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30 July 2011

Mini Haul...

Isn't shopping just fabulous! Especially when it's not in your own country. I was in the states a couple of days ago and this is what I picked up. I didn't go too overboard. Surprisingly I didn't buy a single piece of clothing.

All the goodies
Elf Studio Powder Brush - $3

I've been meaning to get my hands on some Elf goodies for a long time. Of course I went straight to Target. However the selection wasn't that great so I ended up with one little measly brush. I'm so glad I bought this because now I don't have to use the same brush for my bronzer and powder in the morning.
Forever 21 Belt - $4.80
I love this vintage inspired belt I picked up from Forever 21. When you add a belt to an outfit (even if it's just a little skinny one), it really pulls everything nicely together.

Urban Outfitters Bag - $9.99 ON SALE!

This bag is adorable! Plus it was only ten dollars, I can't wait to wear it. Urban Outfitters' sale section always has hidden gems, you just got to dig around to find them.
Bobbi Brown Corrector - Light Bisque - $22

I'm so excited because this is my first Bobbi Brown product!  I can't seem to find a place that sells BB in Canada so when I saw the line at Sephora I completely freaked out (on the inside). I have terrible under eye circles. Either from lack of sleep or just good'oll genes, I'm not really sure. All I know is that they are not pretty to look at, and that they make me look tired even if I've slept for hours. I have tried many concealers and most of them make my dark circles look ashy. Plus every creamy concealer that I've tried creases on me. So I'm hoping that this concealer and I will be a match made in heaven. That it will cover my dark circles beautifully without creasing or rubbing off during the day. 
 Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette - $55

This is definitely 'the purchase' of the whole trip, or should I say summer? year? I knew I wanted to purchase a new eyeshadow palette and I had my heart set on the Naked palette. But when I saw this, the Naked palette looked like a dull old rag (okay... it didn't look that bad but it did look less appealing). This new palette has the perfect amount of neutral, bright, and dark shades. And all the shades are brand new to Urban Decay! The packaging is absolutely gorgeous, however since it has a reflective quality, it attracts fingerprints more than I attract mosquitos. I've only played around with a couple of the shades and so far I am thoroughly impressed. This palette is limited edition so I would recommend getting your hands on it immediately!


Since the palette is so darn reflective it was so hard to photograph. Here's a better look at the colours. But if you want amazing quality swatches I would check out Temptalia.

Well that's it for my haul. It was small but I am so happy with all the purchases that I made.

25 July 2011

Kiehl's turns Blue?...


Ahhh... what a wonderful day when one of your favourite skin care brands releases new products! I just got my hands on the new oil-free Ultra Facial line from Kiehl's. This new cleanser, toner, & moisturizer are formulated for people who have normal to oily skin (or you could say formulated just for me :) ). What's even better about this new line, besides being oil free, is that all three products are paraben free, silicon free, fragrance free, and dye free. Wow that's a lot of free stuff (too bad the actual products aren't free). I have been using the regular Ultra Facial line for about a year now and completely love it! But I have a feeling that I won't be using it for very much longer. Ever since I got this new blue line, I haven't even looked at anything else in my skin care cabinet.

Regular Ultra Facial Cleanser + Moisturizer
NEW Oil-free Ultra Facial Line
I only purchased the toner in full size because I was in desperate need of a toner. I got the cleanser and moisturizer in miniature versions just to try. So far I am loving this whole set! My skin doesn't get oily towards the end of the day, like it did with the regular line. I feel like my skin has become less oily in general. The cleanser has this creamy texture (much better then the cleanser from the regular line which was hard to spread over the face). The toner is great too, it's perfect for mornings when i don't have time to fully wash my face. This toner literally sucks out all the oil from my face! The moisturizer is amazing! My face feels moisturized but doesn't look oily. I would recommend this to anyone with oily skin and who doesn't suffer from acne. As great as this trio is I don't think it would be strong enough to clear any severe acne. It's great for pimple though! I haven't gotten one pimple since I started using this set. Go Kiehl's!


