Get Ready With Me Video

Posted on February 21, 2021 by Henna

Quick and easy makeup even if you’re at home!  The game-changer is using a tinted moisturizer that has SPF in it.  This Rodial one is discontinued but I would use the Maybelline Urban Cover with SPF 50 in it.   Makes it 1 step easier.

http://www.instagram.com/tv/B4yOK_hHr0T/

What I used:No. 7 Glycolic Acid Pads from @shoppersdrugmartofficial.
@rodialbeauty Instaglam Skin Tint in medium. This has SPF 30 in it so I use it for the sun protection and coverage. It’s light/medium coverage, so it just blurs any imperfections.

@lorealmakeup Infallible Pro-Contour palette in Medium.
@makeupforeverca Velvet Skin Powder Foundation

@fentybeauty Eyebrow Pencil

@essencemakeup Lash Princess waterproof mascara.

@narsissist contour brush

@makeupforeverca Powder brush.

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Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Hydrating Longwear Foundation Review Video

Posted on February 21, 2021 by Henna

This foundation got panned after it was launched because people really liked the matte version.  I didn’t mind it, but the colour I got was too light and this was too much coverage for me.

You can watch the video review below. The foundation has a long name, but in this short video, you can watch me put it on.  And check it out, it DOES NOT move when it sticks to your skin but it’s still not drying, so that’s pretty cool.  Wasn’t the best for my oily skin – my skin gets oily in minutes – but if you have dry skin, this will hydrate but still stay on which is unique in the foundation world.

See for yourself:

http://www.instagram.com/tv/B3SOA3fhU6q/

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Maybelline Dream Urban Cover Foundation Swatches

Posted on February 19, 2021 by Henna

Hashtag: makeup for brown skin. I’ve always had trouble finding exactly the right shades, and these are hitting the mark. And they’re available at the drugstore, so can’t beat that.

 

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MAC Pro Longwear Foundation and Concealer Review

Posted on February 18, 2021 by Henna

 

The colours in the Pro Longwear collection run a little darker than usual – instead of an NC 35 like I normally am, I am an exact match for NC 30 with this foundation, so keep that in mind if you’re ordering online.

The foundation is medium coverage and dries really quickly so it’s best to work in small parts of your face instead of doing everything at once.  I also preferred to use my fingers for the application because I know that this foundation will dry hard on the brush and then the final product on my face will be streaky.

Just after applying, I had to say that this foundation was slightly sticky.  My hair kept sticking to my face, and so I did have to apply a finishing powder to the foundation which took care of the problem.

This isn’t a matte finish foundation – it’s more of a natural finish, and I have to say that once I was done blending and applying, I absolutely LOVED how it looked on my skin.  It really has a skin-like finish and it doesn’t have that obvious mask or caked-on look that so many long-wear foundations can have. I have to make the distinction that this isn’t a transfer-resistant foundation – so it will rub off on clothing or on your hand if you’re pressing hard enough.  I have to say that I got so many compliments on how good my skin looked when I wore this – so I would say that it looked pretty natural on me!

Left alone, however, it will wear on your skin for a whole day at the very least.  It’s not mattifying so I did notice some oiliness on my skin at the end of the day.  I wouldn’t say that the foundation looks like you just applied it – but it’s still there at the end of the day and parts that you may have wanted to conceal will still be covered.

The foundation also photographs beautifully despite being SPF 25!

The medium coverage may not be for everyone, but other than that I have to say that this is one of the best foundations I’ve tried in a long time, and it’s one that I think will work for pretty much every skin type.  It rivals some of my favourite mineral foundations!

The Pro Longwear Concealer is a creamy concealer that comes in a little pump bottle.  I found that it was easy to apply and blend and it ends up being a matte finish.  The concealer is of a thicker consistency than the foundation, so it covers more.  I really like it for putting on my eyelids because it doesn’t crease for the entire day!  The only other product that’s been able to stand up to my eyelids has been Urban Decay Primer Potion, and I have to say that I’m going to prefer using the concealer because it’s the same colour as my eyelids and will cover any veins or darkness, which the Primer Potion did not do.

All in all, these are 2 of the best products at MAC – not only because they last a long time on the skin, but mostly because they actually look like your natural skin when you put them on!

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Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair

Posted on February 18, 2021 by Henna

I get a lot of messages from people saying that they want to use retinol but they find it to be so irritating. The thing to remember is that there are so many formulas and options out there and even oils for dry skin. I find many drugstore retinoids to be good beginner formulas – they’re made to suit masses of people so they’re not as irritating.

Two favorites from Neutrogena: the Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer and the Rapid Wrinkle Repair eye cream. Both are light but creamy with a dose of retinol and my skin has been soaking them up.

I use a stronger retinol a couple of times a week, and I use this retinol on off nights.

The eye cream is a favourite and it has a bit of glow in it too.  This is good because it makes your eye area look instantly brighter.  You can get it online for $24.49.  The moisturizer is also available online for $24.49.

