New Benefit Blush: Majorette

Posted on September 17, 2014 by Henna

Benefit Majorette BlushA cream blush?  That’s a new one from Benefit, and to tell you the truth, I was not prepared to add this into the rotation since I wear this powder foundation these days and creams generally don’t go great together.

But this is a cream to powder formula and it couldn’t be better.  It actually blends easily into powder foundation and works well on bare skin too.

This blush lasts the whole day on my oily skin and that’s a first.

The peachy colour is a perfect touch of brightness and the colour goes really well with the bronze of a contour colour as well.  As far as I can remember, Benefit has come out with some really shimmery powder blushes, but this one is completely matte.  That’s a particular bonus if you want your makeup to look somewhat natural, and especially great if you have oily skin and don’t want to look more glowy than you actually are.

Benefit calls this a flush booster and recommends that you wear it under your favourite powder blush – pairing it with a powder blush will definitely give it more staying power and add some depth.  I wear it on its own and it’s great.

$36.

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New Bobbi Brown Smokey Nudes Collection

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Henna

smokey nudesIt’s no secret that I’m a fan of the smoky eye – I think it just works for my face, and it’s my go-to special-occasion makeup or even the make-up that instantly makes me feel more put together.  I do a smoky eye to go out, or when I’m coming off a cold.  It’s my makeup equivalent of a blow-out.

Of course, Bobbi Brown’s Smokey Nudes collection was calling my name – dare I say – it might even be my favourite collection for fall so far.

What makes this palette great is that it has 8 shadows in grey tones so that you can do either a subtle or intense smoky eye.  The palette also includes a lighter and darker glitter shadow so you can have fun with the smoky look that you do.

There are also some matte shades in this palette which is awesome.  Cream and Naked are the two lightest colours and make excellent bases.  Woodrose is great as a darker crease colour that’s still suitable for daytime.  Smoked is the darkest matte shadow (in the bottom right hand corner) and is perfect for a dramatic crease or as a liner.  There are also two metallic shades (one for day and one for night), as well as the sparkle shadows I mentioned before. This palette is so versatile because of the mix of light and dark shades.

Here is the full list of shades in the palette:

Watercolor Pink Sparkle Eye Shadow

Cream Eye Shadow

Nude Beach Metallic Eye Shadow

Naked Eye Shadow

Smokey Brown Metallic Eye Shadow

Woodrose Eye Shadow

Smoked Eye Shadow

Silver Brown Sparkle Eye Shadow

Believe it or not, the best part of this collection is not the palette – it’s the Creamy Matte Lipcolours in 4 Nude shades.

Nothing goes better with a smokey eye than a nude lip, and this collection has shades that are the perfect mix of beige and pink: just like your own lip colour.  I got Soft Nude and it is EXACTLY the same shade as my lips – I love it!

bb smokey nude lipsticks

The colours are:

Pink Nude

Warm Nude

Soft Nude

Nude

Pick this collection up at Bobbi Brown counters now.

And in case you’re interested in seeing the Smokey Nude Palette up close, check out my August Favourites video.

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Young Women of Influence Series with Lori Bacon

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Henna

young women of influenceIf you live on the West coast, there’s a good chance that you’ve heard of or been to Swimco, the swimwear store that carries tons of brands of the most trendy swimsuits.

The company is family-owned and run by business-savvy Lori Bacon whose mother actually started the store. It was actually mail-order when it first began and has become a retail success story.

If you’re interested in Lori’s story, you now have a chance to hear Lori speak about Building your Brand’s Legacy.

Lori will be speaking about:
· How to deal with the challenges that are associated with being a non-national brand
· How to strategically maneuver solutions to grow your business
· How to pinpoint stages of growth, steps to get there and how to follow up with flawless implementation

You can get tickets at the Young Women of Influence website. Tickets are $55 each, and include access to the following agenda:

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm Registration and Cocktail Reception
6:00 pm – 6:45 pm Keynote Presentation and Q&A
6:45 pm – 7:15 pm Connecting Activity
7:15 pm – 7:30 pm Door Prizes

I’m a Swimco fan so I’ll be at the event – maybe I’ll see you there!