Prices: (full size)
Cleanser              $18 US                  $25 CAD
Toner                    $16 US                  $22.50 CAD
Moisturizer          $24.50 US             $32 CAD

21 July 2011

Off to the Navy!

Navy blue is an unbelievably beautiful colour. It's so dark and rich, yet not as stark as pure black. I have a feeling this colour is going to be very 'in' for this fall. Navy is definitely a colour that can be worn all round as well. Just look at how cute that summer maxi dress is, perfect for a summer night out! Navy is one of my favourite colours. Believe it or not, I have more navy in my closet than black! I also love antique looking jewelry, and navy pairs perfectly with it! Not to mention it looks awesome with either gold and silver jewelry too. Here are some lovely navy pieces of beauty and fashion for your eyes to devour.



1. T-BAGS Jersey halterneck maxi dress - $205
2. CHLOÉ Darla brushed-leather shoulder bag - $1,995
3. TIBI Pleated silk-chiffon strapless dress - $500
4. KENNETH JAY LANE Swarovski crystal clip-on earrings - $75
5. CAMILLA SKOVGAARD Cutout suede and leather ankle boots - $595
6. DIOR Eyeshadow Compact in Navy Design - $59
7. ESSIE Nail Polish in Midnight Cami - $9

19 July 2011

Lipstick or Lipgloss?...

Definitely Lipstick. I don't mind glosses but they are sticky. Even though they look nice they are too much of a hassle for me. I would much rather wear a lipstick over lipgloss any day, the finish is much more natural too. Here are some of my favorite lipsticks of all time.





1. Rimmel London Lipstick - Pink Blush
2. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick - Prim Rose
3. Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick - Pink Please


Aren't these three so pretty??? I know they look similar in this picture but I assure you they are completely different in person. The Rimmel one is the perfect barbie pink. The Revlon one is the nicest cool tone pale pink. The Maybelline one (my fave) is a great 'my lips but better' colour, its a nice warm pink tone.




4. Clinique Different Lipstick - Shy
5. Lancome Color Fever Lipstick - Rose Defile
6. Gosh Velvet Touch Lipstick - Darling


The Clinique lipstick is absolutely amazing! I love to dab it on my lips to get a nice flush of colour. The formula is great too! It has the best formula in a lipstick I have ever tried. The lancome one is a darker pink colour. The Gosh lipstick is a great nude for me, it's not orange or too pale.


What are some of your favourite lipsticks?

15 July 2011

The Prettiest Treasure Chest...

I purchased this amazing makeup kit almost two years ago. Tarte released another one of their infamous limited edition treasure chests. I know they don't sell this anymore (maybe on ebay) but it's too pretty not to show. Contained in this fabulous bejeweled case, are 16 shimmer eyeshadows, 16 matte eyeshadows, 16 lip glosses, a bronzer, highlighter, and 4 blushes. The quality of this kit is amazing. Everything is super pigmented and smooth (some of the products are a little chalky but I don't mind). The kit was a great value too, it was only $52 US. I find the  packaging a little too delicate to travel with. I have to tape it shut before I can take it anywhere.


I put a heart on my favourite shades from this palette!


This is my favourite tray in the whole palette! I love prefer matte finishes with makeup products, but when it comes to eyeshadow, it's shimmer all the way! The colours are so beautiful and feel so silky (none of these are chalky). However some of the colours are so pigmented, they have a lot of fallout. But I find that I can't make a simple neutral eye with these shadows (I'm not complaining because I have lots of other neutral shadows) but it would just be nice if there were some nice champagne and taupe colours.

I am so glad that w whole tray of matte shadows were included in this palette. Most palettes only come with a few (if any). The shadows are super pigmented and really smooth, some of the mattes were a bit chalky. I found the colour selection in this tray to be a bit blah. I rarely use them. Some of the colours look the same on my lids as other colours.




When I first got this palette, I didn't even pay attention to the lip glosses. I mean when you have 32 gorgeous eyeshadows, who would? But after a while I fell in love with them. I wish that more of the colours were creamy rather than glittery.



