Canadian Beauty

Elizabeth Arden Sunkissed Pearls Spring 2015 Collection

Posted on April 12, 2015 by Henna

There’s a lot of talk of a clean foundation look, and contouring and highlighting, but let’s get back to the fact that the main makeup look this spring is fresh and real looking – ironically, that requires a lot of makeup sometimes, but that’s ok.

Elizabeth Arden hits all the high notes this spring, but giving us a collection that has tons of shimmer and a little bit of colour in it.

There’s a cream eyeshadow stick that aims to provide colour and some shimmer to the eye area. I always love the stick format because it makes it really easy to apply eye shadow on the go and in the mornings when I’m in a rush! No more looking for a brush, I can just prime and apply and even get into the corners of the eyes and underneath my lower lashes.

Colours are Bronze Pearl, Fresh Water Pearl, and Blue Pearl.

There’s also a Lip Gloss 3-Pack which includes:

Pink Pearl
Coral Pearl
Berry Pearl

The Sunkissed Pearls gel eyeliner is a nice touch. Bright colours need black liner to balance things out. This eyeliner is super emollient so it goes on very smoothly but lasts the whole day. It’s pretty slick.

I feel like the Sunkissed Pearls Bronzer and Highlighter is the one product that people will like the most, but it wore pretty lightly on me, and so I’d only recommend it for fair skin tones.

Check out the entire collection on counters now.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Elizabeth Arden | 1 Comment

Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Henna

Check out Clinique’s latest new foundation: even the applicator and bottle are meant to look like a giant bottle of concealer, giving you the go-ahead to dot directly on your face and then smear around however you see fit. And when you need more coverage… use the applicator to dot on more.

Clinique’s latest foundation is meant to be an all-in-one in so many ways. Truly, it’s a medium-finish foundation that can be layered on to get more coverage so that you could use it as a concealer. What makes it different than other medium-finish foundations is that the finish is so silky and light, that when you layer it on as a concealer, it still manages to look natural and skin-like.

The other thing that makes this foundation different is that it’s supposed to be oil-absorbing and hydrating. I can’t attest to its hydrating properties because I don’t have dry skin, and I use a moisturizer with SPF under all my foundations (as should you), but I can say that it holds up pretty well for oily skin. I need to blot mid-day as I’ve been doing with all my foundations, and it’s not a true long-wearing foundation in the way that Revlon Color-Stay or L’Oreal Infallible foundation is, but it does seem to last longer than the average foundation.

The packaging is pretty nice – a nice heavy glass bottle that contains a huge doe-footed applicator. It makes it easy to swipe enough foundation on larger areas such as the forehead and cheeks, but also makes it easy to dot on extra foundation and on blemishes or other areas that might need more coverage. I dot on the foundation and then blend it out with my foundation brush and the look is seamless.

The finish is satin-matte but I powder on top and use a setting spray as well and so my finish and foundation does last for at least 8 hours.

Pick up the foundation at Clinique for $34.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Clinique | 1 Comment

Gosh Spring 2015 Collection

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Henna

We love Gosh’s Spring 2015 collection for one main reason: the formulas are all amazing.

This spring’s collection for eyes and lips has options that are long-wearing and stay put through anything.

You have to check out their Forever Lip Shines ($15). They are glossy, slick, lip sticks that have a stain quality. So when the shiny moisturizing coat wears off, you’re left with a stain of colour still on your lips, and it stays for a lot longer than a normal lipstick would.

The collection also has two shades of the Velvet Touch Waterproof Eyeliner ($12) and Velvet Touch Waterproof Lipliner ($10). Both are formulated to go on smooth and stay on for a long time. Despite being waterproof, they do come off fairly easily with facial cleanser at the end of the day.

Check out Gosh at Shoppers Drug Mart locations.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged GOSH, Lip Products | 2 Comments

New Make Up For Ever Mist and Fix

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Henna

Setting sprays are the new “in” makeup must-have. If you find that your makeup doesn’t last the whole day, or you have a special event coming up, then this is the one product you need to add to your kit.

Make Up For Ever has re-launched their new Mist and Fix so that it is better than ever. What you need to know about this setting spray is that it doesn’t have any alcohol in it like a lot of other setting sprays do. That means it won’t dry out your skin and that it’s suitable for dry skin as well as oily skin.

