Beauty March 13, 2019

Laura Mercier Blush Colour Infusion Review

My current make-up routine has been Laura Mercier obsessed! I’ve been using so many of her products in my daily routine and one of them being the Colour Infusion Blush. I love the range of colours to choose from and they all look so good on my skin tone.

The Colour Infusion Blushes come in two finishes. Shimmer and matte. I’ve always been a matte blush wearer but recently tried the shimmer in this line and loved it! Most shimmer blushes I came across have too much shimmer and start to look like a colourful highlighter of some sort. No Bueno.

You can find this blush at Sephora for $38.00 CAD. The blush is buildable without looking cake-y and has 10 hours of wear. I love how natural the finish is no matter how much you build on.
TIP: Build on this blush to get the intensity you’re looking for.

These blushes are infused with micro-fine powders and look natural on all skin tones. You can actually tone down the vivid colours with some Laura Mercier Translucent powder to get the softest tone. Because it’s a buildable blush you’re able to do this vs other vivid blush colour brands.

Laura Mercier Colour Infusion Blush is Buildable

My favourite colours that I’ve been using regularly are Grapefruit, Rose, Kir Royale and Chai. I love that the colour stays true on either liquid foundation or bare skin. Some brands I’ve used in the past change depending on what the surface is like.

Chai is the most perfect colour for everyday office/work make-up look. I wear Kir Royale in the evenings and Grapefruit is so playful! See below images from Instagram where I wore some of these colours.

laura mercier makeup — Laura Mercier Blush – Rose

I’m also a huge fan of their primer, mascara and bunch of other products that I share on Instagram stories and posts. Click through the selfie pictures above to read more about my favourites.

Beauty April 25, 2018

Givenchy Must Have Make-Up Icons and How To Use Them

The last time I gave Givenchy make-up a try was when I was using one of their foundations. I was blown away by the quality and the price tag. If you’re looking for a luxury brand of makeup that delivers in quality, then my friend you’ve come to the right place. But this post isn’t about the foundation that I use to wear years ago it about Givenchy’s iconic products that I’ve been wearing as of recently.

Givenchy Must Have Make-Up Icons and How To Use Them

Prisme Libre Loose Powder – Mousseline Pastel – $75.00

Notice the beautiful leather packaging? This is a colour correcting loose powder that sets with a matte finish. The colours even out skin tone, provide radiance and if you’re on the oilier side then need not worry. The matte finish will help you rid that extra unnecessary shine. Also, paraben free.

I’ve been using this with my powder brush and applying it to the top of my cheek for a natural highlight. It really does brighten up my skin wherever I apply it so I even started using it where I have some pigmentation issues. Around the lips especially. When you’re applying the powder, use a gentle buffing motion for best results.

Le Rouge Perfecto – Beautifying Lip Balm $44.00

This beautiful lip balm has a minty taste and hydrates your lips right away. I’ve noticed the plumping effect, which is great to wear under lipstick in order to get that smooth, no lip lines and plumped lips look. The colour is a natural lip colour boosting effect. Also, I am in love with the genuine leather in the pink case. Paraben-Free. I love applying this before lipstick as a base. It helps for a smoother look if you have fine lines in your lips.

Le Rouge Lipsticks – $45.00

There are 29 beautiful lipstick shades to choose from! The colour is intense and has a semi-matte finish. It’s not a dry lipstick, it’s actually the perfect amount of matte but yet keeps your lips hydrated. A comfortable texture without a doubt.

Beauty February 20, 2018

5 PIXI Beauty Products You Should Buy Right Now

Have you tried PIXI beauty products before? I’m going, to be honest, and say this year was the first time I ever tried PIXI. I have a huge haul to share with you! There was an extra PIXI launch that I couldn’t share with you at the time I recorded the video, so instead, I shared some pictures of the products and my favourite one. But first the PIXI Beauty haul:

NEW PIXI BEAUTY

There are so many amazing products under this PIXI brand. But don’t worry, I’ve narrowed it down to the ones I’ve tested and find true. So true, that you’ll want to buy them right now! And seriously, at their price point why not? You’re spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora and walking out with a few products, then why not spend under $100 and walk out with a handful and maybe more?

