Canadian Beauty

New! Bobbi Brown Rich Chocolate Collection

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Henna

I posted a version of this on Stylelist.ca!

“This fall, chocolate is the new black,” says Bobbi Brown, and we’re definitely feeling the warm rich hues of chocolate as the weather turns cooler. Think of deep dark brown as a new neutral that compliments the rich jewel tones we’re seeing in clothing and works with any skin tone.

The star of the collection is of course the Rich Chocolate Eye Palette which contains some beautiful beige tones in an array of finishes. There is sparkle, shimmer, and matte in this palette, as well as a very dark brown shade that would be perfect for a contour. The palette also features a large mirror, as well as a dual-ended eyeshadow brush and an eyeliner brush. The shades in the palette are: Bone, Stone, Frappe, Champagne Truffle Shimmer Wash, Cocoa Eye, Rich Chocolate, and Caramel Sparkle.

Compliment the beige look with eyeliner so dark brown that from afar it actually looks black. Long-wear Eye Pencil in Black Chocolate is aptly named, and our favourite Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner now comes in Dark Chocolate Ink. Bobbi Brown fans will be pleased to know that this is darker than Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner shades Espresso (which is more of a dark brown) and Chocolate Shimmer (which is a medium brown shimmer). Dark Chocolate Ink wears like a brown-black (although it definitely does look just brown in the pot) and is perfect for those of us who feel that black eyeliner can look a little harsh. The Gel Eyeliner is perfect for creating a winged eyeliner look for the fall, but can also be smudged and used as a base.

There’s also a Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick in Bittersweet which is a pretty shimmery beige colour.

Beautiful pink lipstick and gloss finish the look: Lipstick in Berry and Baby Pink, and Lip Gloss in Chocolate Raspberry, Pale Pink, and Tea Berry.

Tea Berry is a very pigmented creamy pink shade.

The look is finished with two new shades of blush: Pink Coral and Berry.

Neutral tones are something that the Bobbi Brown line is known for, and so this is a collection that does not disappoint. There aren’t any crazy colours and every single shade is very wearable, so no matter what you pick up from this collection, chances are that you’ll use it for months ahead.

Posted in Fall 2013 | Tagged Bobbi Brown | 2 Comments

New Jo Malone Peony and Blush Suede

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Henna

This is by far the most long-lasting of Jo Malone scents that I’ve ever tried. Jo Malone Peony and Blush Suede is easy to wear and a light floral, but it really does has longevity. It’s hard to believe that this is a cologne, that’s how strong it is.

The scent has a fruity top note of crisp apple, but the peony, rose, and honey notes are in the middle and come through quite quickly. The base is a smooth suede-like musk finish.

Fresh, floral, and yet quite bold, this is a scent that announces itself and is for the confident wearer. Those loyal to the Jo Malone brand will be pleased to find that it’s totally different!

Available at Holt Renfrew and JoMalone.com. $70 for 30ml.

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged Jo Malone | Leave a comment

Thursday Threes: Clinique’s New Eyeshadow, Eyeliner, and Eye Primer

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Henna

This Fall, you need to head over to the Clinique counter if you’re restocking your eyeshadow, liner, and base, because Clinique has something new that works for everyone!

Let’s start with the basic shadow. This season, All About Shadow gets a revamp thanks to a dramatic new formula. There’s amazing colour payoff, but the shadow has a creamy feel and is easy to apply and blend.

Check out these beautiful quads. Ever wondered how you would ever use all the shades in a quad? Well these will help you out They come with instructions inside so that you and re exactly where to place each colour. The shadows come in singles ($19), Quads ($25), and Quads ($35).

To help your shadow last even longer, there’s the All About Shadow Primer for Eyes ($23). This eyeshadow base is amazing. It’s silkier than any other shadow primer I’ve tried which means that it’s easy to blend all over the eye. It really works too: eyeshadow applies smoothly and then just stays put. The primer comes in four colours to suit all skin tones, but I found that it’s so sheer that matching up the right colour to your skin tone may not be that important.

Finally, there are new colours of the long-wearing Quickliner For Eyes Intense ($20) and they are amazing. Smoky and shimmery these have tons of pigment and the formula makes them so versatile. Use them as liner, or smudge them all over and wear them as eyeshadow.

