New Jewelry Loves...

What can I say? I love tribal looking jewelry with an antique green/gold finish! I find silver and especially gold jewelry a little too flashy for an everyday basis. However, I love anything rusty gold. I picked up these four pieces all from Forever 21, the best place to shop for inexpensive costume jewelry in my opinion.

These necklaces aren't the prettiest things I've seen, but they really pull an outfit together. I like both of the necklaces but I like the one on the left a little better (the one with the straight top). It looks a little bit more modern and less Medusa like.

Both Dangly Necklaces from Forever 21 -  Each $7.80

This pendant necklace is gorgeous! I originally wanted to pick up a necklace with turquoise coloured accents but when I saw this dark teal necklace, I knew I had to get this instead! I can just picture myself wearing a tee, jeans, and a blazer with this necklace. It's going to look so cute.

Forever 21 Teal Pendant Necklace - $10.80

Lastly, I picked up this cute little owl ring! I don't normally wear rings. Let me correct that statement, I don't even own any rings (costume rings that is). However, this ring is going to be great for back to school.

Forever 21 Owl Ring - $1.50

theBalm: Sexy Mama & Hot Mama Review

When I think of cute, creative, and detailed cosmetic lines, my mind immediately thinks of the oh so famous brand, Benefit (and the back of my mind thinks of Too Faced). One brand that I just started to dip my toes into was theBalm Cosmetics. Well all I can say is "why the heck did it take me so long?" This brand is A to the AWE to the S-O-M-E! (Sorry for the random burst of cheerleading, I'm a little hyper right now). Just like benefit, every single product has its own unique name and packaging. However I find theBalm to have a more vintage feel while Benefit is definitely more cutesy modern. But this isn't a brand comparison post. This is a review of the two adorable products I picked up the other day, Sexy Mama & Hot Mama from theBalm.

The packaging is made out of cardboard, which surprisingly is very firm and sturdy. Both the compacts are equipped with a decent sized mirror and a magnetic close (so you don't have to worry about them opening up in your makeup-bag). I do find these a little hard to open since the magnet is so strong. Each one comes with 7.08 grams of product, not too shabby! 

 First up is the Sexy Mama Anti-Shine Translucent Powder. I usually stick to drugstore powders because they quality is usually good and the price is even better! But I decided to venture out into the world of high end  face powders, to really compare. I find this powder to be very silky smooth with just the right amount of pigmentation for a translucent powder. A lot of translucent powders give a white cast on the face (okay well not usually my face because it's white to begin with, but other peoples'). However this powder does no such thing! I would see this working for the fairest to the tannest of people. Also I love that this powder does not look cakey on the skin, it looks like you have nothing on at all. And as for its mattifying properties, it does mattify for a maximum of 1 hour (very shabby). If you have really oily skin, skip this. If you have normal to dry skin I would recommend this!

theBalm Sexy Mama Powder - $19

Now onto the lady of the hour, Hot Mama blush! When I first opened this, I immediately thought 'Nars Orgasm dupe fo sho', (sorry for going all ganster on you, I do not know what is with me today). It a peachy pink blush with a ton of frosty gold shimmer, how could it not be? I don't actually own Nars Orgasm blush but I have tested it out at sephora. They aren't dupes but they are very similar. Orgasm has bigger flecks of glitter, while the shimmer in the Hot Mama one is very finely milled. Hot Mama already wins just for that difference. One thing I can't stand, are chuncks of glitter in my makeup (that's why I wont even smell Nars Super Orgasm - chunky glitter fiasco). I usually go for matte or satin finish blushes, but I decided to try something new for a change. I do really like this blush. It has a soft texture, it's very pigmented (and I mean it!), and it just looks so pretty on the skin. You do have to be very careful when applying this, it is very easy to look like a clown since the pigmentation is crazy especially on my fair skin. I would recommend this blush to anyone who wants a good quality frosty coral blush. It doesn't even matter what skin tone you have because it will look good on everyone!

theBalm Hot Mama Blush - $19

Are you feeling Grey?

I'm feeling grey! Especially for this fall and winter. This is a colour you will not want to overlook. Yes the colour might appear dull and sad, but trust me you'll look everything but while wearing it. My favourite texture to wear in grey is suede. I cannot tell you how many shoes I have with that finish, it's to die for! When it comes to makeup grey seems even more dull (trust me I know). But if done correctly grey eyeshadow can really make blue and brown eyes pop. So here are some lovely grey fashion and beauty pieces that I absolutely adore.

