It is full blown fall right now, and as much as I am enjoying my Pumpkin Spiced everything I am actually anxiously awaiting Gingerbread season. In the meantime, here are some items I am loving right now.
NYX Powder Puff Lippie in Puppy Love:
I picked this up at my Rexall in the spring and started wearing it pretty much non-stop this fall. It is a tube that comes out a sponge tip applicator that leaves a soft look on the lips. It has a strange powdery like texture to it that feels dry. It happens to be really pigmented too. Puppy Love happens to be a nice coral shade.
I started using this baby in the winter, now that summer's humidity is gone I am reaching for it again. My skin gets dry quickly and can get chapped and red fast. A little of this booster and my skin is instantly soothed and less red. I just adore it. Funny note, I have been shaking this stiff bottle to get out the product for months only to learn the grey bottom is soft and you just have to tap it to get the product out. I feel so silly.
I love this tinted lip balm, so when I learned Joe Fresh was leaving Shoppers Drug Mart and all the items were 75% off I stocked up. Don't worry, Joe Fresh beauty products aren't going anywhere, they just won't be in SDM anymore. I really love how silky the balms feel, their light scent and how pigmented they are. I recently got my mother in law hooked on them because she wanted something that was like a lipstick but sheer and hydrating.
Left to right: Pecan, Lychee, Spice, Macaroon and Blackberry.
L'oreal Brow Stylist Boost & Set:
L'oreal has never, ever let me down in the brow category, this product is no exception. I picked it up on sale at my local Shoppers and do not regret it one bit. I love this little bent wand, it helps me apply the brow mascara just where I want and not on my skin. The formula helps build up my brows while tinting them just right. I think I may pick up the shade darker next time I see it on sale
Guerlain Meteorites:
So you may have seen in the past that I love Guerlain's Meteorites. I often pick up limited edition versions and even have their perfume (it smells just like them). Lately, I have been trying to actually use them more often, so I have been finishing off my makeup every day with 01 Blanc De Perle. It mainly is white pearls. It adds a nice glow to my skin and smells amazing.
So there you go, five more items I am loving.
What are you loving this fall?
*Product was sent to me for review purposes, all views are my own.
Dr Roebuck's Healthy Skin Pack is the
ultimate gift, travel pack or trial pack. Featuring 4 key products from
the Dr. Roebuck's range. This pack includes 4 separate tubes of FACE,
LIPS, PURE and LIPS. -beautyboutique.ca
A little while back I won a quad of mini products from a Dr. Roebuck's Instagram contest. While I have tried (and loved) their products in the past, this little mini set seemed the perfect way for me to give some of their products a serious try and was perfect for my recent trip to Vancouver.
Dr. Roebuck's The Healthy Skin Pack has four minis in it. Pure 20ml, Face 20ml, Polish 20ml, Lips 10m. The set costs $39.95 Cad and the brand can be found at Shoppers Drug Marts and BeautyBoutique.ca
Face I had tried before, I actually really love this cream. It is a great day or night cream that has anti-aging properties to it. I find you need a very small amount of it to really hydrate your skin. I really liked using it on my vacation as a day cream (before my sunscreen).
Pureis also a day / night cream. It helps with hydrating and locking in hydration for drier skin types. The brand recommends you use a thicker layer that will leave your face a bit white and wait for it to absorb into the skin after a few minutes. Because Pure is so thick and it is meant to go on in a thicker manner, I liked using it on my vacation at night. My skin was a bit beat up after a long day and it is a nice treat and almost like a mask.
Polish is a fantastic face scrub and mask all in one. It scuffs off your dead skin cells using jojoba beads and if you leave it on a few minutes helps exfoliate further. It is recommend you remove it wit their toner, Tone. I did not have Tone so I just used a wet facecloth. I used this every other night when I was away and I really liked how soft my skin was. I always followed it up with Pure.
Lipsis a lip balm. Nothing too fancy here. It is really thick and almost mask like. So when my lips started to get dehydrated from the fact we were on the ocean, I wasn't drinking enough water, eating out all the time and drinking a bit too much alcoholic beverages it was a really nice lip treat. I actually really love this stuff. The ingredient list is incredibly simple (like all Dr. Roebuck products), Shea Butter, Macadamia Oil, Olive Oil, Beeswax, Vitamin E, Grapefruit Oil, Peppermint Oil, making it even more effective at fighting dry lips.
