Canadian Beauty

Beauty Blender in a BirchBox!

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Henna

Guess what, my friends? If you’ve always wanted to try a Beauty Blender, now is the time. If you sign up for a BirchBox then you can get a Beauty Blender in it.

BirchBox is a trial box program. For $10 plus $4.95 shipping and handling, you get a box of beauty goodies delivered to your door each month. Some of the products are sample-sized, some are full-sized, and some are deluxe sample sizes. It’s a cool program if you buy a lot of products but find that you don’t use a lot of them. It might be better to get some smaller sizes so that you can see whether you like the products before you invest in full sizes.

If you sign up for a Birchbox by March 17th, you will get a Beauty Blender sponge in your first box – it’s a great deal because Beauty Blender sponges normally cost $34 for 2 sponges.

If you’re wondering whether you really need this, here are ways in which you can use your Beauty Blender:

Stipple, Don’t Rub!

Wet sponge until completely saturated, squeeze out the excess water, and dab it in your makeup. Bounce it along your skin, pressing slightly on the surface.
Finish your look by swiping your favorite cream blush and stippling with your Beauty Blender to achieve a seamless dewy glow.
If you’re looking to take your makeup from day to night, finish with powder to set makeup.
Make your cheeks pop by applying highlighter at a slight angle until you’re in line with the center of your nose. Using your bb sponge, blend for the perfect contour effect.

Easy DIY Ombre Nails

Prime nails with a base coat before applying two coats of your base nail color.
Wet Beauty Blender until completely saturated, then squeeze out the excess water. Take three of your favorite nail colors that compliment your bottom nail shade, and paint one line of each color on to the smaller tip of your bb sponge.
Test the ombre effect by rolling your bb sponge on a piece of paper towel until you find the desired ombre effect you want to apply to your nails.
Position your sponge on the middle-left side of your nail then swipe to the right, repeating this process on every finger. Clean up excess polish on your fingers with nail remover and finish with a top coat.

Perfect the Matte Lip

Once BB sponge has been squeezed dry of access water, apply leftover foundation on to sponge. Stipple foundation over your entire lip area to prep them for a matte look.
Tap the sponge into a translucent setting powder to hold foundation. Then outline and fill in lips with your favorite lipstick shade.
To add a bit of flare, highlight around lips to make them appear more full.

Create the Ultimate Smokey Eye

Wet sponge until completely saturated, squeeze out the excess water.
Once you have set your eyeliner, achieve a more enhanced smokey eye by stippling the smaller end of your bb sponge across your lid.
Add a bit of contrast by using a lighter eyeliner shade to swipe along the corner of your inner eye.
The end result is a perfectly smudged smokey eye.

Posted in More Than Beauty | Tagged Beauty Blender, BirchBox | 2 Comments

The Kat Von D Shade and Light Palette

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Henna

Contour? That’s a daily thing now. I don’t know how I lived without it, and I’ve actually gotten to be pretty pleased with how my pictures are turning out thanks to it. The key is definitely using a matte bronzer and sometimes I mix in a bit of taupe shadow to make it really look like the hollows of my cheeks.

When I saw the Kat Von D shade and Light Contour Palette ($55) at Sephora, I knew I had to try it. The palette has three shades of contour matched with three shades of highlighting powder. Every single colour is matte, which is awesome.

Because the palette is designed just to contour and highlight, each of the contour shades are cool-based so that they look like undertones instead of misplaced bronzer (which can look dirty).

The highlighting powders are pretty amazing too. They don’t have shimmer in them so you can apply them under the eye, on the forehead, nose, chin – areas of your face that you’d want to stand out. What I’ve noticed is that these powders are more pigmented than a brightening CC powder – definitely more pigmented than MAC or Bobbi Brown’s CC Powder, and meant to be used differently (not all over the face). The contour colours are pigmented enough to provide depth quickly and without much layering so they look skin-like.

The best thing about these powders is that although they’re pressed, they’re light as air because they’re so finely milled. That means that they blend into foundation seamlessly. I use the highlighting colour to set my makeup, avoiding the places where I know I’m going to put my contour colour. ,I like using the contour shade in the crease of my eye but the finish is a bit powdery so it’s not my go-to.

Overall – whether you’re new to contouring or a pro, you’re going to love this palette because it makes contouring and highlighting fool-proof. You know that you’re using the right tools because those tools are made specifically for the job you’re doing.