5 PIXI Beauty Products You Should Buy Right Now

1. Glow Tonic To-Go

This is my number one because it is the “fairest of them all”! This toner has changed my skin life. I stopped using toners over a decade ago when I realized the ones I was using weren’t doing anything for my skin. Until I tried this one. It has 5% glycolic acid that helps purify and exfoliate your skin. Alcohol-free, which is a big deal for me since I’m not a fan of toners because most have alcohol in them. Ginseng in it improves circulation and energizes your skin. This is great since we cut the circulation on a daily basis with the layers of makeup we can wear. Since I’ve been using this toner I’ve noticed less breakouts, more even skintone (which means I use less makeup for coverage) and overall more radiant looking skin.

Suitable for all skin types. Not tested on animals.

Price: $24.00

2. MatteLast Liquid Lip

There are so many colours to choose from! So far I’ve worn two colours and I love them both. They dry matte, and a tad bit sticky if you press your lips together. But that doesn’t bother me if it’s staying on for almost the entire day! The colours are also really pigmented and turn out to be what you see in the tubes. There’s also rosehip seed oil in it to smoothe and condition your lips. Also, vitamin e. Here’s a swatch of only one swipe of the MatteLast Liquid Lip:

Price: $22.00

3. PIXI + Dulce Candy : Cafe Con Dulce

I am obsessed with this palette! If you were watching my Instagram stories when I first searched it, you’d know how excited I was. It’s actually saved in my ‘Instagram Highlights’ under Beauty. This is a powder to cream everything! Use it as a highlighter, on the lids and even a dab on your lips for a glowy look. Even better, you get 9 shades to choose from!

4. Lower Lash Mascara

Finally, there’s a wand that can coat my lower lashes without me getting mascara under my eyes! This is the tiniest brush for those hard to reach lashes. It also has vitamin e to nourish and protect your lashes.

TIP: Try applying the mascara with the diagonal method: Pulling the brush through at an angle and spending extra time at the corners vs going down the lashes. Diagonal gives a more wide-eyed look.

Price: $14.00

5. Endless Silky Eye Pen

I wore this eyeliner for an entire day and no raccoon eyes! Yay! Waterproof. Semi-easy to remove at the end of the day. You may need an oil-based makeup remover. Paraben-Free. Mineral Oil-Free. Preservative-Free and Hypoallergenic.

Beauty February 6, 2018

8 Ways to Save Your Skin With Arden Eight Hour® Cream Skincare

I’ve been using Elizabeth Arden’s 8 hour cream for over a decade now. It’s my go-to skincare product for when I have any kinds of cuts, needing accelerated healing, skin irritations, and super dry lips. I’ve been so excited that Elizabeth Arden has extended their 8 hour family over the years!

In a Nutshell:

1. FACE

The Eight hour® cream has been used to protect and soothe the skin since the 1930s. It comes in its original form or fragrance-free. What’s in it? Petrolatum, a skin soothing beta-hydroxy and vitamin E. The fact that it has won multiple awards says a lot for itself too. From my own experience, when I’ve burnt myself (super minor), cut, irritated flaming hot lips- one of my go to’s is the original Eight hour® cream. Results are always seen on the same day. Which to this day still blows my mind!

2. HAND MASK:

You can use the original Eight hour® cream for this, or the Eight hour® hand treatment. This fast absorbing gel cream, is perfect for working hands that can’t deal with those greasy hand creams. This one absorbs into the skin in seconds and keeps even the driest hands moisturized up to 8 hours. Which is why I’d do this hand mask overnight for best results. Apply all over hands, cuticles, and nails for deep conditioning. Then wrap your hands in a warm towel for 10 minutes. Remove towel after 10 minutes and just sleep.

3. FOOT MASK:

To use as a foot mask, you can use the Eight hour® cream intensive body treatment, the original, or even both! Layer the original Eight hour® cream first and then apply the body treatment over it. Apply all over your foot. From the heels to the toes. Put on clean cotton socks and leave on overnight.

NOTE Cosmetics at Rexall – Now available in Toronto

Note Cosmetics is a global makeup line that can be found in 72 countries and now available at Rexall drug stores. I love the simple packaging with cosmetics. Note cosmetics is sleek and black. A very sophisticated look. The brand is also cruelty-free, paraben free, fragrance-free and vegan. You can find this brand in Toronto.