I really liked this set, it is a great way to try out a bunch of products from the brand without breaking the bank. Also fantastic to travel with. The only thing that threw me is it has two lotions but no cleanser. I brought along my travel sized Fresh Soy Face Cleaner, so it wasn't a big issue, but I would have loved if it was an all that you need type of set.
What are your must have travel essentials? Would you like a set like this for your next trip?
*I won this set in an Instagram contest held by Dr. Roebuck's. All views and opinions are my own.
L'oreal Infallible has launched an amazing new collection of of high pigment products. Lip colours, cream eye shadow duos, liquid liners and a blush palette all with intense pigmentation and colours ranging from nude to bold brave shades. There is definitely something in the new line to impress just about everyone.
Infallible Paints Lip:
The high impact liquid lacquer lipsticks come in 13 colours. The range isn't just bold reds, pinks, purples and oranges, there is also some pretty darn spectacular nudes in it too and a navy blue (which I bought after these swatches so stay tuned for it in another post). These babies go on in one swipe and give full opacity right off the bat. They feel so soft and comfortable on the lips which is very impressive considering their coverage. The tube ensures that you aren't going to waste any of it, you can squeeze every last bit out. The doe foot has a swoop in the centre that curves to your lips, but if your like me it also means you can use the tip for accurate lip lining and shaping.
Infallible Paints Cream Eye Shadows:
These ceaseless cream eye shadows come in 12 different duos. They range in subtle and nude to bold and bright. I happened to get 304 Navy Yard to try out. It is a gold navy shade with a pinky pearl shade on the other. While I steer away from blues because of my blue eyes and general preference, I love love love the rose side. I have worn it both as a base under eye shadows and as a stand alone shade, I love it both ways. I find that it never creases and lasts all day on me without any issues.
Infallible Paints Blush:
This palette features 4 shades of blush that can be layered to be sheer to incredibly bold. At first I was afraid that with the high pigmentation that the Infallible Paints line has that this would be one of those crazy pigment blushes that goes on too strong and isn't blendable, one that you need to need a really light hand with. As it turns out, it is pretty darn easy to use, while yes the colours are bright and pigments, they go on easy and build well, just use a fluffy blush brush and they will blend out nicely. Peach, pink , hot pink and orange fill this palette as well as the standard not so useful brush. All the shades are matte which makes them an almost automatic hit in my books. Looking to get a new selection of blushes? Why not get this palette, palettes make things better!
Infallible Paints Liner:
Felt tip liners are always my choice when lining my eyes, they just do such a good job. These babies are nice and long with a fine tip, which means some pretty accurate application. With 6 shades these babies range from the usual black, to bold white and blues and teals in between. They are pretty darn opaque in application, one swipe is all I need for a good solid line, they also stay put incredibly well throughout the day.
When all is said and done the Infallible Paints line is just
fantastic. With loads of pigment and fun colours to work with as well as
more traditional and nude shades you can really come up with some great
looks. I personally am loving a lot of the items. The glosses are by far my favourite, I used them all the time and get full lipstick coverage with a nice gloss. Many ended up staining my hand after swatching, ,which just proves how pigmented and long lasting they are.
My Look:
In this look I am wearing the rose shade from 304 Navy Yard as a cream shadow, The lighter blush in the palette (far right), 306 Intrepid Teal liner and with 318 Fearless Fuchsia as my lip colour.
*Products sent for review from PR, all views and opinions are my own.
Wet N Wild has recently launched a whole bunch of new items up here in Canada, one that I am in love with is their Velvet Mate Lip Colour. I picked up 6 of their 9 colours recently at a Wet n Wild launch party I attended.
I have seen these online for sale in America under the Wet N Wild Fergie Collection, but never in Canada. It seems these have been rebranded and named for release up here.
I love that these come in a plastic tube that requires no sharpening, just twist them up when you need more (so you can actually put them in your purse without worring about sharpening). They also have a soft plastic feel to them, which makes them easy to hold.
I have been enjoying the matte texture and the colours, Lie Lack probably the most.