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August Favourites!

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Henna

smokey nudesHello friends!

It took me forever to make the August Favourites video (computer trouble!) and then I uploaded it but forgot to tell you all about it!  Check out my favourites.  I included my fav powder foundation, Bobbi Brown’s new collection, Philosophy’s The Miracle Worker… and some other things.

As always, leave me comments so I know what you guys want me to cover next!

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The New Best Eyeliner on the Whole Entire Planet

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Henna


hourglass mechanical eye pencilYes, can you tell that I’m just a little bit obsessed?

When I got Hourglass’s new 1.5 Mechanical Gel Eye Pencils, I was overjoyed: they mistakenly sent me a wholesale box of 3, instead of just 1!  Sweet!

No, friends, that was not actually the case.

In actually fact, these little pencils come in a set of three because that’s the only real way to justify the price.

Speaking of which, lets start there: $52 for the three pack and that’s the only way they are sold.  According to the package, each pencil will give you about 22 uses.  That means about three months of lining – less, actually.  Most of my eye pencils have lasted more than that even when I use them daily, but these are not the regular pencils – these are quite different.

I have never really been able to tight-line my eyelids – I just never spend the time to apply the liner that closely and that thin, but that is exactly what the Hourglass pencils are made for.  They’re made super thin so that you can get really close to the lashes.  They are gel pencils so that they don’t break while you’re lining.

Long-lasting and non-smudging, I love how I can even draw a quick little flick, and I didn’t have to get a brush dirty.

Seriously, so good.  Go try it yourself and you’ll see.

Available at Sephora.

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New Vichy Idealia Life Serum

Posted on September 15, 2014 by Henna

Vichy IdealiaMy post-vacay skincare routine has needed a bit of help – my skin is more dry than usual, slightly flaky in some places, and just needs hydration.

I tried Vichy’s Idealia Life Serum on my hand, and the smooth emollient cream that melted into my skin and then absorbed so quickly into it made me want to try it on my face right away.

Idealia is pretty great as a light hydrating serum that also works dual purpose as a skin enhancer.

It has a touch of shimmer in it and makes your face look instantly glowy and refreshed. It’s hydrating but not oily, and it’s not full of silicone either. I apply it on my skin after my toner and before my makeup and find that it’s works great under my foundation. Some of the shine does come through, and I’m okay with that, and many days I’m tempted to just use this on its own and skip foundation all together – that’s how good my skin looks with this.

Skin perfectors are a dime a dozen at the drugstore these days, but the reason that Idealia works for me is that it’s hydrating and not just full of silicones with typically make me break out. The texture is truly unique, while the effect is that of a nice primer.

$59 at drugstores now.

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The Best Highlighting Concealer That’s Not Really a Concealer

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Henna

So, I’ve often said that I don’t use an under-eye concealer on a regular basis, but all that has changed.

Firstly, I’m still into contouring and highlighting. I’ve always applied a contour, but I sometimes skip out on the under-eye highlight that goes with that. I don’t need a concealer to cover darkness under my eyes, but I do need something to highlight with, and that’s what I’ve found my new favourite product for.

It’s Garnier’s new BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector Eye Roll-On.

Garnier BB EyeThis is a light and watery, super pigmented concealer in a roll-on tube. A few small swipes give enough product to cover your whole under-eye area, blending down into your base to give you a semi-natural look. What I really love about this concealer is that it sets quickly and then stays put for the rest of the day. It lasts on my face better than my actual foundation.

If you have super dry skin or crepe-y under-eyes, then you may want to skip out on this. It tends to emphasize fine lines and if you do want to use it on dry skin, make sure you apply moisturizer and primer.

For a drugstore product, this is an amazing one – but it’s not a BB cream, and it’s not a Miracle Skin Perfector either. Aside from the cosmetic improvements, I haven’t noticed anything long-lasting effects on my skin. It’s also not at all hydrating and I’m sure that’s what most people want for their under-eye area. It also claims to be refreshing, but I find that I need such a tiny amount to get coverage that I don’t really use enough to get a refreshing effect on my skin.

