A Book For the Cookie Lover

I’ve had this book for over 10 years and it’s still a favourite.

Life’s not fair; so many cookie recipes and not enough time! If you’re a cookie-lover like me, you have to pick up Martha Stewart Cookies. It’s a book chock full of all different kinds of cookies (and some blondie/brownie recipes as well) and the best part is that there’s a picture of almost every recipe in the book! You know exactly what you’re cookie should look like when they’re done, and you can get an idea of what kind of cookie you’re making.

Love this cookbook!

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Bumble and Bumble Invisible Oil Dry Oil Finishing Spray

I’m really loving Bumble and Bumble finishing sprays because they are some of the lightest sprays that I have ever used, and this dry oil finishing spray is no exception. It is supremely light, so don’t be wary of the word “oil” in the name.

This is an amazing all-over shine spray to use after you’re done styling your hair. It adds a lovely glossy but hydrating layer of shine. The star ingredients are: grape seed oil and safflower seed oil.

Get it in salons, Sephora, or Nordstrom.

$45.

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Giorgio Armani Foundation and Blender Brush for Flawless Skin

I had heard so much about Armani’s Luminous Silk Foundation and now I finally own it.

Is it as good as everyone says it is?  Pretty much.  Though the foundation carries a hefty price tag, it’s worth it because if you find the perfect color match, you can have medium coverage that looks absolutely natural.  That’s the greatest thing about a good foundation – it should look like your real skin.  Another plus?  The fact that it lasts the whole entire day without coming off even a little.  Trust me, I have very oily skin and I found that I hardly even had any oil show through with this foundation.  My makeup always looks fresh and though the coverage is dewy, it’s still a finish I can live with.

Also get the blender brush from Armani.  It’s used to apply the foundation and is unlike anything I’ve ever used before.  Although it is made of real hair, the brush doesn’t absorb any of the foundation and seems to look fresh no matter what! Pretty amazing stuff and there’s nothing else like it on the market.

If you haven’t tried this foundation, take the plunge. You will not be disappointed.

$80 for the foundation, $84 for the brush.

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The Story of L’Occitane and the Almond Tree

By Kyle Gordon

What can I say? I’m a sucker for beautiful packaging, hence my love affair with everything L’Occitane en Provence. Even the name conjures images of the French countryside and my beloved Toile de Jouy (a beautiful fabric usually depicting a pastoral scene).

When this Mist Concentrate was brought to my attention I knew I had to share. I just love the idea of a body moisturizer in a mist. It’s so easy to transport (perfect for travel or to throw in your gym bag) and it’s loaded with almond proteins and silicium (to smooth and firm) and almond oil and milk (for softer and more supple skin).

Why Almond?
The almond tree is a strong symbol of the Provencal landscape (similar to the olive tree). For the last six years an initiative aimed at reviving the cultivation of almond trees (which were threatened since the 1930s) has been underway. L’Occitane played an active role in this project. It’s just one more reason to fall in love with the Almond bodycare range.

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Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara

Mascara was the first bit of makeup I started using, way back when. It was easy to use and looked relatively natural, when applied with a light hand, and I didn’t get in trouble for using it.

So, great makeup has always meant great lashes, for me, but I struggle to find a mascara that doesn’t smudge. Revlon’s new Mega Multiplier Mascara is the “tubing” kind. It coats the lashes with a special polymer formula that’s water and oil resistant. This means that it won’t smudge or flake but it’ll need water and gentle rubbing with fingertips to come off in tubes.

The brush applies a lot and has a tapered wand that gets even the tiniest lashes close to the inside of the eye. It gets the bottom lashes too, which is perfect.

Pick it up at drugstores and mass merchandisers.

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New Marc Jacobs Velvet Primer Video

Here’s the Marc Jacobs Velvet Primer in action, with their Velvet Noir Mascara.  If you like long fluffy lashes, these two together are fire.  Let me know what you think of this video.  And what other mascaras I should try!

http://www.instagram.com/tv/BuRfwi7BqU_/

As I say in the video, I normally find this mascara to be so smudgy, but when I used it with the primer, I didn’t actually experience any smudging so maybe I’ll be sticking with this duo!

You can find the primer at Sephora.  $35.

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Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Mascara

It’s a mascara that I keep going back to because it gives me those luxe thick lashes that I love.  The wands seems to grab the lashes, and the thick waxy formula layers so well.

The brush is curvy which helps it grab all the lashes, and I really like using the end of it to use on my bottom lash line.  It defines without clumping and doesn’t flake throughout the day.You can read a more full review of it here.

$35 at Sephora.

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John Master’s Organics Overnight Facial Mask

This is the nicest smelling mask I’ve ever used because it’s got lovely rose oil in it.

The luscious mask is a blend of aloe juice, glycerin, and water with some other extracts thrown in for brightness, but it’s the glycerin that does the heavy work here. This is a lovely moisturizer for all skin types because it’s light but hydrating and it almost seems to form a protective layer over your skin.

$89 online.

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New empty: Kerastase Aura Botanica Oil video

Kerastase’s Aura Botanica line came out in 2017 and it was something special. All products were created to work like traditional products so that you wouldn’t feel that they were “natural”. Unlike most oils on the market (including the Bumble and Bumble Invisible Oil), this oil is free of silicones and so it’s just oil that works to detangle and nourish your hair. I’ve loved using it on myself and my girls and now it’s finished.

What’s one thing you’ve finished recently?

 

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Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Shampoo and Conditioner

This is absolutely the shampoo and conditioner you need if you have dry hair and needs a lot of moisture, especially if that’s what you switch over to in the cold winter months.

The shampoo is moisturizing but not heavy and thick. It spreads easily throughout your hair and leaves it moisturized and not stripped of moisture. If you’re looking for a deep cleanse, though, this is not the shampoo that you want to use.

The conditioner is seriously heavy and maybe one of the heaviest conditioners I’ve ever used. It’s heavier than a lot of hair masks and leaves a serious residue on your hair by way of moisturizing. When I use this mask I find that I hardly need any styling products because it’s that smoothing.

Of course, both of them enriched with coconut oil, argan oil, and macadamia nut oil which helps hydrate your hair. This is a great duo for dry or very dry hair – if you highlight or regularly use hot tools on your hair, you’re going to want to use these.

Available at salons and Sephora. $45 for the large size of the conditioner, $41 for the large size of the shampoo.

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