Winter Staples - MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner

The MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner is probably my HG lip product. In my quest to find a more affordable dupe (or something to use just for bumming around the house), I have only found one that works in the same way. It keeps my lips feeling moist longer than 99% of other lip balms/conditioners I've tried and because of that, I feel I don't need to reapply as often. I've had my fair share of products that disappear so quickly, this is definitely not one of them.

MAC makes colourless lip conditioners in tube and pot form, too; but i especially love the tinted ones because they add just enough colour to make your lips look polished but still natural. They also come in 4 other colours:

Left to right: Petting Pink, Plum Perfect, Gentle Coral & Soothing Beige

I've already tried Petting Pink & Gentle Coral and have loved them both. It sounds like Plum Perfect would be lovely for a more intense look and Soothing Beige would be great for a nuder lip; either way, I'm excited to try these other two shades!

READ MORE - Winter Staples - MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner

All About Eyes - Peach & Purple For The Holidays

Products Used:

Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Palette - Circus (metallic purple) & Storm (metallic grey) 

MAC Eyeshadow - Paradisco

Annabelle Cosmetics Hype Liquid Liner - Mystic Black

MAC Fluidline - Blacktrack

Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes! Mascara - Black

This is probably one of my favourite looks I've created so far, I absolutely love how it turned out! To start off, I applied the metallic purple eyeshadow all over the lid up to the brow bone, but leaving the inner third free of product. Then I applied the metallic grey colour in the inner corner and blended it into the purple shade. Next, I used a blending brush to apply Paradisco along the brow bone from the inner corner all the way to the outer edge, then applied the purple eyeshadow on the lower lash line. Lastly, I lined my upper lash line with Mystic Black liquid liner, lined the lower lash line with Blacktrack, filled in my brows with matte black eyeshadow and applied a few coats of mascara to both upper and lower lashes.

I think this is a great look for the holidays because it's fun and colourful, but still quite wearable and appropriate for most functions. 

Hope you guys like this look!

READ MORE - All About Eyes - Peach & Purple For The Holidays

Winter Staple - Estée Lauder Daywear Creme

At first I was on the fence about this moisturizer. However, at approximately $60.00 CAD per tub, I wasn't about to stop using it!

But when the weather turned colder, it become a Godsend! Especially during that week-long stretch of below 0 degrees celsius weather.

It's got a thick consistency that feels amazing on the skin and it sinks in just enough that your skin feels moisturized, yet leaves some moisture on the surface as well. Some people don't like any sort of tackiness on their skin after applying moisturizer, but I happen to like it. I'm of the "if I don't feel it, it's not there," persuasion :p. It has a light cucumber scent as well; it smells fresh and is not overpowering at all.

I also love that it's got SPF 15 and anti-oxidants to help defend against aging. Personally, at 24, aging really isn't an issue. But it's all about prevention, isn't it? And I find it's best to prevent something before it happens as opposed to preventing it from getting worse. 

This moisturizer has really saved my skin this winter and I've already run out of it (I took the photos above last month). I'm currently alternating between the Origins Mega Mushroom Cream and the Korres Wild Rose 24-Hour Moisturizer, both of which are not enough for me at the moment. So ladies, here's where I need your help:

What moisturizer do you use to combat

dry skin in the winter?

READ MORE - Winter Staple - Estée Lauder Daywear Creme

All About Eyes - Evening Neutral

Products Used:

Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Palettes - Storm (champagne, brown & maroon) 

and Sunset (burnt orange & pinky gold)

MAC Eye Pencil - Coffee

Clinique High Impact Mascara - Black

This entire look came about simply because I wanted to use the gorgeous, metallic brown shade from Sleek's Storm palette. I was taking a look through all my palettes for inspiration and realized I've never used it before! Strange, I thought. 

