Poppy King’s Story – How the Lipstick Queen Became Royalty

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Henna

I haven’t had a ton of time to read in recent months, but I finally go through Lessons of a Lipstick Queen by Poppy King.

Overall, fascinating book for the details that it gives you about Poppy herself and how she put her lipstick line together so many years ago. I wasn’t familiar with her line “back in the day” (in the 1990’s) but Poppy became known for her matte lipsticks which were introduced in a time when mattes weren’t anywhere to be found.

Read this book if you’re interested in finding out how she put things together – I found the entrepreneurial aspects of it less interesting.

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Tom Ford Champaca Absolute

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Henna

Champaca isn’t a flower that I had heard of, or even smelled before, so Tom Ford’s Champaca Absolute wasn’t on my radar. But I had time to kill at Holt Renfrew one day and ended up at the Tom Ford Counter smelling all the perfumes. And I wasn’t feeling any of them, but then the sales associate, who knew her stuff, offered me Champaca Absolute. You’re going to love it, she said.

And so I got this scent for my 30th birthday – so I’ve had it for a while, but haven’t ever reviewed it.

Champaca Absolute is unlike anything I’ve smelled before. Champaca is part of the magnolia family, and this scent is very magnolia forward. Top notes are: bergamot, cognac, greenwood, but I don’t really smell any of that. Maybe the warmth of the cognac, but there isn’t much bergamot in the opening which is a relief.

The middles notes are orchid, violet, champaca and jasmine, and really it’s a mix of champaca and cognac that you smell for the first hour or so. The drydown is vanilla, amber, sandalwood, and marron glace. The vanilla and amber give a bit of sweetness to the floral notes in the middle, and the sandalwood is super subtle.

The scent is fresh, floral, and powdery all at the same time. It smells unlike anything else I own, and have ever smelled, and I have a lot of perfume. There’s tons of lasting powder and one spray gives me waves of scent all day.

Tom Ford perfumes are expensive – but unique and this one is totally worth it.

$290 for 50mL.

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Boscia Charcoal Pore Pudding Intensive Wash Off Treatment

Posted on March 29, 2020 by Henna

Tried this Boscia mask over Christmas and finally finished it so I figured it’s time for a review.  First off all, it’s on sale at Sephora right now, so it’s $35 instead of the usual $50.

First of all, this mask is beautiful to look at.  It is swirled black and white charcoal, and it looks pretty in the jar and when you open it up.  How’d they do that?

The two colours obviously mix together when you apply the mask on your face, and it has a creamy consistency that’s easy to apply.  The charcoal is great for absorbing excess oil and impurities, and leaves your skin squeaky clean.

I also really loved that this mask smells so good.  It smells like perfume in a way that I can’t describe.  Kind of fresh and woody all in one.

I loved using this mask and am really loving Boscia products!

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How to Use Root Touch Up Spray at Home Video

Posted on March 29, 2020 by Henna

If you’ve been wondering how to take care of your roots at home, check out this video.  I used the Kevin Murphy Retouch.Me spray in black.  It’s pretty good but it leaves your hair stiff and you don’t feel like you can run your hands through your hair. My stylist reached out to me after I posted this video and told me that a powder is probably better if I don’t want the stiffness, so that’s what I’ll get next.  this is pretty good in a pinch though.

http://www.instagram.com/tv/B-SwlZzpK0g/

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Contouring Question

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Henna

A little while ago, a reader emailed me to ask me about a contouring palette that she had just bought.  Hers was by Laura Gellar, but she wanted to know whether she had made the right decision in buying it.  I’ll say this: Laura Gellar products are very good and I’ve liked everything I’ve tried (though I hadn’t tried the palette that she was talking about).

The thing is that you don’t necessarily need a palette to do a great job contouring.  All you need is a nice shimmery shadow and a matte bronzer or powder.

Apply the highlighter on the highest parts of your face – the very tops of your cheekbones, your browbones, and the center of your chin.  Apply the bronzer in the hollows of your cheeks and under your jaw.

Blending is key, and you want to make sure that only the effect gets shown and not your makeup.  Step back and take a look at your work.  Can you tell you’ve applied contouring products?  If you can, you’ve put too much.  Contouring only works if you’re subtle.

Contouring kits can be a huge help because if they’re good then the products have been formulated to be sheer and not sparkly, but even without a kit you can do a great job.

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Fragrance Friday: Kiehl’s Original Musk

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Henna

Kiehl’s boutiques are more widespread than they used to be, so this epic fragrance is more readily available than it used to be.  If you’re a fragrance lover, or learning about perfume, then you need to read below and then go smell the OG of musk fragrances.
I’ve had Kiehl’s Original Musk for years now and I love the way it smells. It’s smoky and intense with a dry down of patchouli and, of course, musk. Lore is that this is the first Musk scent ever made and that every other musk after this one was a copy.

I love this scent, but at the end of the day, this is just too intense for me to pull off on most days. It just doesn’t fit my personality, but I like having it on my dresser in case I change my mind. Funny how you can love a perfume, but just not love it on yourself.

$57 at Kiehls.com.