I found that it also had a bit more of a hydrating feel and look to it after I applied it although my skin feels soft to the touch after it dries.

My favourite way to use it to mist it on my face and then on my foundation brush before applying the foundation. This helps the foundation go on so smoothly and it makes it look more skin-like. When I use it in this way, it really reminds me of MAC’s Fix +, which is a good thing, although I have to admit that I never used Fix + as much as I use this. If you liked the Fix +, then you will like this. You could also use this to “freshen” up makeup throughout the day – noting that you’d have to spritz this on and then apply more foundation and/or concealer, but this isn’t something I do, and I’d rather just have my makeup look a little more worn-in rather than apply more.

A misting alcohol-free spray like this is also great used as a toner – to add a layer of hydration to the skin before moisturizing and priming. It’s worth it if you have very dry skin and if you live in a dry place.

At $34 it’s a worthwhile investment if you’re into makeup that lasts and lasts.

Available at Sephora.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Make Up For Ever | 3 Comments

Stella McCartney Inspired Pure Boosts by Adidas

Posted on April 3, 2015 by Henna

Ever since joining the YMCA in junior high, I’ve been a bit of a gym rat so investing in workout gear is an ongoing thing for me. I’ve long bought Stella McCartney inspired workout clothes by Adidas, and now I have these Pure Boosts that are inspired by Stella McCartney.

The idea behind the Adidas Pure Boosts is that they’re super light thanks to a very light foam-like sole. The upper is stretchy and breathable – made so that you feel comfortable whether you’re wearing the shoes at the gym or outside.

I have another pair of Pure Boosts (black and white) but as comfortable as they were, I didn’t find that I could wear them out and about because they didn’t look great. I like the velcro closure of these Stella McCartney ones and the colour scheme goes better with the white. I’m not a runner so I don’t know how they fare out on the track, but I like them for the treadmill, elliptical, and for lifting weights. They are so light and comfortable with lots of cushioning at the sole which is great because the sole is literally a sore spot for me.

Available at Adidas.ca.

Posted in More Than Beauty | Tagged Adidas, Clothing, Workout Gear | Leave a comment

New Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Powder Foundation

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Henna

Urban Decay is totally becoming my favourite brand of makeup. Previously, too bold or brash for my tastes, lately they’ve held on to their bold roots, but they’ve also managed to introduce lots of core products that work for everyone. The Naked palettes were a great example of that – finally, all neutral/nude colours that many people could get use. The Naked on the Run palette continues to be on my vanity and in frequent rotation in my routine, and now there’s the Urban Decay Ultra Definition Powder Foundation.

Truly, this powder foundation is unlike any other out there, and I’ve tried tons. The Urban Decay powder foundation is super silky to the touch and light as air. It looks like skin on the face, and you can only see that it’s foundation when you look at it up close. If you want more coverage, you can apply the foundation with a wet sponge and it goes on just like liquid foundation, but dries to its original powdery finish.

What’s even better is that the foundation comes in 14 colours and are labelled as cool, neutral, or warm. It’s genius and it makes it to easy to find your colour. Mine is warm, of course, and I was happy to find that Medium Light Warm matches my skin so closely without being orange or yellow.

My favourite way to use this foundation is dry, and I have to say that it’s the perfect one to keep in my purse because I can apply it on the go, and even use my fingers to use it as a spot concealer. It’s weightless, and does look skin-like without getting to be cakey. It absorbs oil and feels smooth as the day wears on. Apply a setting spray after first putting it on your skin, and then you’ll definitely have something that doesn’t look too powdery.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Foundation, Urban Decay | Leave a comment

Bobbi Brown Hot Nudes Collection

Posted on April 1, 2015 by Henna

Bobbi Brown’s latest collection is inspired by the warm weather and shades of Florida. Think bright colours but easy nude eyes that need just a hint of shimmer or a slick of black eyeliner paired with a pop of colour on the cheeks and lips.

The collection includes three new colours of the Art Sticks (I still need to try those!) and they come in Hot Pink, Hot Berry, and Hot Orange ($30 each).