The colours available are: Intense Truffle, Intense Clove, Intense Peridot, Intense Peacock, Intense Aubergine, Intense Amethyst, and two LE colours: Intense Sable, and Intense Cobalt.

Pick them all up at the Clinique Counter now.

Posted in Fall 2013 | Tagged Clinique | Leave a comment

New: Make Up For Ever Artisan Brush Collection

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Henna

Brand new at the Make Up For Ever counter near you is a brush collection that’s totally different from anything you might have seen before. It’s the Make Up For Ever Artisan Brush Collection. It is “seventy-six cutting-edge brushes, the most expansive luxury brush collection available today”. The kicker? Each and every brush is made of synthetic fibres created specifically to mimic the application capabilities of natural fibres. The synthetic fibers definitely feel synthetic and because they are so slippery that takes some getting used to. What’s nice about them is that they can be used with both powders and liquids, so you don’t ever have to think twice before using the brush for something.

Make Up For Ever describes their brushes best when they say:

“What further differentiates this brush collection from any other is the specific synthetic fiber technology that exists in several diameters and types: wavy or straight depending on the required use. When fibers are straight, application is more generous and precise, while wavy bristles are more splayed, allowing for a lighter and freer application. A unique combination of the two fiber textures gives infinite creative possibilities. The softness and performance of each set of bristles is ensured by using tweezers and not scissors, while fibers are fixed in place with a ferrule made from a gunmetal barrel. With no detail spared, the beech wood brush handles were created with a beveled end to allow for easier product retrieval and can be used to assist in faux lash application.”

While I have not had a chance to see if these brushes can indeed assist my false lashies application, I have used a couple of the brushes: a large powder brush (#128) ($52) and a medium highlighting brush (#152) ($37).

The large powder brush is made of both wavy and straight bristles so it is able to distribute powder but you’re also able to have some control and apply it just to the contours you’d like. Because it’s made of synthetic fibres the brush feels super soft on the skin. It also doesn’t seem to pick up as much oil off my skin as my regular powder brush seemed to. I think this is a good thing because the brush doesn’t feel as dirty. That said, I do miss the feel of a natural brush.

The highlighting brush is made of just wavy bristles and so lets you put a light dusting of highlighter wherever you need it.

Although I really like both the brushes I have, I’m not sold that synthetic fibres are better than natural for all kinds of makeup application. I definitely prefer the synthetic brushes for applying my foundation and other creams, but natural hair brushes don’t feel slippery the way that synthetic brushes can, and that makes the application of powder products a little easier.

My advice would be to really try playing with the brushes before you buy them to make sure that you’ll be able to use them properly. The entire brush collection is available at Make Up For Ever boutiques, and a smaller selection is available at Sephora.

Posted in Accessories | Tagged Make Up For Ever | Leave a comment

Out Tomorrow: RiRi [Hearts] MAC Fall

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Henna

On Oct. 3, 2013 Rihanna’s fall collection for MAC comes out on counters. The colours reflect the colours that are around us: cocoa based eyeshadows and lip products, and a bronzer/blush duo that works in every season. The packaging is rose gold and pretty enough to collection.

I’ve seen the packaging, and I have to say that it really is beautiful. The rose gold looks and feels different from most other MAC packaging, and I’m glad that this wasn’t just a sticker.

I have the Diamonds Cream Colour Base, and I was really excited to try it, but I have to say that it’s not very pigmented and provides a very gentle highlight – great if that’s what you’re looking for. It would work well to add some pop to already ‘done’ cheeks or lips, and on its own it will make skin look just dewy.

Here’s the entire collection – all colours and prices listed below.