NOTE Cosmetics at Rexall is here in Canada

Here’s a sneak peek of some of the NOTE cosmetics products they have and why they’re different from other brands you may be using.

NOTE Luminous Silk Compact Blusher – Soft Peach – $16.50

This blusher has argan oil in it and is free from parabens! Super soft to the touch and helps to boost moisture levels in the skin. This product has also been infused with botanicals.

NOTE Mattemoist Lipstick – Miss Kiss – $14.50

This matte lipstick isn’t as dry as some of the other brands I wear. This formula actually goes on creamy and it sets matte. The macadamia oil and vitamin E in the lipstick, protect and soothe lips.

NOTE Real Look Mascara – $17.95

I love mascaras that have thick and bushy wands! I always get the best look with those. This mascara curls, thickens and gives you voluminous lashes. It also has vitamin E which means it nourishes your lashes from the root to the tips of your lashes. Fragrance, Paraben, and cruelty-free!

If you love this post, you should check out the beauty section.

Events November 20, 2017

To Give Is Beautiful – Shoppers Drug Mart – beautyBOUTIQUE [EVENTS]

It’s that time of the year when to give is beautiful. This weekend I had the pleasure of attending a holiday event at Vaughan Mills shopping center as a Fragrance expert. I took people who attended (open to public) through a fragrance experience that peaked all of their senses! All fragrances I spoke about are available at Shoppers Drug Mart’s beauty boutiques. In case you missed this event, don’t worry! The next one is happening at the Eaton Center, Dec 2nd and 3rd from mall opening to close hours.

To Give Is Beautiful – Shoppers Drug Mart – beautyBOUTIQUE

So here’s what went down: You’re greeted by some beautiful ladies, who go through a summary of the experience you’ll have. Then directed to the fragrance station. Here I asked people what fragrances they were most drawn too. Based on their answer that gave me an idea of which ones I should start off with showing. We discussed different scents, notes in the fragrance and before testing the fragrance some tips on how to best apply it. In a nut shell, beautyBOUTIQUE wants Canadians to step into the holidays with this year’s must-haves in fragrance from beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart.

Based on their fragrance choice there was a mocktail to match!

While enjoying their mocktails; they waited their turn to get a make-up application.

Once done with their make-up, everyone received a gift that had a make-up bag, a Christmas tree beauty blender and a 20x points + $10 gift card to be used at beauty boutiques.

There was also this super fun glitter wall that everyone took pictures in front. The lovely beautyBOUTIQUE ladies were taking polaroids of those who got their make-up done.

Those who made a purchase at the beauty boutique that day could bring it to the calligraphy station. To receive a tree ornament customized, 3 deluxe samples, $10 gift card – all beautiful wrapped in a silver box. Check out Mandy on Instagram who was doing beautiful calligraphy. Here.

So lock it in your calendars, the next event is happening at the Eaton Center, Dec 2nd and 3rd from mall opening to close hours. If you post your images or videos online, be sure to use the hashtag #ToGiveIsBeautiful.

This blog post was sponsored by beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart but the opinions are all my own.

Lips February 15, 2017

NEW! BITE Beauty Lip Pencil #TheLipPencil [REVIEW]

I’ve been on the hunt for a really good lip pencil. I’ve tried so many brands and I couldn’t say I had a favourite one until now! Can you imagine, 10+ years of being a beauty advisor, VIB member at Sephora and not one lip pencil to be my go to. So cray!

Of course I was a bit skeptical before I tried BITE beauty’s new lip pencil. I thought, okay, here we go. Just another lip pencil. I was so very wrong. This lip pencil ($20, shop here) is my new found make-up love. I’m obsessed! It’s everything I ever wanted in a lip pencil. Soft, creamy, super pigmented and easy to sharpen.

In a nut shell, if you haven’t heard of BITE Beauty before, it’s a Canadian brand with their head office being in Toronto. Their lip products are highly pigmented made with hydrating formulas and are infused with food-grade ingredients.

The Nude Effect

Influenster sent out BITE beauty’s #TheLipPencil to 2500 Canadian Bloggers complimentary to try. On a side note, I always give my honest opinion on products that I receive complimentary and if it’s sponsored the brand is aware my honesty to my readers comes first. Having said that, as soon as I tried the nude combination I was in LOVE! I haven’t found a favourite nude and this is 100% it!