Anyway, I started off by applying said eyeshadow on my eyelid, from lash line to just above the crease, making sure to leave the inner third of my eye free of product. Then I applied a pinky gold colour on the inner corner, blending it nicely with the metallic brown. This shade (very right on the swatch photo) is kind of interesting: it looks pink in the pan and when placed on the skin, but it has some gold shimmer running through and the gold becomes more pronounced as you blend away. It's quite pretty, actually! Next up, I used a burnt orange shade and used it to blend the upper edge of the eyeshadow to create a smokier effect. The maroon shade was then applied to the outer corner of the eyelid to create a bit more depth; this shadow was also used to line the lower lash line. 

Last were the finishing touches: a lovely, shimmery champagne colour to highlight the brow bone, a matte black eyeshadow to define the brows a bit more, MAC's coffee eye pencil to line both upper and lower water lines, and a few coats of High Impact Mascara on both the top and bottom lashes.

Hope you like this look :)

READ MORE - All About Eyes - Evening Neutral

All About Eyes - Winter Ice

Products Used:

Annabelle Cosmetics Smudgeliner - Foxy Grey

Sephora Collection Eyeshadow - Aspen Summit 23

Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Palette - Circus (pale, sky blue)

Annabelle Cosmetics Liquid Liner - Mystic Black

CoverGirl VolumeExact Mascara - Very Black

Something a bit less wearable for you lovelies today... There was a week in November where we experienced below 0 temperature. there was snow, ice everywhere; it was freezing. It kind of inspired me to create an icey look.

I started off by applying Foxy Grey Smudgeliner (which is actually silver) on the eyelid, ending just above the crease. Then I used Aspen Summit, a shimmery white eyeshadow and applied it all over the lid and up to the brow bone. Because I had a silver base, there will be a difference in shade, despite using the same eyeshadow. Next, I applied a sky blue eyeshadow just on the outer corner of the eye. Then with Annabelle's Mystic Black eyeliner, I applied a thin line on my upper lash line. Lastly, I applied Foxy Grey on the lower lash line, applied a few coats of mascara (I really don't recommend VolumeExact, I'm just trying to use it up :p), and filled in any gaps in my eyebrows with a matte black eyeshadow.

Hope you like this look!

Happy Monday :)

READ MORE - All About Eyes - Winter Ice

Beauty TAG: My Perfect Imperfections

So I saw this TAG all over YouTube about a week ago and I decided to do it for my blog. The premise is, you have to pick 3 things about yourself that you don't like and 3 things that you do. I hesitate to call them "perfections" because we all know there's no such thing, but that's what the TAG's called so I guess I'll jump on the bandwagon :p.

To make this simpler, I'll stick with beauty/physical/superficial related things; and I'll tell you right now, picking just three imperfections is a challenge because goodness knows I have way more than that. Haha!

1. My Calves

They're HUGE. 

Seriously... This means I can't ever wear boots that zip up and those that don't, well... Unless they're incredibly roomy, I pretty much have to go a size up in order for it to fit. Ohhh joy :p.

2. My Moles

Yes, they're called beauty marks, but I find that doesn't quite apply when you have 10 of them on your face. They don't bother me as much, though; I've grown to accept them as I've gotten older. But I'd still like to get rid of a few of the bigger ones.

3. My Overall Body Shape

I have a wide and curvy build; add that to a short frame and it's pretty difficult to find clothes that fit you properly. Though I enjoy shopping, it can get pretty discouraging when you can only fit 1 out of the 10 items you try on. 

1. My Eyebrows

I've never paid much attention to my eyebrows until I started sharing my eye looks and people started pointing them out to me. I've been doing my own eyebrows since I was in my early teens and I've never had any professional do them, ever. Needless to say, I'm quite proud of them :p.

2. My Hair

I used to straighten my hair all the time when I was in high school. And when I wanted it curly, I'd blow dry it straight first, then I'd curl with an iron. Hair damage, galore! Then I figured out I actually have naturally wavy/curly hair. I've also stopped dyeing my hair so it's the healthiest its ever been. Also, my hair is coarse, which is a pain when you want to straighten (something I don't do often); but it means I can pretty much style it and it keeps its shape. It also means that while my fellow dancers were teasing their hair into oblivion for our 80s piece, all I had to do was tilt my head down, apply hairspray, and voila: BIG HAIR!