Eye Shadow X 4

Her Cocoa
smoked cocoa
SRP $44.00 US/$52.50 CDN

Lipstick

Nude cool nude cream (matte)
Who’s That Chick mid-tone orange with frost ( frost)
RiRi Woo matte cool red (retro matte)
Talk That Talk matte dark plum (retro matte)
SRP $16.50 US/$20.00 CDN

Lipglass

RiRi Woo cool red cream (cream)
SRP $16.50 US/$20.00 CDN

Pro Longwear Lip Pencil

RiRi Woo cool red cream
Talk That Talk dark plum cream
SRP $21.50 US/$25.50 CDN

Extended Play Lash

Gigablack black
SRP $17.50 US/$21.00 CDN

Liquidlast Liner

Pointblack black
SRP $21.50 US/$25.50 CDN

Veluxe Brow Liner

Deep Brunette muted blackish-brown
Deep Dark Brunette dark dirty chocolate
SRP $21.50 US/$25.50 CDN

Powder Blush Duo

Hibiscus Kiss cool coral blush and matte neutral bronze
SRP $29.00 US/$34.00 CDN

Powder Blush

Bad Girl Gone Good warm copper (satin)
SRP $23.00 US/$25.00 CDN

Cream Colour Base

Diamonds golden shimmer cream ( frost)
SRP $22.00 US/$26.50 CDN

Lash

36 Lash
35 Lash
SRP $17.50 US/$21.00 CDN

Brush

282SE Duo Fibre Shader
SRP $32.00 US/$38.50 CDN

187SE Duo Fibre Face
SRP $42.00 US/$50.50 CDN

Posted in Fall 2013 | Tagged MAC | 1 Comment

Swatch: Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in Sweet Lavender

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Henna

Summer’s over but we just couldn’t resist this Lavender shade from Rimmel. It’s in their 60 Seconds formula, which we highly recommend. The polish goes on so smooth (this can be unusual for fast-drying polish since it tends to get clumpy pretty quickly). We used two coats and had a week of wear with this polish!

Posted in Summer 2012 | Tagged Pictures of My Makeup, Rimmel, Swatch | Leave a comment

New Kerastase Cristalliste Cristal Sculpt and Masque Cristal Reviews

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Henna

I absolutely love Kerastase products, and when I heard about two new products in the Cristalliste line, I had to try them. The Cristalliste line is for long hair, and that works for me, because my hair is quite long. The Cristal Sculpt ($42) and Masque Cristal ($58) seemed made for my hair.

Long hair needs a little more TLC. The ends are prone to dryness, and can get tangled easily. Breakage is always an issue too, and while you’re hydrating the hair shaft, you also want to make sure you’re not weighing it down too much.

The entire Cristalliste line is formulated specifically to address these concerns, and to make hair look shiny.

Kerastase is known for having superior conditioner for the hair, and it was only a matter of time before the Masque Cristal was added to this line. It is enriched with Dry Oil, and ceramide for conditioning, as well as a polymer to add manageability to the hair.

As I’ve said, Kerastase makes amazing conditioners, and this mask is no exception. It is so moisturizing and a pleasure to use, and totally detangled my long hair while making it shiny and easier to style.

The Cristal Sculpt is an unique product. It’s kind of like a very light gel and serum in a bottle. One side is water based, while the other is more of a silicone base. Cristal Sculpt is supposed to give your hair shine and repair the hair. I found that it did neither. It just wasn’t concentrated enough for my hair and I found that it absorbed into my hair way too quickly. I was using a lot of it, but wasn’t getting great results. I think that for my hair, Cristal Sculpt is too light, but if you have hair that is easily weighed down, then it’s likely that you’ll find this to be for your hair.

You can find both products in salons this October, or online at Kerastase.ca.

Posted in Hair | Tagged Kerastase | Leave a comment

Thursday Threes: Fall’s Best Conditioners for Your Hair

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Henna

Fall always brings with it cooler weather and a certain sense of reinvention. All of a sudden, we find ourselves putting a newfound emphasis on looking more polished than before and that definitely applies to our hair. Gone are the beach sprays and diffusers, and no matter what the trend, out come the straighteners and big round brushes. All that means that hair needs some extra TLC and it needs it quick. The best and easiest way is to use a mask in the shower: your hair gets a large dose of heat and hydration, but it washes clean and lets you focus on getting the best style for your hair.

Here are the best new conditioners this fall.

1. L’Occitane Aromachologie Repairing Mask. This mask is amazing because it’s blended with 5 essential oils: geranium, lavender, ylang-ylang, sweet orange and angelica. Not only does the mask treat and repair dry and weak hair, but it also brightens and invigorates the spirit and leaves your hair smelling like a spa.