BITE Beauty Lipstick: Honeycomb
#TheLipPencil: 020 Beige Nude

The packaging has a nice smooth finish and feels soft. One of my biggest pet peeves with lip pencils and lipsticks is when the lids come off in your purse! Worse, you put your hand in to grab something and get it all over the purse and yourself. The packaging on these products is perfect. Simple and practical.

BITE Beauty Lipstick: Whiskey
#TheLipPencil: 044 Rich Mahogany

The Darkside

I rarely wear lipstick colours that are this dark, but who doesn’t love to play with make-up? This colour gives off a more vampy look for those who have a lighter skin tone. The quality of the lip pencil is superb, ultra-creamy and super pigmented. Excited to swatch other colour options (40+ shades) from BITE beauty’s lipstick collection and lip pencil line (22 shades).

Check out the Toronto BITE Beauty’s lip lab to make your own custom colour!

Have you tried BITE beauty yet?

Beauty October 27, 2016

L’Oréal Revitalift Bright Reveal VoxBox [Review]

Finally I got around to opening this voxbox and trying the products that I got for testing purposes. Below is my review of each product that I used for a little over one week now. Let me know below in the comments if you’ve tried any of these products and what you think! It was great hearing from you guys on Instagram. XO

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Brightening Daily Scrub Cleanser

I’ve used this for a week now and one of the things that I love about this scrub is that the beads are not abrasive. They’re actually gentle compared to other leading brands. The scent is not overpowering and it appears to be working. I did start to break out after the first day of using it, but that could just be the resurfacing of dirt etc for the deep cleansing to work.

When to use: Nightly
What does it do: Gently exfoliates dullness and gets rid of impurities
(dirt and all that make-up grime that’s seeped into the next layer of your skin. *gross*)
Key ingredients: Glycolic Acid and Perlite

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Bright Reveal SPF 30 Moisturizer

For an everyday moisturizer that has SPF 30 this is very light in texture. It has a bit of a pearly look to it, which actually doesn’t affect the look of your makeup when taking pictures etc. It actually brightens your face in a radiant glowy kind of way. It almost reminds me of the Guerlain pearls primer. Not exactly but could be a distant cousin of it. My skin did feel moisturized all day which is great, because I have some dry spots on my face. In terms of long term results of a week of using I don’t see a huge difference in the darker areas of my face, but maybe I need to prolong the use to see that. If you have sun spots like me, I would still protect those areas with a higher spf. SPF 30 won’t take you through an entire day of office lights or sun exposure.

When to use: Daily
What does it do: Absorbs quickly. UVA/UVB SPF 30 protection
Key ingredients: Glycolic Acid

Dual Overnight Moisturizer

This dual overnight moisturizer reminds me of the day SPF 30 because of the texture and look of the cream. After I used the peel pad from this line and applied this moisturizer I saw instant radiance in my skin. Is that even possible? Well, it has been “revealing brighter skin” as promised. But I’m not sure if it’s because of the amount of glycolic acid and pro-retinol or if it’s the mica. For those of you who don’t know, mica is an earth mineral included in products to give them sparkle and shine. It’s usually found in make-up. The reason why it’s called dual moisturizer is because it is one side serum and one side moisturizer. With one pump, you get an even amount of both to apply all over your face and neck. Because this product has 4% glycolic acid and pro-retinol I started using it on my neck only to see if my skin reacts to the combination. So far no reaction. Just brighter and moisturized skin! I’m also a firm believer of not mixing skincare steps into one. I like using my serum first, waiting 30 seconds and then applying moisturizer on top. Also don’t believe in 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner products. But so far the results have been great so I can’t complain. Would I use this again after I finish this bottle, probably not. I like to mix and match different brands and favourites. Having my serum and moisturizer in one, doesn’t allow me to do that. I would recommend someone trying glycolic acid or retinol products for the first time to test on the neck or the inside of the their wrist before applying all over their face. Not everyone reacts the same to skincare, better to be safe than sorry. Also, you won’t always get lucky and get both treatments in one pump. I had to slap the bottom of the bottle to get the serum to pump out. So as you see in the image, the moisturize to serum ratio isn’t always equal.