3. My Dimples

Coz who doesn't like dimples? :D

I tag all you lovelies!

If you do or have done this tag, 

please leave a link in the comments :)

READ MORE - Beauty TAG: My Perfect Imperfections

BathTime Diaries: Lush - Floating Island Bath Melt & Butterball Bath Bomb

As the weather's gotten progressively colder, I found myself wanting to take more baths. A few nights ago, I treated myself to a combination of Lush's Floating Island Bath Melt and Butterball Bath Bomb.

I have to say, I really love this combination. Butterball is known to be Lush's most moisturizing bath bomb; now pair that with a bath melt and you've got yourself one fabulous bath!

As you can see, there isn't really anything special about how these products look in the bath. There are minimal bubbles, there are no funky colours, no confetti... What's truly special about these two is how it makes your skin feel afterwards: incredibly moisturized. In fact, I only really need to apply lotion on my drier areas (i.e. elbows, knees, etc).

And I can't forget the scent. These two smell sooo delicious! Butterball smells like cocoa butter and Floating Island smells like vanilla. YUMMY!

Have you tried either of these bath products?

READ MORE - BathTime Diaries: Lush - Floating Island Bath Melt & Butterball Bath Bomb

Holiday Outfit Ideas With J.Crew

Whatever your needs may be this Holiday season: an outfit for an office party, a casual get together with friends, or a dreaded nice "meet the parents/family" situation, I think J. Crew's pretty much got you covered. 

Get it? "Got you covered?" Coz the post is about clothes? 

...I'll stop talking now...

Anyway, I particularly love the embellished skirts. Sequins, plumage, draping... I want them all! Although, I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't feel a bit of anxiety when sitting down. After all, I wouldn't want to leave a trail of sequins in my wake :p.

Happy Wednesday, lovelies!

READ MORE - Holiday Outfit Ideas With J.Crew

All About Eyes - Black & Gold (Inspired by Natasha Bedingfield)

When I first saw Natasha Bedingfield's video for her new single, Strip Me, I was blown away by all the makeup looks (there are around 8 or 9) and how beautiful they all were. There was one look in particular that this was inspired by: a black and gold smoky eye. So I decided to do my own take on the look.

Products Used:

Annabelle Cosmetics Smudgeliner - Honey

Sleek Makeup i-Divine Palette - Storm

MAC Fluidline - Blacktrack

L'oréal Voluminous Mascara - Black

Firstly, I applied Annabelle's Honey Smudgeliner all over the lid, from the lash line to the brow bone and then I layered the gold eyeshadow on top. Next, I applied the matte black eyeshadow to the outer half of the eyelid, making sure to taper the outer edge off. I also applied this to the lower lash line (keeping the inner corner free of black eyeshadow) and used it to fill in the gaps in my eyebrows. Then I lined the upper lash line & my lower water line with Blacktrack and applied two coats of mascara to both top & bottom lashes. Simple, right?

Hope you like this look :).

Happy Monday!

READ MORE - All About Eyes - Black & Gold (Inspired by Natasha Bedingfield)

Winter Staple: Lush - King Of Skin Body Butter

(photo from Lush)

Another lovely product from Lush, this body butter not only smells delicious, but it's also luxuriously moisturizing. Lush says that it contains cocoa, shea & coconut butter, bananas, toning essential oils, jojoba & almond oils, fresh avocado and oatmeal.

I love using King of Skin after baths because it's so moisturizing. It's really best to use at night, in my opinion, because it takes a while to sink in. It's definitely not the product I reach for if I'm pressed for time :p.

My skin always feels incredibly soft after I apply King of Skin. The scent lingers, too, which definitely adds to the entire experience; using this product really feels like I'm pampering myself. And we all deserve a little pampering once in a while, no?