The Sheer Lip Colours are the highlight of the collection, I think. They come in three basic colours: orange, berry, and pink and make bright lips easy to wear. Be prepared to wear the pigment with some confidence: these “sheer” colours are sill super pigmented and one swipe is enough to give you enough of a punch of colour. ($30 each)

Also check out the Hot Nude Cheek Palettes – they are perfect for those times that you wanted a range of coordinating cheek colours to play with but all in one palette. There’s Pink,Calypso, and Berry. Each has two matte sahdes and one shimmer shade in it. ($52 each)

Here’s mine in Pink. Surprisingly, my favourite shade in the palettes is the shimmer, even though I normally stay away from shimmer shades. These are different: they are so sheer, and the shimmer is totally wearable. They’re also gold-tinged so they kind of wear like bronzers instead of true shimmer blushes.

I did find the darker shade to be a little unwearable for anyone that’s medium-toned. It’s just too dark and super pigmented so it’s hard to blend down as well.

Obviously, the Hot Nudes Eye Palette ($76) is amazing. It’s a nice blend of matte base colours, metallic lid colours, a sheer shimmery brown for the crease, two intense sparkle colours, and one sheer shimmer (almost matte, though!) black that works to add intensity if you need it. The metallic colours are on the light side, especially because the shimmer is silvery, but that’s the idea with this nude palette.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Bobbi Brown | Leave a comment

Clinique’s Basic Contour and Highlight

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Henna

Clinique too launched a contour and highlight duo recently. Created in their iconic Chubby Stick packaging, this is the contour and highlight meant to be applied on the go because you don’t need to use any brushes with it. The stick packaging means that you can literally swipe on the contour or highlight, and blend it in with your fingers.

At $24 each, it’s kind of nice that you can buy each stick separately depending on whether you really need it in your makeup bag or not. The highlight only comes in one colour and it’s a cool-toned peach/pink shimmer. The contour comes in a natural-enough matte brown shade that might not work for very fair skin tones.

Try them before you buy. Available at Clinique counters now.

Posted in Summer 2015 | Tagged Clinique, Contour | Leave a comment

Finally Got It: Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Henna

There’s been some backlash against contouring recently. The Globe and Mail published this email past weekend about how contouring has gone mainstream when it used to just be reserved for the stage, and how difficult it can be to make contouring look truly “natural”.

I have to admit: I contour every day, and I know sometimes I’ve over-done it and it doesn’t look totally as natural as it should. But it looks amazing in pictures and on camera, and from far, so it’s still something that I try to do carefully. The trend isn’t going away; though there’s backlash against it, the “trend” will just become the “new normal” like liquid eyeliner.

Make Up for Ever’s new Pro Sculpting duo gives you a highlight colour and a contouring colour in one easy-to-carry palette. The contour colour has just a tiny bit of shimmer, while the highlight colour is very shimmery. The palettes come in two colours: one for cool skin-tones (the shimmer is on the pink side that’s cool-toned) and another for skin tones that are warmer (the shimmer is golden).

The formula is gel-powder that is like MAC’s Extra Dimension formula or Estee Lauder’s gel-powder formula. It’s lightly cushiony to the touch and blends very nicely as long as you use a clean brush to apply it.

I found the highlighting powder to be a little too shimmery for me – it wears almost like a metallic eyeshadow, and I’d prefer wearing it on my lids. I like it on my cheek bones or brow bones if I’m going out, but skip it most days. The contour colour is on-point, and one that I’m going to enjoy wearing, although it’s missing the hint of taupe that makes a shadow look truly natural. Used properly it makes angles of the face really pop.

Get it at Sephora for $45.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Contour, Make Up For Ever | Leave a comment

Live Clean Exotic Nectar Replenishing Body Lotion

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Henna

I’m kind of having a Live Clean moment right now. First, I loved their hand soap, and now I’m using the body lotion in the same great Argan Oil-infused line.

This is the prefect lotion to transition into the warmer months. It’s light on the hands but still fortified with glycerine, grape-seed oil, and olive oil to leave your skin nice and moisturized without any greasiness or residue. The lotion sinks in quickly but goes beyond the basic body lotion because it makes skin feel so nice.

Pick it up at drugstores for $6.50.

Posted in For the Body | Tagged Live Clean | 1 Comment