1. HELMUT LANG Torrent brushed-jersey maxi dress - $655

2. FOREVER 21 Textured Metal Stretch Bracelet - $7.80

3. REED KRAKOFF Boxer leather tote - $1,090

4. DONNA KARAN Brushed stretch-cotton jacket - $1,895

5. CAMILLA SKOVGAARD Suede and metallic leather ankle boots - $570

6. GUERLAIN Écrin 6 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Rue de Sèvres - $84

7. RESCUE BEATY LOUNGE Nail Polish in Concrete Jungle - $18

Soft Romantic Eyes...

I have literally been wearing the same eye look for the past two weeks! It's a super easy look and I've decided to share it with you all. I used mostly cooled tones eyeshadows and I made sure to blend everything very well. The pictures don't show off how pretty and soft this look is, it's much prettier in person.

The first thing I did was prime my eye with Urban Decay's Primer Potion in Eden. Best eye primer ever! It makes my eyeshadows more vibrant and it prevents creasing (I definitely need help in that department). Plus it has a concealer colour to it so it covers up any redness/darkness around the eyes.

The main palette that I used for this look was the Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips in Hazel Eye Candy. The colours are gorgeous and the pigmentation is good (not amazing).

I applied shade 1. all over my lids with a flat shader brush. This is an amazing colour. It looks like a basic shimmery pale pink but when applied to the lids it has this slight blue/violet duo chrome.

Then I applied shade 2. into my crease with a tapered fluffy brush. This is definitely the warmest shade in this palette. Even though it's quite warm to pairs wonderfully with all the other colours.

Lastly (from this palette), I applied shade 3. as a liner with a short dense brush and blended it into the lid colour. I find doing this (instead of using gel or liquid liner) gives the eye a softer feel, which makes me feel comfortable wearing this look almost anywhere.

After I am done with those steps, I use my everyday transition and highlight colour. I use Lancome's Amber Mystique as my transition colour and Lancome's Daylight as my browbone and inner corner colour. Both colours are matte (I only wear matte highlight/transition colours). These two colours are not needed for this look but they do really soften everything up and give that romantic look.

Then I take a fluffy brush and blend blend blend!

Lastly I use Loreal Voluminous Mascara which completes the look!

Hope you enjoyed.

Don't mind my creepy eyes! 

Battle of the Cheek Stains...

Benetint and Posietint are two of the most coveted Benefit beauty buys. Targeted towards being the ultimate cheek & lip stain, these bad boys create a flushed look from within. I picked these miniature sized bottles up at Sephora, they came in a little pack that also included a sample sized version of Highbeam. The mini trio was only $18 CAD ($15 US). The full sized bottles are $36 CAD ($28 US). Both these cheek stains are quite nice, but which one is better?

Both cheek stains come in a nail polish bottle and are both equipped with a brush tip applicator. I find the packaging quite adorable. Compared to other Benefit products the packaging on these cheek stains are much simpler, actually quite a nice change.

Benetine appears red in the bottle but when blended out it's a soft dark fuchsia. Posietint is a bright almost neon like poppy pink, but when blended out it becomes a softer version of itself. Both colours are really flattering shades however on my skin tone Posietint looks much healthier and brightens the face. Benetint on the other hand enhances the red patches on my skin (not so flattering). However Benetint is gorgeous as a lip stain. Since this is a stain it is quite drying, so you will need to apply a lip balm or gloss afterwards. Since Posietint is significantly lighter than Benetint, it doesn't show up on my ever so pigmented lips. It gives a very subtle hint of colour, unlike benetint which gives a bold dose of colour.

The consistency of both products is the one thing that makes one of these cheek stains stand out more than the other. Benetint is very watery and if you are not quick to blend this in, you will have streaks on your face (again, not so flattering). Posietint has a much better consistency, it's much thicker than and it had the feeling of a gel product. I prefer this consistency far more than the watery consistency of Benetint.

Both cheeks stains swatched and blended out 

Overall Posietint wins!!! It has a much nicer colour, much better consistency, and in my opinion way cuter packaging! When I finish both of these mini bottles (which won't be for a very long time, a little goes a long way) I will definitely be repurchasing Posietint. As for Benetint, I'll leave that one on the shelf.

My Dream Face...

We all have those beauty products that we lust over. But we can't seem to get our hands on them, either because the price is more than a day's paycheck or they just don't sell them in the country we reside in. Well I'm going to share with you all 'My Dream Face'. If I could have any face makeup products, these would be them!

1. Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer - $52
This primer is supposed to be one of the best, so of course It's one of my dream products! I've only tried this out in the Sephora store and fell in love with it. It makes the skin so smooth but doesn't feel fake like silicon. Reviews say this makes makeup last all day. Since this primer is more expensive than my dream foundation, it's going to have to wait a little before I can but it.

2. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation - $45
I need this foundation. I have never wanted a foundation more than I want this one. When you have this on you literally look like you have flawless skin (I tried it out a counter). But for right now almost $50 dollars for a foundation is a bit much.

3. Cle De Pleau Concealer - $70
Haha look at the price of this concealer, do I even have to explain?! I only heard about this concealer and that it's amazing. So I wouldn't be too upset if this just happened to show up at my doorstep.

4. Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder - $34
I want a face powder that melts into the skin. I want a face powder that doesn't look cakey or powdery. I've heard that this is the ultimate setting powder! I just don't want to buy another powder until the rest are finito.

5. St Tropez Violet Skin Illuminator - $22.50
I have always wondered why no makeup brand sold a violet toned highlighter. But guess what I finally found one! Of course they don't sell this in Canada. I guess that's the end of this dream. But if I ever see this illuminator, you better bet your little tushy off that I will buy it. Haha sorry to be so harsh, makeup makes me crazy sometimes.

6. Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder - $29
I want this bronzer because it has everything I want in a bronzer. It's matte, it's a perfect dark brown colour (there are no orange tones to be found), and it smells like chocolate! What more could one ask for? The only reason I haven't picked this little bad boy up is because I need to make a dent in my other bronzers before I purchase another one. I assure you that this will be the next bronzer that I purchase.

7. Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Sob - $24
Well I already have one of these blushes and I absolutely love it! They are so creamy, pigmented, and they last on the skin all day. Unfortunately they don't sell Illamasqua in Canada but what's even worse is that the colour Sob in only sold in the UK, waah. I've only seen Sob on other people's blogs and It's a beautiful pale pink with blue undertones, I can't wait until I  find this.

Cargo Blu_Ray Review...

I was at Winner's the other day and came across this awesome kit from Cargo Cosmetics for a steal! This is the first time I've ever tried anything from the Blu_Ray line and let me just say I am thoroughly impressed. This line from Cargo is supposed to be a 'camera ready' line, hence the cool name of Blu_Ray.

Lets start of with the whole reason I bought the kit, the gorgeous blush/highlighter in peach shimmer. All I can say is that this is my new favourite powder blush. The colour is a really soft peachy pink with a hint of golden shimmer. The blush is very finely milled and is quite pigmented. I find that this blush is buildable and kind of hard to overdo (unless you try really really hard, you won't end up looking like a clown). This is definitely one product that I would repurchase over and over again.

Cargo Blu_Ray Blush/Highlighter - Peach Shimmer - $27

The second product that came in the kit was the Blu_Ray bronzer. This bronzer, just like the blush, is made up from a very finely milled powder. Since this bronzer is so pigmented and slightly orange toned I have to be very careful when applying it. One sweep too many and I will end up looking like I belong Jersey Shore. I do like this bronzer and will continue to use it. But when I finish it (if that time ever comes) I will not repurchase.

Cargo Blu_Ray Bronzer - $30

Next up is the Cargo Blu_Ray High Definitoin Lip Gloss in Belize. At first glance I wasn't too excited about the colour, it kind of looks like a muted brownish red. However when I put it on, it was a perfect 'my lips but better' colour. The formula is not sticky at all. The main reason why I despise lipgloss (okay I just don't like it) is because of the stickiness factor, but this lipgloss is smooth. Plus it has just the right amount of shimmer and gloss, nothing too overboard. I am definitely going to look at more of the lipgloss shades in this line.

Cargo Blu_Ray High Definition Lip Gloss - Belize - $24

The lipgloss has a sponge tip applicator that is soft, not rock hard like a dollar store lipgloss.

Lastly we have the Cargo Blu_Ray Mascara. Before I opened the tube I was expecting some HD brush, and when I say HD I mean big and bold. When I actually opened it I was like "what the heck is that?!" As you can can see below the mascara wand is actually a Barbie sized hair comb in disguise. This mascara doesn't really do much for my upper lashes but for my lower lashes it's great! The tiny combed wand can coat my lower lashes without making a mess. I don't think this mascara is water-proof but it doesn't transfer onto my face by the end of the day, which is a good thing. I will use this mascara for my lower lashes only and when I'm done I will not repurchase because it ain't that special.

Cargo Blu_Ray Mascara - $20

Look at this wand! Not what I expected at all.

Here are some swatches for you.

Overall I'm super impressed with this line from Cargo and can't wait to add some more Cargo products into my makeup collection. 

You can purchase these products separately at cargocosmetics.com

Or you can purchase this kit here: http://www.cargocosmetics.com/products//bronzing-collection-03