They have a soft and light texture to them, which is really pleasant, almost like you're wearing nothing. The coverage is great and they seem to last a pretty long time on your lips without bleeding or fading. Pretty much a perfect matte lip colour. They can be a little dry on your lips and cling to dry patches, I think that is all part of the velvet texture. This can be avoided by just scrubbing your lips before apply it.
It is also worth noting that like all Wet N Wild products, these are incredibly reasonably priced. They will run you $3 to $4 depending where you buy them.
*I received these products for review purposes. All views are my own.
2015 is no in the past, but that doesn't stop me from looking back at a truly life changing year for me. It wasn't what I hoped it would be, but was more what I knew it would be. I am glad I am closing this chapter in my life and have been moving forward with lots of hope and new goals.
All that being said, I wanted to thank you all for being there with me along the ride, supporting me when my father died, when I took a hiatus to be there for him and for my own recovery. I hope that in this new year I can move forward and get back to a routine that allows me to blog more regularly and better than ever.
Thank you all.
Now, on to my favourites of 2015 and some much hated items of 2015.
I'm going to list a few favourites here, but if you want a fuller list, check out the video bellow.
Annabelle Lipsies:
Oh how I love these babies. They are an adorable stick of scented and flavoured lip balms that deliver a bit of tint. They feel silky smooth and hydrate really well. I love the Lychee's smell and taste, it is just like a Lychee! I am shocked every time I apply it that it is so exactly like a real lychee. It also delivers a hint of brown to my lips which looks great. I also love Cherry. It is a very Cherry Lifesaver kind of smell and flavour, which is fun and great. But it also is red, so over a lip stain it can actually replace my lipstick. Which to be honest, if fantastic when your lips are dry.
L'oreal Infalible Pro-Lash Lip Colour:
I have two of these long lasting lipsticks and really want to get more. I love them. The colour part is applied with a doe-foot applicator, followed by a balm in a stick format. I can say that while the colour dries it feels awful, tacky and just so dry. But here is the kicker, once it dries and you apply the balm, your lips feel fantastic, and stay that way all day, even after the balm wears off. So just wait that 60 seconds for the colour to dry and you'll feel better after the balm. Why I am really loving it? It lasts and lasts all day. It also feels great on my lips while I wear it all day. It also doesn't come off on my cups or husband, so it really is a great long lasting lip product.
ELF Lash Tint Mascara:
I love this brush. That is really the draw for me. I sometime think I love an Elf mascara only to have it quickly dry up on me, lucky this baby didn't. But the real thing I love is the tiny brush for tightening. Oh it is fantastic. If you use it on its own it is a very natural effect mascara, but I like it for the roots and tightlining my lashes before a more fuller formula mascara. Regardless I love it.
CoverFX Custom Cover Drops:
I got these because everyone wouldn't shut up about them this summer. To be honest, everyone was right, they are everything you've heard and more. I run neutral with a slight pink undertone, so most foundations run either pink or yellow, leaving me to buy two foundations and mix to make my own town. These babies fix that forever. I just buy the closest one to my tone and can adjust to my perfect skin tone. I got P20 and N10 so that I can mix and make my own tone in any lotion or primer but also adjust foundations, BB, CC creams. AS well I can now boost a BB to a full coverage, I can take a medium or light coverage foundation and boost it to full if I need it to The options are endless.
Guerlain Meteorites:
Earlier this year I attended an event at the Bloor street Guerlain store, where I learned all about the iconic Meteorites. I quickly ran out and bought one, followed by the holiday collections Flacons Enchantes. These are a big splurge for me, but well worth it. I learned at the event that these adorable spheres of scented shimmer are hand made and packaged which only a handful of people in the world know the formulation for. A luxury I have been loving this past year.
Now for what I hated in 2015:
Hard Candy Lash Ink:
Years ago I feel in love with Revlon Lash Tint, a 3 day lash tinting product that wasn't really a mascara, but it made my lashes dark and never smeared, flaked or ran at work, so I loved it. It was discontinued years ago and I never found anything quite like it. Then I saw Hard Candy's Lash Ink and thought it might be the same.It is a stain that last for up to 4 days. It is so wet that applying it is almost impossible because the brush just has short stubs on it. If it had a regular brush it might be ok, but it doesn't. In addition to this you end up with really one big clump of lashes that you then have to spend forever separating. So if you can get it to look half decent, it never really sets, it just stays wet, so it smears, and clumps up again. Plus if a mascara never sets and smears, then it stays tacky, and it moves, so hair at my work sticks to it, leading me to be unhappy. And if it smears, it really kind of runs, because heck if I rub my eye and it ends up on my face, thats not good. Ok rant over...sorry.