2. Dove Intensive Repair Daily Treatment Conditioner. The keratin in this conditioner gives extra repair to damage prone hair and leaves it silky soft.

3. Kerastase Cristalliste Masque Cristal. This is enriched with dry oil, and ceramide for conditioning, as well as a polymer to add manageability to the hair. It is specially formulated for long hair which has more of a tendency towards dryness and breakage.

To get the most of out of any conditioning treatment, make sure you use a deep conditioner one to two times a week, and leave in for the recommended time. Using a deep conditioner more may weight down your hair. Another option is to apply a deep conditioner just to the ends of the hair, and use a lighter conditioner closer to the root where you would want more volume anyway.

Posted in Deep Conditioner | Tagged Dove, Kerastase, l'Occitane | 3 Comments

L’Oreal Colour Riche Nail Lingerie

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Henna

Check out the coolest nail polish stickers to come around. It’s L’Oreal Colour Riche Nail Lingerie Polish stickers.

These are actually clear, so you can stick them on any colour of nail polish and they’ll add a cool design. I put it on nude-coloured polish, but the next time, I’m definitely going to try it on a colour. I used Bling Addict above, and the picture on the cover had it on a natural nail but there wasn’t enough contrast between the “bling” and the nail.

Get them for $9.99 at drugstores.

Posted in Fall 2013 | Tagged L'Oreal | Leave a comment

What to Use for Flawless Makeup on A Night Out

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Henna

Truth be told, sometimes the only reason I look forward to an event is so that I can I can try a new makeup look. After a week of testing out products and looks, I want to see it all come together. So here’s my guide to a flawless look for a night out.

Prime and Set:

For some reason, going out always means that my makeup is going to melt a little quicker, but I’ve figured out the trick to making it last longer: priming and setting foundation is essential, and these days I’m using Dior’s new CC Primer and Airflash Matte Touch powder. Both come in a spray can similar to Dior’s Airflash foundation, and you can spray them directly on your face, or on a brush. I prefer to use the primer directly on the skin, and then just dab it in with my foundation brush. I use the brush to then apply foundation on top, and then spray the Airflash Matte Touch powder on a powder brush and apply just to my t-zone. I’ve found that the combination of the two products really does help me completely set my makeup so that it lasts long into the night.

Contour:

Thanks to the Kardashians everyone wants their nose to look thinner, and their cheekbones to pop, and I’m definitely on the bandwagon! I love contouring and the easiest way to do it is to apply concealer and bronzer in just the right places.

Apply concealer in a half-shade lighter than your foundation in an upside-down triangle shape underneath your eyes. The point of the triangle should be at your nose, and the base should be the area under your eyes. Also apply some to the centre of your forehead and down the bridge of your nose. This will highlight the centre of your face making it look more luminous. These days I’m partial to Benefit’s Stay Don’t Stray concealer in medium/deep. It’s just the right shade of brightener and it goes on creamy but doesn’t crease once set!

Apply bronzer in the hollow of your cheekbones – I add a touch of a matte contouring eyeshadow (like MAC’s Wedge) to darken the bronzer a bit and make it look like a real shadow.

Go Bright:

Finally, one of my must-have items for a night out is a nice bright lipstick. I need something with lasting power, and I like a matte finish since it lasts longer and since you’re already making an impact with the colour of the lippie. MAC’s Retro Matte collection has lots of winners in this sense, and you can’t go wrong with the classic red of Ruby Woo. If you’re not a fan of red, you can now get the Retro Matte finish in bright pink, coral, and this season’s bordeaux hue.

Smell Good:

Finally, the cherry on top of getting ready is adding fragrance. Just enough that you smell good, and don’t overwhelm. Calvin Klein’s new scent Downtown promises to be just the thing – it’s a modern floral with notes of Italian cedar, bergamot and Tunisian neroli blended with the lushness of green pear and dewy watery plum. Gardenia petals, Texan cedarwood, Lao benzoin, and warm velvet musks are in the finish providing a warmth to the entire scent.

Posted in More Than Beauty | Tagged Benefit, CK, Dior, MAC, Sponsored Post | Leave a comment