Cosmetic products: tested and approved

In the realm of cosmetics, it’s easy to get lost, with the dizzying number of new arrivals hitting the shelves. Our team presents its discoveries and suggestions for products tested… and approved!

Over here sensitive skin

Silvia Galipeau
The Press

Good news for the sensitive skin among us, especially in need of hydration. The vegan brand Pacifica, which comes to us from the United States, has launched in recent months a range called Vegan Ceramide, based on extracts of calendula root and marshmallow, for an intense and non-irritating moisturizing treatment. And it works: whether it’s the extra-mild cleanser, the eye cream, the lotion or the barrier cream, the skin is nourished here as desired, without the slightest irritant ingredient, without perfume as a bonus. No more dry patches. And it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. We don’t do without it anymore. Notice to interested parties: the range also offers stamps (patches) hydrating and reusable for the under eyes and smile lines, providing an immediate and lasting feeling of freshness and hydration in 10 minutes. Store in the refrigerator, for an even more intense treatment (after a big week, before your vacation, to treat jet lag, or, why not, a day after, well!).

From $9.99, on sale at Pharmaprix

Over here the sun

Silvia Galipeau
The Press

Here’s the sunscreen we’ve been waiting for: mineral (based on zinc oxide), yet light, enriched with vitamin E and antioxidants, with broad spectrum protection (SPF 30), we apply it in one sleight of hand, like a lotion. Unheard of for a product of its kind. It is also the brand’s first sunscreen (Summer Fridays), whose products we already appreciate (especially its nourishing body milk), all vegan, not tested on animals, and above all free of fifty harmful ingredients (think sulfates, parabens, etc.). To recyclable bonus containers. One downside, however: this screen is not water-repellent. To be used this summer in the city, therefore, rather than at the beach.

$46, on sale at Sephora

Refreshing novelties at Groom

Sylvain Sarrazin
The Press

The friendly local men’s grooming brand is bolstering its arsenal with new products in citrus and woodsy scents perfect for summer. There are two exfoliating soaps: one for the hands, liquid, with bamboo and aloe extracts, effective in dislodging impurities and moisturizing the skin; the other is a bar soap with fir needles and shea butter, pleasant and long-lasting, with boreal fragrances. Groom also offers a restorative hand cream with moringa butter, beeswax and jojoba, which is intended to be moisturizing and non-greasy. It is indeed less oily than average, even if it leaves a slight sensation on the fingers despite an energetic display. Finally, a beard conditioner with argan and jojoba oil closes the procession, confirming the expertise of the Montreal brand, thanks to a beautiful glossy finish on the hairs and the pleasant fragrance mixing citrus and conifers, a true signature. home.

From $12 to $33, on sale at Groom, many barbers or at Center durazor

The new generation of self-tanners

Iris Gagnon Paradise
The Press

We admit it, we are always a little wary of self-tanning products. Their application can seem complex and nobody wants to end up with orange or mottled skin! But in this era where we know only too well that the sun’s rays are harmful to the skin and its appearance, we like the idea of ​​obtaining a tanned complexion without getting a tan. The Canadian brand Nuda, founded in 2017, has in its own way revolutionized the self-tanning skincare market with its vegan products, free of parabens, sulphates, mineral oils or alcohol. All of their products also contain skin-beneficial ingredients, such as the new self-tanning serum, which includes hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, jojoba oil, coconut and raspberry seeds, in addition to fruit extracts. and beets. In addition to taking on a pretty tanned tint (which remains subtle), the skin is thus nourished, hydrated and filled with antioxidants. The product, with a very light aqueous texture, does not stain. To be used as a replacement for your usual serum, quite simply.

Price: $60 (30 ml), available online and at points of sale.