Nars Impassioned Vs. Douceur

Posted on August 27, 2019 by Henna

I’m a serious Nars fangirl these days, and I’m still using the Impassioned blush that was a part of their Spring 2016 Nouvelle Vogue color collection.  But guess what?  Before Impassioned, I had been using Douceur which came out in 2010 but was limited edition.  Douceur is the most beautiful brownish pink and looks completely natural because it has no shimmer.

Impassioned is described as an orchid pink and it’s lighter and more pink than Douceur but also very wearable and natural looking.

Here’s my picture of Impassioned and Douceur.  Douceur is in the front and obviously more worn, while Impassioned is behind.

IMG_0042

Obviously Douceur was an old favourite and I’m keeping it close, but Impassioned is the new fave and it’s the one that I reach for every day.  The winning thing about them both is that there’s no shimmer and they’re not very pigmented which makes it very easy to blend them so that they look natural.  You can really control how much and where you apply when the powder is not too pigmented.  I actually pat on the blush (with the brush) and then blend so that I control exactly how much I get and where.

Impassioned is $38 and is permanent to the Nars blush family!

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Bumble and Bumble Don’t Blow It Hair Stylers

Posted on August 26, 2019 by Henna

I’m so glad that air styling your hair is making a comeback even if it’s only momentary. I’ve always liked air styling because it is easier and more gentle on already dry hair. The key for me has always been to use lots of product and to layer with something moisturizing so that my frizz is taken care of.

So I’ve been trying out the Bumble and Bumble Don’t Blow it (H)air Stylers. There’s one for fine hair and one for thicker and coarser hair. As predicted, the styler for fine hair is lighter than the one for thicker hair which is creamier.

I have fine hair – but it’s also curly and rather frizzy. The light Don’t Blow It wasn’t enough for my hair. My hair looked really dry when I used it. I loved the Thick (H)air Styler.  It gave my hair hold, calmed the frizz, and just made my hair look good.  I’ll be reaching for this regularly, and especially when I’m not going to be straightening or blow-drying my hair.  It’s a very nice cream for dry and frizzy hair.

Available at salons and Sephora. $21 each.

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Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Foundation Review

Posted on August 25, 2019 by Henna

Huda Beauty has a brand new foundation out and although I’m not a huge fan, I thought I would check it out to see what’s the latest and greatest out there.

The colour selection available is amazing and true to skin tones.  I was impressed by the golden and neutral undertones available in some of the colours, and they were better than what I’ve found from many other brands. Out of the two shades of foundation I tried, both were really good and seemed to give me natural-looking coverage.  One was so good that it was completely imperceptible on my skin.

My colour was 240 Baklava.

This is a thick medium-to-full coverage foundation with natural satin-looking coverage.  It’s great for concealing just about anything.

Personally, I prefer a most natural-looking and feeling foundation, but if you’re in the market for full coverage and need to find colours that suit your skin tone, then check this one out!

$54 at Sephora.

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Aveda Be Curly Style Prep Review

Posted on August 23, 2019 by Henna

I love it when good things come in small packages – like this Aveda Be Curly Style Prep. I got 2 samples of these this summer, and used it everyday for a couple of weeks. It defined my curls and let my hair dry quickly and without any frizz. I did find that it wasn’t very hydrating, so if your hair is dry then you’ll need to add some leave-in conditioner into it, or even a hair serum, but it worked kind of like a light crunch-free gel on my curls.

Available at Aveda stores. $36.

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Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder

Posted on August 22, 2019 by Henna

Video where I apply this is coming soon – in the meantime, take a look at how pretty this powder is.  The colour is called 01 Mousseline Pastel, and the scribble tiger print is limited edition for 2019.  Otherwise, this powder is available in basic packaging too.

The powder is translucent but brightening because of all the different colou rs that make it up.  The pink, blue, green, and white counteract any sallow/orange tones in the skin.  Because the powder is translucent, it can be used on all skin tones.  I like it on myself and do find it to be sheer but brightening.  

It’s also lightly fragranced, which is nice. I find that I can smell it when I first apply it, but later in the day, the scent is gone.

Available at Holt Renfrew, $80.