Check out this, and other Kat Von D products at Sephora.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Contour, Kat Von D, Sephora | Leave a comment

Women of Influence – The Founder of Baby Gourmet

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Henna

If you have a kid under three, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of the Baby Gourmet brand. I’m actually a huge fan of the brand myself because when I was looking for baby food, this was the only one that didn’t put salt or sugar in any of their products – that was the one ingredient that I wanted to try myself, but finding a baby snack with no sugar or salt is shockingly difficult.

In any case, I found Baby Gourmet and then I was set, and actually, I still buy their snacks as a treat for my little one – all their ingredients are organic which is another plus, and the company is from Canada.

When I heard that Jennifer Carlson, the founder of Baby Gourmet, was going to speak at the Women of Influence event here in Calgary, I was so excited. I definitely wanted to hear from her because she found a niche market in an area that seems already saturated. Carlson’s topic is: “Turn a Bright Idea into a Million-Dollar International Brand” or in other words how she created a company from a basic idea.

You too can hear Carlson speak, if you’re in the Calgary Area. She is speaking on March 10 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at The Westin. Head over to the Women of Influence website to purchase tickets ($55 each).

Posted in More Than Beauty | Leave a comment

New Nars Dual Intensity Blush

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Henna

… Nars does it again. Basically, you know that if the brand is launching a new product, it’s going to be a cut above what’s already out there. This Dual Intensity Blush is everything. It’s a blush that you can use wet or dry. When you use it dry, you get bold colour and more intense pigment but when you use it wet you can sheer it out easily and it becomes almost like a watercolour paint that blends into your skin effortlessly.

Here’s mine in Jubilation: Gold and Peach shimmer that work well as highlighters. Both are amazing when wet because they buff into foundation and make skin look like it’s glowing instead of being overly shimmery. Dry, they double as eyeshadows and brighten the eye area.

I love that the package is actually a blush duo instead of just one blush – it means that you have more blush options, and more of a chance to play around. It’s great for makeup artists who usually use more than one shade of blush, and great for those of us who need options when we’re getting ready.

Other options are:

Frenzy: Pink-Gold Highlight and Tangerine Shimmering Blush

Craving: Seashell Pink highlighter with Shimmer Bronze Blush

Adoration: Shimmery pink with hot pink

Fervor: Sparkling Rose and Shimmering Pink

Panic: Shimmering Fuchsia and Golden Orange-Pink

As you might be able to tell from the descriptions, there is a downside: all the options have tons of shimmer which means that there’s nary a very natural colour to be found, so be prepared to have highlight whether you want it or not. That’s kind of why Jubilation is genius, because you’re already signing up for a highlight and that’s what you get.

This blush is available at Sephora and NarsCosmetics.com on March 15th, and at Holt Renfrew, Hudson’s Bay, Nordstrom and Murale on April 1.

$52.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Nars | Leave a comment

New Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Henna

This is maybe the most under-rated foundation to come out ever!

Maybelline’s Fit Me foundation has been a Youtube fan favourite for a while. It comes in colours that are skin-tone true and is just enough coverage that it can easily match your skin and blend into your neck.

That said, the finish of the original foundation was quite dewy which is great for some skin types, but not great if you have oily skin and tend to stay away from the shimmer.

But now, there’s a Matte + Poreless version of the Maybelline Fit Me foundation and it’s a winner.

To start, the packaging is great – if pretty typical for the drugstore. It’s a glass bottle that feels substantial. The only thing missing is a pump and that’s a huge oversight. The only way to get the foundation out is by shaking some out on your hand or palette or brush, and there’s really no way to make sure that you’re getting the right amount every time. I tend to shake the bottle so that there’s enough in the lid when I open it; then, I dip my foundation brush into the lid and dab the foundation on to my face. It’s not my favourite way to get the foundation out, but it’s pretty efficient in the morning and I don’t need to wash my hands after I do my makeup.

The foundation blends so well and sets to a matte but not powdery finish. It’s light to medium coverage depending on how you apply it and blend it, and you can definitely dab on more to areas that need it. It has decent lasting power especially if you apply powder and a setting spray. What I really love is that I found a colour that’s a decent match for my skin tone and that the foundation looks totally natural on me. After adding contour and blush, it looks especially great.

