All About Me

Here’s a little bit about me.  Maybe you’re a longtime reader so you already knew about this stuff, but if you’re new, here’s who I am.

1.What is the story behind the name of your blog?

Well – I live in Canada and it was quite snowy outside so that I was acutely aware of my surroundings. I wanted a name that was catchy and easily memorable and “Canadian Beauty” just came to mind. Of course, I knew that my readers would be from all over, and so I added the tag line “By a Canadian – for everyone.”

2. Why did I start blogging?

I’ve always been a writer. I just wanted to jot down thoughts about the products that I bought and already had, so I decided to do it on a blog.

3. What is your best and worst blogging experience?

The best is interacting with readers and answering their questions. I really enjoy that and respond to every single email I get. Being invited to go backstage at New York Fashion Week was another high for me and this blog – I want to be able to do more of fun things like that.

The worst experience is getting emails from people who have clearly not read the blog at all, either asking me to feature content (that is already there) or telling me off for no good reason. Those are the emails I ignore.

If you have any questions, leave them below!

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What Should You Get From the Deciem Sale?

Have you heard?  @Deciem is having a sale – 23% off for the whole month of November.  I haven’t bought anything yet, but that’s because I’m stocked up.  Here’s what I have and maybe what you should get.

http://www.instagram.com/tv/B4da8d3BU9O/

 

Did you shop the sale?  Let me know in the comments!

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CoverGirl Outlast Lipcolour


Cover Girl’s Outlast Lipstick has been reformulated and now comes in more colours. I don’t have a lot of experience with long-wear lipsticks so I was a little wary of trying this.

I tried it in a berry and nude shade, and I’m happy to say that I liked both! They dry to a slightly sticky finish and I would say that you should give the product a few minutes to completely dry since the results are so much better when you let the product set. Also, be careful in applying the stain. Make sure you pay attention to where you’re putting it on, and don’t go over areas too much or the colour may appear uneven.

Finally, the top coat is slick and moisturizing and seems to last for a long time. Best of all, even when the top coat wore off, I wasn’t left with overly dry lips.

Available at drugstores and mass merchandisers for $8.97.

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From the Archives: MAC Of Beauty Collection

This is from the archives, but I do love loose shimmering powders and I need to dig some of these up again.

MAC’s new collection, Of Beauty, comes at a time when most people want to add some sparkle to their look. The collection consists of shimmery loose powders and Studio Lights that highlight weightlessly.

Here are the colours in the collection:

Beauty Powder/Loose
Dancing Light Creamy gold with white gold reflect
Drizzlegold Fleshy beige with copper and gold reflect
Natural Flare Peachy champagne with white and gold reflect
Sunspill Coral Peach with white and gold reflect
Tenderdusk Soft pink with red and gold reflect
Soft Flame Rich plum with reddish copper reflect

The Soft Flame would make a great blush and the Drizzlegold is perfect for warming skin up.

Studio Lights
Skin Lure Soft creamy beige
Ideal Pink Palest pinkish beige
Smoothspice Caramel
Frangipan Pale golden yellow
Sand Soft peachy beige

And of course, MAC tells you which brushes to use.

The entire collection is available at MAC stores or on MACCosmetics.com.

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Lancome Hypnose Eau de Parfum

I had never tried Lancome’s Hypnose but figured I should since a counter lady told me that it was one of their best-selling perfumes! The scent was offered in a limited edition Sheer version this summer.

The top note of this scent didn’t rub me the right way, but I had already sprayed it directly on myself so I kept it on. I’m so glad I did, because the drydown was completely worth it. I have to say that this is the most comforting scent I’ve every worn. I’m hooked to the warmth of the vanilla because it’s not too sweet either. And once the scent had warmed up on me I couldn’t stop sniffing it!

Hypnose has quickly – and unexpectedly – become one of my all-time favourite scents and I’m going back for the Eau de Parfum which I’m sure will be lovely in the winter.

Available at Lancome counters.

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Lip and Eye Masks for Dry Weather

Loved using these two masks over a snowy weekend. One was for under the eye, and other for the lips.  Oh K! is a Korean brand (in case you couldn’t tell from the packaging) and is available at Shoppers Drug Mart!  The Chok Chok Smoothing Under Eye Mask is super refreshing, so I’d recommend it in the morning when you want to wake yourself up!

The Life Brand lip mask was hydrating but you’ll need to apply a thick lip balm afterwards to seal in all the moisture.  I left it on for 10 minutes… and had to stop talking for that time.

You can find both masks at your local Shoppers Drug Mart. They actually have the whole range of Oh K! masks, and some of them seem super interesting, like a gold foil mask, and cherry gel masks.

$4.79 for the Oh K! Chok Chok Smoothing Under Eye Mask (contains 1 pair of masks), and $4.99 for the Life Brand Hydrogel Lip Mask (2 masks to a package).

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Alumier MD Retinol Resurfacing Serum 1.0

I’m going to start by saying, that if you’re going to add retinol into your skincare routine, you need to start by starting low and going slow. What that means is that you start at a very low concentration of retinol, and then work up to a higher concentration. You also shouldn’t start by applying it every single day, and just do it once or twice a week and then work up to using it more in your routine. Also – use a sunscreen because a retinol is going to cause some sun sensitivity.

That means that this Alumier MD Retinol Serum 1.0 is super strong and not for anyone who is new to retinol. I’ve been using retinol for over a year, and I found it to be super drying, so it’s something I can use once or twice a week and not more than that.

I also find that the texture of it is super drying. It’s a very dry silicone-based serum, and it feels dry on the skin. I like to mix this with a moisturizer so that it applies more evenly, and then I like something richer, such as an oil, on top so that my skin doesn’t get too dry. Sometimes, I even like to put a hyaluronic acid serum first, so that my skin has some moisture in it before the retinol goes on.

Dryness aside, this serum is super effective so if you want a retinol that works, and you think that your skin can tolerate it, then absolutely start adding it to your skincare regimen and see how it does.  The serum also has niacinamide in it which can really help brighten skin.

Available at professional retailers such as doctor’s offices and medical spas.

This serum is also available in 0.25 and 0.5 formulations so if you are starting with retinol try one of the lower ones first!

 

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Mascara Monday: Essence Lash Princess False Lash Mascara Video

The best mascara reviews are ones where you can see the results for yourself.  In today’s #mascaraMonday I try on Essences Lash Princess False Lash waterproof mascara and I love it.  It seems to curl your lashes when you apply it and the curl stays the whole entire day.

Watch for yourself.

http://www.instagram.com/tv/B4IVVEBhmKK/

This mascara is available at Shoppers Drug Mart.

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From the Archives: MAC MetalX

The highlights from the MAC MetalX line were the cream shadows. These shadows have the texture of mousse and provide intense colour, only the way a MAC product can. What I love about the shadow is that a little goes a long way. Favourite way to use it? As a highlighter. Try Fusion Gold or Virgin Silver depending on your colouring and you’ll be set for a night out on the town, or mix with your moisturizer for a more subdued effect.

The MetalX line is limited edition so get your hands on the colours you want now, because once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.

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L’Oreal Telescopic Clean Definition Mascara Review

telescopic

L’Oreal Telescopic Clean Definition mascara says that it will give you no clumps and just defined lashes. It certainly delivers on those counts. This is not a mascara to use if you want to add “oomph” to your look but it works well for everyday wear. Your lashes will look longer but still natural.

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