This Week’s Makeup Obsession: Nars Eyeliner Stylo

nars eyeliner styloIf you’re looking for a new liquid eyeliner, you need to get your hands on the new Nars Eyeliner Stylo.  Available in Satin and Matte finish, this eyeliner marker delivers a fine or thick line and goes on without skipping or tugging.

I prefer the Satin finish over the matte – I found that my Matte Stylo didn’t have a lot of pigment in it, whereas the satin was an intense rich black that didn’t smudge or smear throughout the day.

I don’t normally use a marker eyeliner (I prefer a gel pot) but I’ve been using these nonstop and I’ve gotten used to making a pretty great cat eye with them.

Here’s an end-of-day selfie where my eyeliner lasted the day.  This was after lots of time in humid weather with temperatures over 30 degrees.

$34 at HBC, Sephora, and narscosmetics.ca.

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Posted in Fall 2016 | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Summer’s Best New Beauty Brand Find

I love discovering new beauty brands, and my latest find is Elabloom, a Canadian company that believes in making affordable but quality and safe cosmetics.  Elabloom, meaning Earth’s Bloom, wants to help people become one with the earth through taking care of themselves.

Elabloom body scrubThe product that won me over is the Exfoliating Body Scrub – unlike most salt and sugar blends, this is a lightly foaming gel that contains real lava powder to gently scrub the skin.  You won’t notice any redness or irritation after using this – just soft, moisturized skin that hardly even needs body lotion after using this gentle formula.

Parabens, phthalates and petroleum-free, Elabloom also makes products for the hair, for men, and for babies.

Check them out on Elabloom.com.

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In Case I Was Missing Summer…

Aveeno coconut body wash and body lotionMy favourite body wash and moisturizer duo comes in a delicate coconut scent, so that’s what I’m adding to my bath.  It’s the Aveeno Skin Relief Gentle Scent™ Coconut Body Wash ($9.99) and the Aveeno Skin Relief Gentle Scent™ Coconut Lotion ($13.99).  I keep a big pump bottle of the moisturizer on my bathroom vanity and my desk – it’s perfect for dry winter hands, and the scent isn’t overpowering, but just a little something different.

And the body wash is the extra dose of moisture that I need in the cooler months.  It’s soap-free, and dye-free, and according to Aveeno, 95% of users with sensitive skins found that it was mild and gentle.

The moisturizer has dimethicone so it has a dryer slick feel, rather than feeling greasy on the skin. They’re just what I need right now.

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The VMA’s Best Beauty Moment

… this particular award has to be given to Naomi Campbell for wearing a glittery lip, thanks to Pat McGrath’s Lip Lust Kit.  The kit launches in a few days and Campbell’s look shows every naysayer how wearable a glitter lip actually is – for a special occasion of course.

naomi campbell in glitterl ip

 

What do you think?  Is this a trend you’d like to try?

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I’m Back…

… insert guilty-face emoji here…

So I’ve been on vacation for the past month, and despite taking my laptop with me, I confess I didn’t do anything other than reply to the most important emails.

But now I’m back, and in between unpacking and getting back into the swing of things, my social calendar is filling up quite nicely.

First up is a private shopping event at Holt Renfrew, where 10% of the proceeds will go towards Contemporary Calgary.

The event takes place on September 14th at 6:30, and will include bubbles, snacks, and a Fall Fashion Presentation.  There will also be a live art auction.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here.  Proceeds from the ticket sales go directly to Contemporary Calgary, and entrance to the event includes a membership to Contemporary Calgary.

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Happy National Lipstick Day

In honour of National Lipstick Day, here are my favourite lipsticks!  Share yours in the comments below.

National Lipstick Day Lipsticks

  1. Covergirl x Katy Perry Matte lipsticks.  These lipsticks are a satin matte finish which means that they’re not too drying on the lips.  This makes them easy to wear and if you moisturize underneath, the finish is even better!  The coverage is almost-opaque and the colours available are on trend, which makes this capsule collection worth checking out.
  2. Avon Perfectly Matte lipstick.  This is another satin finish that has an almost-matte finish.  The colours available are more classic, meaning there’s a holy grail red and pink in there for you!
  3.  Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks.  I love the Honeycomb colour in this line of citrus-scented lipsticks made up of ingredients you can eat!

Surprisingly, I’ve only covered THREE lipstick lines this year, and so that’s going to have to change, especially considering that I have lipstick on me ALL THE TIME!

What are your favourite lippies?