The bottle for the foundation isn’t huge, but it’s been my go-to foundation for the past few weeks, and I have to say that I’m half-way through the bottle which is saying a lot. I can’t remember the last time I actually finished a foundation, because I usually get bored and move on, but this one looks so good and is so easy to use that it’s hard to beat.

You can get this foundation at the drugstore now – with a drugstore price ($9.99) and good matches (12 shades), it’s maybe one of the best products at the drugstore right now. There’s also a Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Powder available in 8 shades.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Maybelline | 2 Comments

First Look: MAC Cinderella Collection

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Henna

Coming March 5th will be the MAC Cinderella collection. I have to say that I missed out on the MAC Maleficent collection because I hadn’t seen the movie, but not so with this one.

If you’re looking for a way to add some pretty glitter into your makeup look, then this is a collection you’ll want to check out. Be warned though: glitter needs to be added to one aspect of your makeup, not every part of your makeup!

One of my favourite new products from this collection is the eye gloss. It’s a new product for MAC and ties into the whole “light” theme that is so big for spring. If you’re old enough, you’ll remember that Club Monaco used to have an eye grease/gloss product in the ’90’s. It’s something that I always wanted to own, but never bought because I knew that anything greasy would just crease on my eyelids – this is clearly before the debut of the eyelid primer.

But these glosses are different. They are super sticky like a MAC Lipglass, and thicker too. All you really need to do is pat your finger into the gloss and apply sparingly to the lid. Because they’re so sticky, you won’t want to apply a lot because it’s just going to make it uncomfortable to wear, but if you apply the gloss just right, it’s actually a very wearable iridescent shimmer that’s perfect for a special event.

The two colours are:

Lightly Tauped, light beige gloss with pearl and Pearl Varnish, white gloss with pearl (that is the one I have above). $27.50 each.

Lipsticks are also in light colours:

Free As A Butterfly semi-sheer golden nude (lustre) /
Royal Ball fleshy pink (lustre) / SRP $17.50 US / $21.00 CAD

Lipglass is:

Happily Ever After cool milky pink with bluish pearl /
Glass Slipper light milky pink with pinkish pear /
SRP $16.50 US / $20.00 CAD

The eyeshadow palette contains 6 shadows in the following shades:

Phloof! frosted off-white (frost) / Quarry soft muted plum-brown (matte) / Omega soft muted beige-taupe (matte) /
Vapour peach-pink with violet pearl (velvet) /
Stroke of Midnight (black plum with sparkle pearl) (velvet) /Sat in Taupe (taupe with silver shimmer) (frost) /
SRP $44.00 US / $53.00 CAD

Remember when I said not to overdo the glitter. Check out Reflects Pearl which is a fine white glitter. Either use the eye gloss or the glitter, but not both.

There’s also Pigment in Evil Stepmother (black plum with plum pearl) and Pretty It Up (olive with pearlized pigments) (SRP $24.00 US / $29.00 CA).

The Beauty Powder in Mystery Princess is a pretty peach shade with tons of shimmer in it. It’s best for special occasions just because it’s so shimmery.

There’s also an Iridescent Pressed Powder in Coupe D’Chic which is a light golden peach with gold shimmer (SRP $28.00 US / $33.00 CAD).

The Studio Fix Lash mascara in BoldBlack is amazing and maybe the best MAC mascara I’ve ever tried.

It separates lashes because the bristles are spaced apart and are stiff enough to get in between clumps. It layers well, looks great, and doesn’t flake either. (SRP $19.00 US / $22.00 CAD).

The collection is definitely something different and one of the best from MAC so far this year.

It’s available March 5th at MAC counters.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged MAC | Leave a comment

Pretty Dior Spring Rose

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Henna

Dior always has my favourite polish colours, and this March, you’ll be able to find this one on Dior counters. It’s Rose which is a pretty pink with gold shimmer.

Part of the Dior Rouge Brilliant launch, this colour is will be limited edition, while the Rouge Brilliant lip glosses will be permanent to the line.

Rouge Brilliant will come in 12 colours. The gloss is very pigmented and comes with a unique applicator. It’s precise (which you need since the pigment is so rich), but also has a kind of well in it so that it collects gloss and you get plenty of product to apply to your lips.