Just go get Estee Lauder's Little Black Primer, its better.
Younique Mascara:
Ok, I know I'll get yelled at for this one. I got this in a swag bag, I know it costs $35, I know people love it (or sales reps I should say), but no, no, no, no! It is bad. I have tried fibre mascaras before, I like them ok, but I am not in love with them. Taking that concept and amping it up to a level that is insane isn't going to make the concept any better. The amount of fibres on the wand isn't even reasonable, it is just too much (for me at least). You end up with spider lashes not long full lashes. Even if you try to use it in moderation, it just looks silly, and really isn't worth the hassle. If you want a nice looking fibre lash kit look at Too Faced's Better Than False Lashes Extreme! It is a better choice.
Ok there you go some favs and dislike for the year, anything you loved or hated this past year?
Once again thanks for sticking 2015 out with me, lots of love.
Since I have been all about lips and holiday lip sets these last few post, I thought I would do just one more on a more nourishing and caring holiday set for your lips, you know, because the weather is getting awful out there.
If your anything like me, your lips get really dry, really fast in the fall and winter months. Wearing deeper coloured lipsticks and stains certainly hasn't helped them either, in fact my lips are down right soar this time of year. That is part of the reason a set like this is so great. Not only can take care and repair your messed up winter lips, but you can also add a pop of colour so you don't feel like your just wearing lip balm.
This set contains:
- 2.2g Sugar Rosé Shine Lip Treatment (a full sized is 4.3g and costs $26cad)
- 3ml Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment (a full sized is 6ml and costs $22cad)
It costs $23 and has a value of $27
The Fresh Sugar Rose Ritual Set comes with a Rose Shine Lip Treatment and a Sugar Rose Tinted lip Treatment in miniature sizes. Pretty much a tinted lip balm and a nourishing lipgloss treatment, both in a nice rosy shade. They both come in at half the size of their full sized versions, but for the cost of just one. So it is a good value for you money.
Since I have fallen hard for Fresh products this last year, to find out I also love the Fresh Sugar lip care is no shock to me at all. Part of what makes this set great is how fantastic Fresh Sugar lip products are, they almost have a cult following. Ans why wouldn't they? With ingredients like Avocado Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Mango seed oil there are some great lip products that contain no parabens, sulfates or phthalates.
If you are a fan of Fresh and their fantastic lip line, this is a great mini set for you. It also is great if you wanted to try a few items from the line and not commit to buying just one big Sugar Lip Treatment or Sugar Shine Lip Treatment and for a bit of a discount.
Have you tried any of the Fresh Sugar lip care line yet? What do you think of it? Do you ever treat yourself to tinted lip treatments?
*This product was sent to me for review. All views and opinions are my own.
Last year L'oreal Paris launched a limited edition Collection Privéefeaturing custom nude lipsticks and nail polishes to match their spokesmodels. Apparently the collection was so well received that they are bringing it back as Nude Couture Collection. As if that wasn't fantastic enough there are more spokesmodels added to the Canadian line up.
As a pale gal who often chooses to have red hair I am most excited and taken with Julianne Moore's shades. It is by far the most flattering on me. I also surprisingly love the Eva Longoria's shades.
One of the best things about this collection is the wide range of skin tones it covers, all the nudes are so different, each with their own character and charm.
The collection is available now at mass market retailers and drugstores now. SMF Retail prices are $6.99 for nail polishes and $10.99 for lipsticks.
*products were sent for consideration, all opinions are my own.
Velvety Matte Look. Moisture Rich Balm
A Matte finish that’s beyond plush. Balm that’s beyond comforting. Our Triple Butter Complex of Shea, Coconut and Mango butters nourishes lips. In 10 collectible, craveable colours. -revlon.ca
After falling in love with Revlon ColorBurst Lacquer Balms and Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains I could not wait to try out the Matte version - I was not let down. I have always been a gigantic fan of matte lipsticks but these balms are in a league of their own. They go on thick, rich and velvety.