The other two blushes are way too dark for me, especially the red one. If I wear it, I turn into a clown. The highlighter is really frosty but in a good way, it gives an intense glow. It's like the powder version of Benefit's Highbeam. Unfortunately the bronzer shattered but I transfered it into another container. I'm not that upset because it was quite frosty and I prefer matte bronzers. I found this whole tray to be way too shimmery, they should have included some matte cheek colours.

13 July 2011

An attempt at Gradient Nails...

I usually stick to cream nail polishes. No shimmer, no glitter, just pure lacquer. However I was getting quite bored with my regular nail regime and opted to try something new. First I tried marble nails, let's just say that was a fail. While trying marble nails I came across a cool way to get gradient nails. As you can see, they didn't come out that well. But I'm sure with practice they will start looking much better. I'm somewhat of a perfectionist so I removed the nail polish right away, I didn't even get a chance to do the other hand. But a made sure I took a picture!

Steps:
1. Painted my nails with a lavender polish. Base coat, two layers, waited until nails were completely dry!
2. Filled a small cup up with room temperature water.
3. Using a cotton swab, rubbed hand lotion around my fingers (everywhere except for the nails). This prevents the nail polish from sticking to the skin.
4. Put a drop of teal nail polish into the cup with water.
5. Dipped my finer right into the teal polish (held it in the water for 20 seconds).
6. Repeated those steps with the rest of my nails.




The nails colours that i used were Revlon - Bubblegum and, Gosh - Ocean (I think the named has been changed though). I love Gosh nail polishes, they have the most gorgeous colours but they get goopy quite fast. The Revlon one is one of those scented when dry, the smell just nauseates me.




On another note, I decorated a wall in my room! I bought these stick-on words at an art show almost two years ago. I just found them in the back of my closet the other day and decided to hang them up. They're so pretty. I wish I would have purchased more of them.

11 July 2011

Through the eyes of a camera...


Who remembers Gossip Girl or The Clique? I do! I remember reading those books when i was 12-14. I bought every single book, i just couldn't stop reading them. My favourite book series hands down has got to be Pretty Little Liars. I remember looking around the book store for a book to buy (I wasn't much of a reader so this was a big task) and I came across this vibrant book with a Barbie on the front cover. The cover was pretty so that was good enough for me. Ever since that day I was hooked on the series, waiting aimlessly for the next book to be published. Those books combined too things I loved: fashion and murder mysteries. I even remember thinking that they should make this book series into a TV show. Well look who was right!


Upside down closet tour? I think so. This is what little creepy crawlers think of my wardrobe. 


 I actually took a picture of my wallet. I must have too much time on my hands.




I just realized that most of my makeup collection consists of pots with creamy colourful cosmetics inside. Even though pots are not the most sanitary makeup containers, I am always drawn to them.


Here are the list of products in the picture. See if you can guess which is which.


Benefit Erase Paste
Loreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base
Maybelline Gel Eyeliner - eggplant
Korres Lip Butter - Jasmine
Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow - RSVP
Lush Lip Tint - It started with a kiss
Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer
Maybelline Dream Mousee Blush - Peach satin

10 July 2011

In the Nude

What can I say? The colour 'nude' has grown on me. I am obsessed with anything light beige with a hint of pink. Nude dresses, nude pumps, nude nail polish, nude everything! (well i hope not everything...) Nude is definitely the new black. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect nude or blush tone shoe. I've tried soo many of them (including the one below) but none of them seemed to fit my foot right. Plus next time I buy a dress, it's going to be a nice ivory nude colour - perfect for summer.*

*I apologize for the insane amount of times I said nude. Argghh i just did it again.

1. HERVÉ LÉGER Leather bandage dress - $4,900
2. SPRING Natural platform heel - $50
3. MIU MIU Small leather satchel - $1,350
4. NINA RICCI Ruffled silk-organza dress - $4,790
5. PRADA Cream acetate sunglasses - $245
6. URBAN DECAY Naked palette - $48
7. ESSIE Topless and Barefoot nail polish - $9

9 July 2011

I Heart Blush!