Available at drugstores for $21.99. Kind of expensive for a teeny little eye cream, but it works better than some department store concealers, so I love it for that.

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New! Softlips Cube Review

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Henna

softlips cubesAll I remember, when I think of Softlips, is how it was the thing, in junior high.

Makeup was a little beyond me and my friends, so our fashion currency of choice was lip balms, and at the top of the totem pole was always Softlips because they were packaged in a pretty, slim container and were so minty that your lips tingled when you applied them.

Well, now that favourite lip balm comes in a little ice-cube looking vehicle.

The formula is light and almost oily feeling, but not at all waxy – which is what we always loved about it. They go on super smoothly (even when it’s very cold outside – and I’ve had the chance to test this out myself), and don’t drag or pull on the lips.

It’s moisturizing and stays on the lips for a long time – not through lunch or dinner, but definitely through a cup of coffee or an intense talk with your friends.

I’ll still have an original Softlips in my purse, but this is what’s at my desk.

Available in two flavours: Vanilla Bean and Berry Bliss. $4.99 at these stores.

 

 

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Nars Night Series Eyeliner

Posted on September 9, 2014 by Henna

Nars Night Series EyelinersI cannot live without these eyeliners!

This Autumn, Nars comes out with the Night Series eyeliners as part of their fall collection.

They’ve previously come out with the Night Series eyeshadows and these twist-up, sharpener-included, pencil eyeliners are in the same veins of the eyeshadows. They are black-bases with different coloured pearl and glitter in them. The best-seller seemed to be the Night Clubbing shadow, a gorgeous black with gold shimmer in it, and now it’s available in an eyeliner format too.

I have the Night Series eyeliners in Night Clubbing and Night Bird.

Night Bird is my favourite – it is a black base with a purple shimmer in it. I love purple against brown eyes, and I love black liner, so this is the perfect combination of the two for me.

The other colours are:

Night Flight – Black with cobalt blue pearl
Night Porter – Black with green pearl

I like these pencil eyeliners better than anything else in my makeup drawer right now. Firstly, they’re in a long-wearing waterproof formula that is awesome. Eyeliner tends to wear away quickly especially if you’re using it very close to the lash-line, and I find that I can get a full day of wear from these even if the weather outside is very humid.

They’re also not too soft and not too pigmented, so you’re really able to control where and how you apply them. It’s easy to get super close to the lash-line, and you can also smudge them with your fingers for an eyeshadow effect. The best part is that once the liners set, they don’t move, which means that if you use them with a primer you can even wear them as eyeshadow! The pencil is thin enough that you have control over exactly where you apply the liner, and then you can smudge the edges so that the liner looks blended with eyeshadow.

If the glitter works for you – it adds a touch of something extra if you’re normally wearing black liner – then these are totally worth checking out.

The liners are $28, and available now at select NARS retailers (including Sephora, Hudson’s Bay, Holt Renfrew and Murale).

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Guerlain Lingerie de Peau Compact Foundation Review

Posted on September 8, 2014 by Henna

Okay, so I know that there have been a lot of foundation reviews recently, but I’ve gotten bit by the foundation bug, and am in the new for something new… I’ve found different foundations for different days, and am still on the search for something perfect.

Guerlain Lingerie de Peau Compact Foundation

Guerlain’s new Lingerie de Peau Compact Foundation is a new powder formula that’s worth checking out if you have combination or oily skin.

It is medium coverage and has a very light texture and feel.  It reminds me of why I love wearing powder foundations – they usually give amazing coverage and you can’t even feel that you’re wearing them.  This one is also great for those who have oily skin – not because it holds up like a long-wearing foundation, but because it is so easy to re-apply and looks matte but with a slight radiance.  It is my go-to touch-up foundation and one that I carry with me at all times.  It’s perfect in the middle of the day or for applying just as you’re leaving work so that your skin looks great for the rest of your day.

The feel is smooth and very velvety.  Like many powder foundation, this can look cakey if you over-apply so one layer is enough.

The other most amazing thing about this foundation?  It photographs beautifully so it’s a must-have for a night out on the town!

$72 and on counters now.

 

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