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Live Clean Shampoo and Conditioner Review

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Henna

I love checking out natural shampoos and conditioners because it means that I can give my hair a break from silicone laden products and use something that’s potentially going to help my hair!

Recently, my friends and I can’t stop raving about Live Clean’s Exotic Nectar Argan Oil Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner.

Both the shampoo and conditioner are chock full of awesome ingredients, including Argan Oil, Grapeseed Oil, and Olive Oils.

When I first used the products, I did find that my hair was a little more weighed down than usual, but I continued using the products.  I finally got the point where they moisturized my hair so well that I didn’t need to use any kind of serum or additional styling products once I was finished washing my hair!  My hair was clean, but it was also so moisturized and conditioned that it was un-frizzy all on its own!

The Exotic Nectar line also includes a host of other styling products, so if you can’t use the shampoo and conditioner it’s worth checking those out.

I found the products at my local grocery store, and for the price, they are a great find.

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L’Artisan Parfumeur Traversee au Bosphore

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Henna

The Bosphorous is the river that one crosses to get to Istanbul, and this scent was made by Bertrand Duchaufour as a representation of that journey.

L’Artisan Parfumeur says that the scents of Istanbul include:

“The men sit around in an endless, casual debate, the tobacco smoke rising lazily from their hookahs. The scent of hot juicy apples floats up into the air.

Gardens bursting with a thousand dazzling tulips exude green notes carrying a hint of saffron. The delicate fragrance of the saffron becomes almost overwhelming as the spice market draws near, blending deliciously with the aroma of leather that scorches the air around the tanneries.

It is easy to lose oneself wandering through this maze of tiny streets at random, escorted and intoxicated by the suave, soft perfume of Turkish Delight, oscillating between rose and pistachio. A swirl of gentle musk emanates from every unhurried step, which slow and become almost aimless as dusk approaches.”

The thing is that when I wear the scent, I don’t get apples or Turkish delight, and having bought a leather bag almost fresh out of a tannery, I can tell you that I definitely don’t want to smell like it.

What does come out is a vanilla-amber opening that seems to last throughout the scent.  I have a problem with scents turning sweet on my skin very quickly and this definitely did that.  The hints of amber in the opening led to a definite tobacco and smoke note that was pleasing – it’s definitely unusual to find it perfumes, that’s for sure. The vanilla and amber keep coming through and it is indeed mixed with the soft buttery scent of pistachio that makes this a gourmand scent.

Though it’s quite sweet, I keep having the feeling that this one is more for men than women, and the warm blend of notes makes it entirely different from any other men’s scent out there.  Indeed, it would take a man confident in his olfactory choices to wear this scent, but it would make him stand out like nobody else.

This has excellent sillage and lasting power.  One spray will do you!

The scent is now available wherever L’Artisan Parfumeur is sold and is an Eau de Parfum.  100 ml is $155, and 50 ml is $115.  It is also available as a scented candle, which I want to get because I know this would be heavenly as a room scent.  The candle is 175 gr and costs $60.

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Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara Review

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Henna

You all know that I have a thing for mascara, and especially love mascara that leaves lashes fat and plumped up.  Volume is the way I like it, and my lashes need to be major!

I’ve tried Armani’s Eyes to Kill Mascara, and love it so much that it’s the one I’m reaching for on a daily basis.  Yes, it gives you great voluminous lashes, but the brush ensures that you can reach even those teeny tiny members of your fringe at the tips of your eyes.  The result is a nicer, fuller, almost curled fringe that gives a pretty and doe-eyed look.

Also great is the fact that this is truly a light-weight mascara.  Your lashes won’t feel heavy because of the volume that this provides, and it’s pretty revolutionary in that sense.  No mascara ends up under the eyes at the end of the day, yet cleanup is a total snap, so gotta love that!

The cost of this mascara is prohibitive – $43 – but if you want fool-proof application and good wear, then you just gotta have it.

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Swatch: Zoya Dove

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Henna

I got tons of compliments on this colour.

What did you think of this?

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Fragrance of the Week – Straight to Heaven By Kilian

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Henna

I’ve been wearing this scent all week, and I keep getting compliment upon compliment on it. On the By Kilian website, they describe this as inspired by the scent of rum and the Caribbean.

Truth be told, I’ve never been to the Caribbean, so I can’t comment on whether that rings true for me, but this is the perfect scent for the cold weather that many have been enduring. The scent isn’t warm or sticky sweet, or even cool and aloof as some winter scents are. It’s just a nice meld of sweet notes with natural woodsy notes.

The opening as accords of dried fruits, which, I’m guessing, keeps this from becoming too sweet. The drydown has patchouli, cedarwood, musk and ambergris in just the right proportions. You don’t really smell the woods but you definitely get a woody accord blended with the musk and ambergris.

It’s quite rare that I wear the exact same scent every single day and for the last little while I’ve had a hard time finding a scent that I really love, but this is now doing it for me.

By Kilian is a lovely, yet expensive, line of scents that retails at Holt Renfrew or Sephora. Expect to pay upwards of $300 for a bottle.

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