What can i say? I absolutely adore blush! It's one make-up product i must have with me. I have quite a few blushes, however these three are my favourites.

1. Illamasqua Cream Blusher - Rude
2. MAC Powder Blush - Well Dressed
3.NARS Cream Blush - Penny Lane

1. This blush is a true orangey coral with no shimmer, just pure pigment. And speaking of pigment... this blush is by far the most pigmented cream blush in the world. The smallest dab is enough for both cheeks. It also gives you that dewy glow without adding any glitter or shimmer (i prefer matte finishes). Plus it doesn't fade through out the day at all and it's the prettiest colour on the lips.

2. This is the first blush I have ever purchased, and it's still a fave. That's gotta say something, right? This blush is a cool toned pink with a little bit of  shimmer, nothing too drastic. It gives the most natural flush to the face. Perfect for school and work. 

3. If you haven't noticed yet, i love cream blush. I would use a cream blush over powder any day. This blush is a nude rose peach colour, with a tad bit of glitter. This cream blush is the opposite of the Illamasqua one. It goes on with the smoothness of a cream, but dries to the finish of a powder blush. But formulation wise, NARS fails. It does not last all say and applies kind of patchy looking. Since it gives such a warm glow to the skin I can forgot all that stuff.

1. $24                     2. $20                   3. $29

These swatches do not give these blushes any justice.
They are so much prettier in person.

8 July 2011

Necklaces, Rings, & Pins... Oh My!

These are some of my favorite pieces of jewelry... Though you might want to take a look!


Lovely Necklaces
Out of everything, necklaces are my are my #1 go to jewelry piece. They can even make a simple outfit, like a t-shirt with jeans, look stylish.

Heart Necklace - Forever 21
Ribbon Necklace - Joe Fresh
I love jewelry that has that antique-ish gold colour. I also love jewelry that is partially made out of fabric. I find it to be super feminine.

Fish Necklace - Aldo Accessories 


I can't stop wearing this pendant necklace, it's just so unique. My favourite parts are the double chain and the big blue eye!

Purple Tear Drop Ring - Gift from Grandma
Everything above was costume jewelry. This ring is real silver and amethyst! It really is the perfect cocktail ring.

Bird Pin - Vintage

Current Faves

These are just some of the beauty products I'm loving right now.


Essie - Borrowed and Blue   $9
This baby blue polish is gorgeous and perfect for the summer! I can't get enough of it. We all know Essie nail polishes are sometimes a hit or a miss. However this bad boy is definitely a hit! It's completely opaque in two coats. This nail polish is limited edition, so if you see it, grab it.

NARS Orgasm Illuminator   $29 (full size)
Well here's another wonderfully named product from NARS (hehe). This is just a mini sized version i got for 100 points at Sephora. This peachy gold illuminator gives the perfect summer glow, i cannot get over how beautiful this product is.

Physicians Formula Eye Booster - Deep Brown   $15.99
In the summer the only thing I wear on my eyes (besides primer and powder) is liquid liner. This liquid liner is a really dark brown. I love brown because it still intensifies the eye without being to stark like black. This liner supposedly makes your eyelashes grow as well. I haven't noticed anything yet and i don't really count on it. The actual liner doesn't last all day, it slightly fades and crackles. I don't really mind since it is so easy to use.

Rimmel London Match Perfection Concealer - 010 Ivory   $7.99
I am a concealohlic. I live breath and eat concealer. Drugstore concealers don't usually cut it for me, but this one is great. It brightens my whole under eye area without giving a too pinky or yellow tone to the area. If you're looking for a blemish concealer or have dark skin, steer clear. This concealer is specifically for under the eyes. The colour range is made up of only three shades, which are all quite light.

Korres Lip Butter - Jasmine   $10






This has literally been the only lip product I have been using. It moisturizes the lip without being sticky and gives the nicest nude-pink colour to the lips. I can't wait to try more of these.