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It Cosmetics Miracle Water 3-in-1 Glow Tonic

Posted on August 21, 2019 by Henna

Meet It Cosmetics: Miracle Water 3-in-1 Glow Tonic.  Said to be able to cleanser, brighten and hydrate skin in one fell swoop, there’s a chance you’ve never met this kind of toner.

It does cleanse your skin, but does it without any harsh cleansing agents.  There isn’t alcohol in this Tonic, and nor is there any foaming agents.  You simply use a cotton pad to apply this on and wipe it off.  I prefer to get a muslin and wet that, and then soak my lashes in it before I rub off the rest of the makeup on my face.  This does a decent job without me needing to waste a whole bunch of cotton pads, but if you want your skin to be squeaky clean, then follow up with another cleanser.

This is a great finisher after you’ve removed your makeup, to get rid of excess residue, and to moisturize all in one shot.  I use it as a final step in the morning, or as my only morning cleanser.

$50 at Sephora.

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IGK Mistress Leave-In Conditioner

Posted on August 20, 2019 by Henna

I don’t know when, but sometime last year I noticed the brand IGK pop up on my Sephora page, and the brand definitely caught my eye. They have a coconut oil gel for curly hair, and products that lean towards using natural but old-school ingredients. In particular, they have a shampoo and conditioner with Amla oil in it, which is long revered in Indian folk remedies for being very good for your hair and scalp.

Anyway, I got a sample size of the IGK Mistress Leave-In and I had to try it.

This gel is for all hair types and has coconut oil as one of the ingredients (along with water, dimethicone, and other usual suspects). The gel is clear and gives you some hold along with conditioning. I found that I couldn’t just use it on its own, but it was great paired with a little bit of hair serum too.

You can use this on wet hair or dry hair. On dry hair, it works more like a traditional gel because it sets your style but leaves hair a bit crunchy, so do this if you’re going to be washing your hair the next day anyway. On wet hair, this left my hair soft and smooth and frizz-free. I’d use it again, and I’d get the full size too.

Pick it up at Sephora for $38.

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Mascara Monday: Pat McGrath FetishEyes Mascara Review

Posted on August 19, 2019 by Henna

I reviewed the Pat McGrath FetishEyes mascara… you can see that it made my lashes look pretty good, but watch the video for the full review.

http://www.instagram.com/tv/B1EnH3ah8-7/

$40 at Sephora.

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Swatch: OPI You’re Such a Budapest

Posted on August 16, 2019 by Henna

Yes, my mani got wrecked because of the fan, but this was such a pretty colour that I had to post. OPI You’re Such a Budapest. Love it.

$13 at The Bay, Walmart, and salons.

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Dior Pump N Volume Mascara Review

Posted on August 15, 2019 by Henna


Dior’s new mascara, Pump N Volume, changes everything by allowing you to choose how much product you want on the brush wand.  It comes in a matte black tube that’s soft in the center, where you squeeze to allow product to attach itself directly to the wand.  It lets the brush get fully loaded so that you can apply lots of mascara to your lashes.

What the mascara really has going for it is that the formula is amazing.  It builds volume, lengthens, dries quickly and wears even in hot weather without any smudging or flaking.  Truly this is the creme de la creme of mascara formulas.

I also like the wand: it’s got rubber bristles which I find are the best for really separating lashes and coating each and every lash.  It’s just the right size too, so that mascara stays on your lashes and doesn’t go anywhere else.

While I like the idea of wearing lots of mascara, I actually found that squeezing the tube put too much product on the wand, to the point where it was hard for me to apply without getting it all over my eyelid.  I prefer not squeezing it, getting just the right amount of mascara on there and then applying, and going over my lashes with a dry brush to make sure that any clumps have come out.

If you apply lots of product, then the mascara goes on really heavily. Not so that there are clumps, but just lots of product on your lashes, so that they kind of stick together instead of being separated.  If you like spider lashes, then this might work for you, but I like more of a separated look, so I keep going through the lashes until they’re all separated.  The good part is that the mascara and the wand seems to coat all the lashes from base to tip so that they look longer than ever.

But ultimately, this mascara smudged on me… especially this summer when my skin was oilier, and I was applying and reapplying sunscreen, this mascara just didn’t hold up.

Available at Dior counters. $37.

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