When to use: Nightly after cleansing
What does it do: Two treatments in one pump. Penetrates skin’s surface to remove dead skin cells and infuse brightening formula for overnight skin rejuvenation
Key ingredients: 4% Glycolic, Vitamin Cg, Pro-Retinol

L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Bright Reveal Peel Pads

The last time I used pre-soaked pads like these was when I tried oxy pads. Probably when I was a teenager. Ever since then I haven’t been drawn to products like this just cause I fear I won’t close the jar properly and the product will dry up. That happened to me once. Oxy days. Because these pads are soaked with 10% Glycolic Acid I was scared to use right away all over my face so I started only using it on my neck. Even after washing my face, I noticed on the pad some left over traces of make-up. UGH. Felt instant gratification for these pads for removing that gunk. Out of habit I always use a rough hand to apply skincare and used the pads the first few times of use a tad bit to abrasively. I did start to feel some uncomfortable tingling and then read the instructions, where it said “gently apply in circular motions…”. *Doh* After that I’ve been following the instructions and I have noticed brighter and more smooth skin. Which is awesome for make-up applications. I received this product for testing purposes.

When to use: Nightly
What does it do: Ultra-gentle pre-soaked textured pads physically resurface dead skin cells
Key ingredients: 10% Glycolic Complex

Beauty April 24, 2016

Mistura Make-Up [Haul+Review]

Oh the world of beauty products! This is my Mistura make up haul and mini review of the products that I’ve tried. Above you’ll see the four products,starting from the top left, quad eye shadow palette, pressed powder, concealer/corrector and their plump and glow lip gloss.

MISTURA MAKE-UP

The plump and glow gloss actually reminds me of a favourite gloss I had years ago. The dermaglow lip gloss that also had plumping properties. The plump and glow isn’t sticky and actually leaves your lips feeling hydrated. Comes in 3 different colours. This is the gloss in Gwen:

The Bella Seta Eye Shadow Quad in Fashionista retail for $39.49. The eyeshadow colours can be worn during the day or evening depending on how you mix them up. The lightest colour can go all over the lid and the darker colours along your lashline for a subtle daytime look. Evening, the options are endless. Go smokey with all three dark shades. Check out how I wore the shadows:

The shadows aren’t super pigmented but you can get a stronger vibrant colour by using an eyeshadow base.

This is the 6-in-one beauty solution compact. It only comes in one colour because of its exclusive miracle match colour blend technology. This technology allows for this product to suit any skin tone. So for those who want one product that they can use to contour, bronze, apply as blush, eye shadow, or cover blemishes/rosacea and colour for lips.

This concealer ($37.99) went on very smoothly and is perfect for medium coverage purposes. It has a very light feeling, feels like powder even though when it’s going on it has a cream-ish texture. Also has a light scent. I love that the coverage is buildable and the bonus is that it has antioxidants, coconut oil and shea butter. Food for your skin 😉

Have you tried any Mistura products?

Beauty September 22, 2015

Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette

Packaging:

I love the packaging! It has a faux snake skin feel to the top and gold siding. I love that it’s in a compact shape, which only means that it won’t take up too much room when travelling and a better mirror shape.

What’s inside the palette:

This Tarte Showstopper Clay palette has six eye shadows and three cheek options. The champagne pink is really shimmery so I advise you to not use it on your brow bones and sparingly on the cheekbones. Unless you’re going for a strobe light look. The blush (fame) is one of my favourite colours for blushes. Especially for olive skin tones it gives you a natural looking glow. Pinks and reds tend to be too harsh for everyday.

The eye shadow colours are great for everyday, however if you’re hoping for the colour to be true once applied to your eyes, then you’ll need to use an eye shadow primer for the lighter shades. The darker colours were actually pretty good on their own. Without primer this is what the shades look like:

Price:

$46.00 CDN – A little pricey for my liking but with everything you’re getting in this one palette wonder, it’s worth it.

Have you tried this palette?

beauty review

Laura Mercier Blush Colour Infusion Review

Laura Mercier Colour Infusion Blush is Buildable

Givenchy Must Have Make-Up Icons and How To Use Them

Givenchy Must Have Make-Up Icons and How To Use Them

Prisme Libre Loose Powder – Mousseline Pastel – $75.00

Le Rouge Perfecto – Beautifying Lip Balm $44.00

Le Rouge Lipsticks – $45.00

5 PIXI Beauty Products You Should Buy Right Now

NEW PIXI BEAUTY