as effective at removing makeup and at half the price. Maybe my expectations were just too high, but I won't be buying these again. Sorry Neutrogena :/


What cleansing wipes would you recommend (if I dare to purchase another after this ordeal)?

I know this post was pretty random but I hope you enjoyed reading it! Please feel free to leave questions/comments I love receiving them and will respond to every one :)


xx Veronica

Soap, but is there any glory?

Most of you are probably familiar with Soap and Glory's bright packaging, sweet fragrance and addictive qualities. I first heard of them through UK youtube beauty gurus.
My one and only product from this brand is the Great Shakes Hydrating Hand Cream.

What I love is the texture-it is absorbed very quickly, isn't too greasy and moisturizes moderately well. 

Although Crabtree & Evelyn remains my favorite hand cream, this is a solid 2nd place.

What Soap and Glory products should I try next?

Halloween Skincare

Hi everyone! I hope you had a happy halloween and are currently munching on some treats as you read this. My favorite treat is (and will forever be) Reese's peanut butter cups. I could snack on those all day!

Unfortunately all that sugar isn't great for our skin, if you are like me it can make you extra oily and break out :(

Here is a product that is great for battling oily skin as well as hydrating your dry areas!