Posted in Summer 2016 | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Correct and Cover Pink Grapefruit Moisturizer Review

Neutrogena Acne Correct and CoverNeutrogena’s Oil Free Acne Correct and Cover Pink Grapefruit Moisturizer is made for providing light coverage for acne-prone skin.  It’s oil-free and made for people who are worried about clogging more pores.  It’s great for evening out skin but because it’s water-based, it feels like nothing on.  It has a refreshing feel when applied and the fresh smell of grapefruit is great for waking up the sense.

My only problem with this moisturizer is that it’s not very long before oil starts seeping through it.  It has a satin matte finish at first, but acne-prone skin is usually oily and this moisturizer doesn’t do anything to really combat oil.

There is a small amount of salicylic acid in this, which would be great for those who are dealing with acne, but to see real results, you’ll have to pair this with stronger products either underneath or at night time.  The directions do say to apply this moisturizer 1-3 times a day, but if you’re using it like makeup – meaning you’re applying powder, blush, etc. on top – then you will likely not reapply because this will mess all that up.

This is a great light tinted moisturizer for people who want something exceptionally light and easy to wear – definitely great for a daytime or weekend look.

Find it at drugstores now.

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Summer Skincare Tips!

Ok, so it’s hot outside and you need to take care of the skin on your body so that it looks its absolute best.   I’ve cracked the code on making your skin look amazing and here is what you need to use.

summer skincare

  1. St. Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion.  You want a golden brown hue but without incurring any skin damage and trust me when I say that using a self-tanner is a total game changer.  I use it even though I’m naturally tan, and it just makes my skin look healthier and makes me look more svelte.  A gradual tanner is key because it doesn’t ever get too dark, it doesn’t streak, and you have more control over the colour.  St. Tropez’s In Shower Lotion is now available in a medium hue (if you want it to work quicker) and it takes the guess-work out of self-tanning.  Just put it on in the shower with the water off, wait three minutes (I count to 180, put a mask on, scrub my feet) and then rinse if off.  There’s actually no smell with this one!
  2. Use a body oil.  I love Zorah Cosmetics’ pure argan oil.  It’s organic and made in Canada, and it goes on so smooth. I apply it to damp skin and let is soak in while I do my hair.
  3. Use a body cream on top of your body oil.  Sothys Paris After Sun Refreshing Body Lotion is unreal.  It’s smooth and creamy and has a blend of glycerin and oils to help skin looking its best.

Don’t forget to use the sunscreen of your choice before heading out in the sun!  Keep some right by the door so you don’t forget, or apply it first thing in the morning so that it becomes a habit!

 

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OPI Summer 2016 Infinite Shine Shades

This summer OPI has released six new neutral shades of nail polish in their Infinite Shine formula, and they are everything!

OPI Infinite Shine Summer 2016

Colours above (from left to right) are:

Don’t Ever Stop – Salmon

Hurry Up and Wait – tan

No Stopping Zone – dusky brownish rose

No Strings Attached – beige nude

Can’t Stop Myself – creamy peach

Staying Neutral on This One – light, slightly sheer, peachy pink

I’m a huge fan of neutral polishes because they take you everywhere.  They’re on trend, can go from morning to night, and put the focus on hand jewelry instead of your polish.  I definitely love wearing on-trend colours too, but sometimes I like the low-key elongating look of a good neutral polish.

The fact that OPI has six shades means that there are options for all skin tones.  This polish won’t look just like your skin tone, but it’ll just be a natural nail colour option.  I like the darkest shade (I wore it in this Youtube video and showed all the shades), and it’s still lighter than my skin tone.

All the colours apply evenly, and with someone of them, I could get opaque coverage with just one coat of nail polish.  They last a long time if used with the Infinite Shine base coat and top coat, and the best part is that because they look so natural, you can barely see any grow out or chips, so your manicure looks flawless… even when it’s not!

They are $16.95 each, and available wherever OPI polishes are sold.  No Stopping Zone is definitely a favourite of mine!

 

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Wishlist: Drybar’s Baby Buttercup Blow Dryer

Drybar hair dryerHave you tried Drybar’s hair products? They are unreal – they all smell amazing and make your hair look SO good, thanks to having nourishing properties and hydrators. And now they have this cute little bright yellow hair dryer that seems all kinds of awesome.

Drybar is a chain on hair drying/styling salons out of L.A. (kind of like Blo, if you’ve heard of them), and so they know how to make good hair products.

This wee hair dryer is only $169! On to the wish list it goes!

What’s on your wish list right now?

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