Colours are called:

Swan (263)
Paname (310)
Miss (359)
Bonheur (468)
Hollywood (688)
Times Square (760)
Rose Harpers (766)
Darling (775)
Victoire (808)
Royale (858)
Soho (888)
999 (999)

What I love about these glosses is that not only are they pigmented, but they are super hydrating. Dior says that they have collagen in them to plump up the lips, but I have to say that what I notice is that my lips are so hydrated and glossy that they look amazing. They are buttery to apply and leave your lips feeling buttery when the gloss has worn off.

Pick up these glosses ($39) and the nail polish ($28) at the Dior counter March 1st.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Dior, lip gloss, nail polish, Swatch | Leave a comment

The New Neutrals: Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palette

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Henna

If you haven’t heard of Hourglass Cosmetics, you’ve been missing out. It’s maybe the most high-end niche, cult-favourite cosmetic line available at Sephora and it’s amazing.

When Hourglass releases something, it’s going to be a cut above what’s already out there, and the Modernist palette is no exception. The conception is thoroughly modern: a set of four eyeshadows that don’t have a divider among them, allowing you to freely mix and blend colours to customize them for yourself.

I got one in Infinity which is described as Warm Neutrals. This palette has warm ivory, dusty rose, bronzed mauve, cool taupe, dark cocoa.

What’s interesting about Infinity and some of the other Modernist palettes is that they have a focus on matte shades and only contain one or two shimmery shades. Infinity’s only shimmer is the bronzed mauve that’s right in the middle of the palette. The ivory on one end makes for a lovely natural highlight, but one that’s without any shimmer. The dark cocoa works well to subtly define eyes but I also use it to fill in my brows. The dusty rose and cool taupe on their side of the mauve are great for contouring in the crease, and I even add a touch of the taupe to my bronzer to contour my face. It works like a charm, blending into my makeup effortlessly.

What really blows me away about this palette is how amazingly pigmented it is – these are the most pigmented shadows I’ve ever used. So much so that there’s a learning curve when it comes to using them, and I really have to make sure that I’m careful when I’m picking up pigment on my eyeshadow brush. It does mean that sometimes I can get away with using these shadows without an eyeshadow primer which I’ve never been able to do.

At $67 this palette is a splurge especially if it’s by a brand that you may not be familiar with, so if you’re going to get it, I suggest you invest in a palette you can get a lot of use out of. Try to make sure that it has a highlight and contour colour you can use regularly, and it’s a nice touch to have a super dark colour to use on your brows. Infinity has turned into a kind of staple for me – I might not use all of it, but I seem to use atleast one colour every day.

Available at Sephora stores now – 7 palettes in total.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Eyeshadow, Hourglass | Leave a comment

Essie’s Spring 2015 Collection

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Henna

These shades are just what you need to revamp your nail polish wardrobe this spring.

Essie’s Spring 2015 collection offers a nice range of fun brights that are totally wearable.

Colours are:

Flowerista – fuschia plum purple

Petal Pushers – stone grey

Garden Variety – teal blue

Blossom Dandy – mint creme

Picked Perfect – Almond

Perennial Chic – tawny

Here’s a picture of me wearing Petal Pushers. It was my favourite shade of the lot.

Perennial Chic is below: it’s a pretty peach.

I also loved Blossom Dandy but it got majorly chipped before I even got a chance to take a picture.

The collection comes out this March.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Essie, nail polish | Leave a comment

Your Spring Pop of Colour Via Clarins Garden Escape

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Henna

We’re thinking of Spring despite the weather outside. It must be because it’s not quite as dark as it used to be when we leave the house in the morning, and the sun hasn’t set by the time we eat dinner… truly, nicer weather has to be around the corner and if you can’t make it, fake it.

At least that’s what I keep telling myself as I use Clarins’ new Garden Escape 6-Colour Eye Palette. It’s a super easy way to add colour to your look without being heavy-handed because despite having shades of green and pink (which ordinarily I just wouldn’t touch) these are all so silky and super blendable and you can use them with some comfort because they can be sheered out. The addition of an icy white and a molten chocolate taupe-brown shimmer means that it’s also Clarins-approved to mix the bright shades with the neutrals to make something that’s customized just for you.

This 6-colour palette also includes a huge mirror and a double-ended brush so you can use it on the go.

$44 for the palette at Clarins.caor at your local Clarins counter.

Posted in Spring 2015 | Tagged Clarins, Eyeshadow | Leave a comment