As you can see, it's a solid body butter so it would be wise to buy some sort of container if you decide to purchase King of Skin. It's crown shape is a bit difficult to fit into Lush's body butter tins, but after a few uses, it'll fit in perfectly. Lush recommends using it in the shower when skin is still wet, then rinsing off. I personally haven't tried it, but I've heard the bar melts quicker this way, so I don't do it. Though I presume this method will allow the product to sink in quicker so it's something to consider if you want to use it and need to dress right away.

It's truly a lovely product and I highly recommend it. The ingredients are natural and won't irritate skin if you happen to be sensitive.

Have you tried King of Skin body butter?

READ MORE - Winter Staple: Lush - King Of Skin Body Butter

Monthly Favourites - November 2010

In every Monthly Favourites post, I always say something along the lines of, "I can't believe it's ___ already!" or "Time is going by so fast!" Seeing as I would hate to break tradition, I have to say: November really really flew by for me. But I'm so happy it's December, because it means Christmas is right around the corner! But enough blabbering from me, here's my November Faves:

1. Revlon - Beyond Natural Skin Matching Makeup

I wasn't too jazzed about this foundation at first. I didn't feel there was enough coverage and I didn't really like the finish. But once I found the perfect way to apply it, I've been obsessed! I'd say it's around light to medium coverage and is absolutely buildable. It looks natural on the skin and really matches my skin better now that I use a brush instead of my fingers. I'll do a more in-depth review soon, but this has definitely been the base product I've reached for the most this month.

2. Sigma - F50 (Formerly SS 187) Duo Fibre Brush

It is thanks to this baby that I've fallen in love with the Revlon Beyond Natural foundation. But it works beautifully for other liquid face products as well. By stippling the product onto the skin and then blending it out, you achieve a gorgeous finish. Some say "airbrushed," but I've never used any airbrushing equipment on my face so I can't say for certain if that's the finish it achieves. But gorgeous is definitely a good word to describe the finish I achieve for myself.

3. Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Sunset Palette - Cranberry Shade

This entire palette is gorgeous; in fact, Sunset and Storm are probably 2 of Sleek's best palettes. But I've come to really enjoy this one shade in particular. I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a name, but it's a gorgeous red with a satiny finish. I've used it in two looks recently, one of which I posted yesterday. It's amazingly pigmented and the velvety texture allows it to blend quite easily. I never though I'd love a red eyeshadow, but there you go :p.

4. Lush - The Olive Branch Shower Gel

I've had this shower gel since the summer but I never used it until fall/winter rolled around. It just smells so amazingly warm that it feels more appropriate to use it when the weather's a bit chilly. No, it's not the most moisturizing of shower gels, nor is it a brilliant exfoliator; but it there's something so welcoming about it, especially when you shower with really warm water... That's why I love it so much!

5. Lush - Sympathy For The Skin Body Lotion

This lotion is definitely a staple for me in any season, but I've come to really  appreciate it this winter. Although it isn't technically winter yet, we experienced a period of below freezing weather and my skin has suffered for it. Sympathy for the Skin has kept my skin wonderfully moisturized; it retains moisture better and smells absolutely delicious. The combination of The Olive Branch and this lotion is especially glorious!

6. Lush - Angels On Bare Skin Cleanser

Angels on Bare Skin is really such a wonderful cleanser. It leaves my skin looking and feeling smoother and doesn't strip any moisture at all from my skin. Actually, I would feel comfortable saying it's moisturizing as well because I can get away with not applying moisturizer on my skin after using this product. Not only is it simple yet effective, it's also one of Lush's vegan products. It has natural ingredients and no parabens, sulfates, or any preservatives.

7. Nivea - Milk & Honey Lip Balm

Smells lovely (milk and honey? Come on!) and moisturizes just as well as my well-loved tinted lip conditioner from MAC. Also, it was less than $3. There is no losing with this lip balm! No fancy tricks here, but it's a very effective product. An more in-depth review is coming soon.

8. Revlon - Sugar Plum Nail Polish

Applies smoothly and effortlessly, plus it dries so incredibly quick! The shade is gorgeous, too. Perfect for the Holidays! 

Happy December, lovelies!

What were your favourites form last month?

READ MORE - Monthly Favourites - November 2010