I got the colour 215 Shameless which is a dark purple-pink. It is an extremely bold shade, but it is amazing with a lilac eye look.
Application is easy and mess free because of its great pencil shape, no going out side the lines, not lip brushes needed. The pencil also retracts so you will never need to sharpen it, there really is nothing not to love.
One other strange thing I noticed that I am loving is that it didn't seem to smear on me at all! Most of the time bold or very pigmented shades will smear on me, but not this time. I found no matter how much I ended up touching my face I never smeared it.
As for the claim that it comfortable and that all the oils and butters won't dry out your lips ----it is all true. My lips were super dry (chapped, peeling, bleeding) at the time when I chose to wear it, I immediately thought this is not going to end well. Well I was wrong, not only did my lips feel great, they looked great, the chaptness wasn't emphasized at all and my lips were actually softer.
I'm definitely going to pick up a few more of these some time soon.
Have you tried Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms yet? What do you think of them?
ColorBurst Lacquer Balm:
High Shine Lacquer. Moisture Rich Balm. A lacquer finish that’s beyond brilliant. Balm that’s beyond comforting. Our Triple Butter Complex of Shea, Coconut and Mango butters nourishes lips. In 10 collectible, crave able colours -revlon.ca
I was slightly skeptical about the Lacquer Balms after trying their Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, I mean I love the balm stains, I own 9 of them after all, but would just a balm be as nice as the stain balm? The answer is yes, yes they are just as great as the Stains.
I have 115 Whimsical, which is berry-pink with a subtle silver shimmer to it. Being a balm it swatches pretty sheer but on my lips it is quite pigmented. The texture is the same as the stains, smooth and simply amazing, one of my favourite formulas, it also has an extremely mild mintiness to it.
I am pretty much in love with everything about this balm!!! The fat pencil is fantastic, never needs sharpening and really makes getting into corners and creating a neat and defined lip easy. The formal is smooth and leaves your lips feeling great, my lips were suffering from peeling and found that the balm helped quite a bit to help make them feel better while still wearing colour on my lips. As soon as I see a sale I plan on getting at least 2 more of these.
Have you tried Revlon ColorBurst Lacquer Balms yet? What do you think of them?
The Toronto International Film Festival (aka TIFF) is most likely the most talked about event that occurs in Toronto. While I have attend films in past year, I must admit I have neglected this exciting star studded event for the last few years.
Roy Thompson Hall
Last night I was lucky enough to get attend a screening of "A Random Desi Romance" at Roy Thompson Hall and get to enjoy the VIP room of the L'oreal Red Carpet Beauty Lounge. The lounge is located in David Pecaut Square, right next to Roy Thompson Hall and its red carpet.
Lindt Chocolate!
On the second floor we got an amazing view of the stars arrivals as well as were treated to some amazing food, Lindt chocolate and drinks.
Some yummy food
Oh and we got to check out the L'oreal Privée Collection, the official TIFF makeup collection. It boasts four perfect nude lip and nail polishes custom made to suit four celebrities (Jennifer Lopez, Freida Pinto, Eva Longoria and Doutzen Kroes).
The Official Tiff Collection
The lipsticks sport a gorgeous black tube with gold details and the ladies signatures. The polishes are tiny (which I love because I never can finish a polish) and the signatures. Overall a really nice collection with a great range of nudes for so many skin tones) .
As for movie, "A Random Desi Romance" it was amazing. I had expectations of a traditional Bollywood film, with the elaborate dancing and zero kissing, boy was I in for a shock. This was a quirky funny love story, and I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend seeing it if you get the chance, I think it would make a great date movie.
If you are interested in the L'oreal Red Carpet Beauty Lounge it is open Friday 4 pm - 10 pm, and Saturday 10 am - 10 pm. They have a hair, lips and nails stations where you can experence the new Privée collection and other amazing products.
Thanks to L'oreal Paris Canada for letting me attend the movie and experence VIP lounge. I had a fantastic night.
Some of the lovely Beauty Bloggers who also attended the lounge and screening.
Jill Oliver-Fox is a Toronto based beauty blogger with a love for beauty, food, and pets. She began the blog in 2009 and hasn't stopped since. To read more click
here.