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The Best It Cosmetics Products

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Henna

It Cosmetics is having a family and friends sale right now, which means that everything is 25% off.  You might be in a shopping mood, or you might want to stock up on your favourite things anyway.  Here are my favs from the brand – reviews are linked.

  1. Superhero Mascara and Eyeliner.  $22.50 at Sephora right now, or $25 at ItCosmetics.com.  Obviously, you want to stick to Sephora for this one.  Both have free shipping right now.
  2. CC+ cream.  I would avoid the Illuminating version as it’s quite sparkly, but the matte version is for me, and the regular one might be for anyone who doesn’t have oily skin.  This was the cream that started the CC cream craze, and it’s amazing that they included SPF 50 in it.
  3. Secret Sauce moisturizer.  This has some radiance to it which gives your skin a glow – perfect for when you’re staying at home.
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CoverFX Pressed Mineral Foundation Review

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Henna

This foundation is on sale right now for $35 (down from $50).  Check it out.  I loved this foundation and it’s one of the few that I’ve hit pan on.

coverfxCult foundation brand Cover FX is known for having very pigmented foundations.

My favourite of the above is the Pressed Mineral foundation. It has a light texture and can be used either as a foundation or with a fluffy brush as a setting powder. The texture is light and airy, and unless you apply too much, there’s no cakiness.

This powder foundation is the most pigmented powder foundation that I have ever tried. It has 17.5% pigmented, whereas most powder foundations have close to 10% pigment. That means that you need less product to get the same amount of coverage. The foundation comes with a disk applicator which means that you can apply it on the go, but I found that I really liked applying lightly with a powder brush, and use a concealer brush in the areas that I needed more coverage.

The mineral foundation lasts the entire day. It absorbs oil and sweat and just sticks to the skin. It also doesn’t have a completely matte finish, because the foundation powder has pearlized powder in it, which makes the foundation look like real skin. You no longer need to look like you’re wearing a mask to get a full-coverage makeup look!

The powder foundation does not contain talc, fragrance, mineral oil, or parabens.

The foundation colours are divided into pink, neutral, and golden which speaks to undertones. The system is pretty fool-proof, but the best way to figure out the best shade you need, check out the Cover FX counter at Shoppers Drug Mart where a makeup specialist can help you find the perfect colour for you. The shades in each colour family are created with a science. Each shade with a higher number is exactly 3% darker than the shade before it. Finding the perfect foundation shade has never been easier.

If you need higher coverage, check out the Total Cream Coverage foundation which has 32% pigment and truly can be used as a concealer.

Cover FX is a Canadian brand that specializes in foundations – they got their start creating ways of covering up burns and scars! If you’ve had trouble finding the perfect foundation at a traditional makeup counter, then you need to check out this brand.

The Pressed Mineral Foundation is $42 and comes in 40 (FOURTY!!!) shades.  I’m N40 which is medium with neutral undertones.  It’s a tad darker than my skin colour on my face, but it matches my neck so I can pull it off.  Pictures coming soon.

Find it at CoverFx.com or at Shoppers Drug Mart.

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It Cosmetics Superhero Liner and Mascara

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Henna

Update: the Superhero mascara and the liner are on sale right now for $22.50.  

It’s actually fairly difficult to find an inky black eyeliner and mascara that match, last, and are the blackest black that’s out there.  Bonus points for me if the black and a tiny bit of blue in it so that it brings out the brown of my eyes.

Now I can stop looking for that perfect combination because I’ve found It Cosmetics Superhero Liner and the It Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Mascara.

You can see that the Superhero Liner has a felt tip marker which helps you draw a smooth straight line that can be thin or thick.  The liner is super pigmented so just one smooth stroke is what you need to get a fine line.

The Superhero Elastic Stretch mascara is easy to wear.  One coat gives you super volumized thick lashes, so this is the perfect mascara if you like a major lash look.

What I love about both of these is that they’re super long-lasting.  The mascara doesn’t smudge or smear even when I work out, and there’s no even any flaking when I wear a lot of it.  I use a primer with the eyeliner and I find that helps it last the whole day.

The other thing that I love about the liner and mascara is that they’re super duper deep dark inky black, which is actually difficult to find in a mascara and eyeliner, and this duo both have exactly the same deep black colour.

$32 each, sold separately at Sephora, The Shopping Channel, or ItCosmetics.com.

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Make Up For Ever Matte Velvet Skin Full Coverage Foundation

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Henna

Update: this foundation is on sale at Sephora right now for $37.50. 

The problem with most matte full coverage foundations is that they look obvious on your skin, sometimes even magnifying skin imperfections and texture instead of making skin look smooth.  It’s also difficult to make them look natural because real skin reflects light and matte foundation doesn’t in the slightest.

Make Up For Ever’s Matte Velvet Skin Full Coverage Foundation is different.  Because the finish is a matte velvet, the foundation is matte but skin looks smooth and soft.  It blends into skin effortlessly and can be sheered down for medium coverage or applied with a brush or layered on for more full coverage.

There’s no cake face with this foundation and it comes in so many colours and undertones that it should be easy to find a shade that matches your skin exactly.  The texture is moussy and thick but it’s easy to sheer down with your fingers.  Like I mentioned, it blends into skin seamlessly and actually lasts for the duration of the day.  It can even cover freckles while looking natural.

 

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