Obsessed Makeup Addict

I really didn't want to like you...

2011-10-09T20:01:00.000-04:00

Have you ever tried a product, but hoped you would hate it...just because you didn't want to add another step to your makeup routine? *Raises hand*

That's exactly what happened with Smashbox Photo Finish Luminizing Foundation Primer. I got a sample at Sephora thinking it was nothing special...and I think I'm going to need to get the full size once I run out.

This product is sooooo light and fast absorbing, I honestly don't even feel like I've applied anything. It feels lighter than air...just like Smashbox's other primers.

Even though this is suppose to be a foundation primer, I find that it works best when applied on top of your foundation, before you apply any powders...that way you can see the luminizing effects better. I like to apply it anywhere I need highlighting, and then I put a touch of bronzer on top....and BAM.

The glow that this product gives is soooo natural. I love how it seeps through my bronzer and blush and gives a glow to the face. It's an oil-free product, and it does hold out pretty well...but after 8 hours or so I do tend to get a little oily looking with this on.

Is this product a must have? Absolutely not. It is more of an "I would like to have...even though I have tons of products that could essentially do the same thing"....but one more product never hurt anyone!

Covergirl Lashblast Fusion Mascara

2011-08-27T09:35:00.002-04:00

The quest to find the best mascara will probably never end for me. I will continue trying different ones in hopes of getting amazing long/full doll like eyelashes. My quest recently led me to Covergirl's Lashblast Fusion. This mascara is suppose to be similar to the original orange tube Lashblast which is made for providing maximum volume. Fusion is said to provide length and volume in one stroke.

Personally, I think it is no different from the original Lashblast. It gives a little bit of volume, but it doesn't do anything for length. This is after 2 coats and a LOT of playing around with the mascara to try to make it work.

The formula is really dry, I personally like thick, black, and wet looking lashes. This looks sooo natural, sometimes I don't even look like I'm wearing any mascara.

Verdict: If you have naturally long and full lashes, and want a natural look, then this may be the mascara for you. But if you're looking dramatic length and volume...keep looking.

The hunt for the best mascara continues!!

Nutella French Toast with Banana Glaze

2011-08-18T22:59:00.004-04:00

My makeup buying ways have seem to cooled down for the time being...and I've been more into using up what I already have. So what is my new addiction you may ask? Why cooking of course! Who would have thought...little old me turning into Martha Stewart! Ha!

So here is a post totally unrelated to makeup!

First things first...make your nutella sandwich as usual, and then chop it into little squares. Also chop up some bananas and have them ready to go!!

Banana Glaze

Over low/med heat melt 4 tsp of butter and 3 tsp of brown sugar
Stir in 1/4 cup of maple syrup, 1/8 tsp of salt, and 1 tsp of vanilla
Add in the bananas and make sure they get covered in the glaze over heat (but don't let them turn to mush)

Nutella French Toast

Take the following ingredients and beat them together in a bowl until it's nice and fluffy:

1/3 cup of milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp of vanilla
1 tsp of cinnamon powder

Take your chopped up nutella bites and cover them completely in the egg/milk mix...then throw them in the pan over medium heat and BAM! Nutella french toast!!! You can serve them with this optional banana glaze...or just plain old delicious syrup! Bon appetit!!

Attempting EOTD and Voluminous Waterproof Mascara Review

2011-07-24T21:47:00.012-04:00

I've been seeing lots of bronzed-orange eye shadow looks, and after seeing some swatches of amazing orange eyeshadows on Irene's lovely blog...I decided to give it a shot.

The only orange colour I had available was my new favourite blush, NARS Taj Mahal. So I patted that all over my lid...and then I decided I wasn't brave enough to leave the house with a bright colour like orange all over. So I took my Physician's Formula Sunset Strip palette and MAC's Bronze and blended as much as I could.

I don't do EOTD because I tend to play it safe. I like to blend so much that you can barely see what colours I used. But I promised myself that I would try out the orange look one more time before summer ends...and next time I won't chicken out....I'm going BRIGHT!

I was so excited to try this mascara again. I used it once a few years ago, and I don't remember it being amazing...but everyone is always raving about it, so I decided to give another go. I don't feel like it's fair for me to review this...because I accidentally picked up the waterproof formula (which tend to be more clumpy than the regular formulas)...but I'll give my thoughts on it nonetheless. It's dry and clumpy and it doesn't do anything special...but even if I got the normal formula, I don't see how this brush could make my lashes look amazing. Having said all of that...as much as I hate waterproof formulas, it was really needed this hot humid summer!!

My favourite mascara still remains to be L'Oreal Telescopic...and I just noticed that I don't have a review of it yet!! I can't believe I've gone through 4 tubes of them and still no review? I'm horrible. I'll get on it.

Nars Taj Mahal

2011-07-24T15:54:00.004-04:00

A few months ago I was heartbroken when a SA at Sephora told me Taj Mahal was discontinued...turns out it just isn't carried at Sephora and is available at other stores. So when I saw it at a NARS counter I knew I had to have her. The makeup artist insisted on applying it on me...which I wasn't a fan of because I was really happy with my makeup...but she did it anyway, and I saw the colour on my face and decided I HAD to buy it.

I've had Taj Mahal for over 2 months and I just recently got used to the pigmenation. It is by far the brightest/most pigmented blush I own. I have a heavy hand when applying blush, so that didn't help my situation. Sometimes if I'm not careful I end up looking like a clown, and no amount of blending can fix the mess I've made.

I tried to capture the golden sheen in the swatch...because the sheen is what makes the blush so amazing. I always apply highlighter to any blush I wear, but Taj Mahal doesn't need anything layered on top. I think it's such a unique colour, and if you're in the market for an orange blush look no further. I think any skin tone could pull this colour off...just remember...less is more!!

May Favourites

2011-05-29T18:43:00.010-04:00

After for blogging for a year and a half, I'm finally doing a monthly favourite post! I think it's nice to track what products you really loved for a while and then look back to how your makeup patterns change monthly. I know I love reading other blogger's monthly favourite posts. So here we go!

I pulled out my Annabella Zebra Bronzing Powder this month, and was sad to see it hit pan this year...I definitely showed it a lot of love last summer. It gives a perfect healthy looking glow, and never makes me look muddy or orange. It's a fail proof bronzer in my eyes.

I am a HUGE fan of blush so I mix my blushes a lot. So that's why I have a lot of different blushes listed below, I really did use them a lot!

I have been alternating between NARS Luster and MAC Coppertone this month, and usually place either of these colours in the hollow of my cheekbones.

After watching a video by Gossmakeupartist on getting a sun-kissed glow, I started using his technique by applying my NARS Dolce Vita to highlight my face, leaving me with a natural glow...the first few times I looked ridiculous...but I've gotten better and am really liking the outcome.

Tarte Clay Amazonian in Tipsy is crazy bright and pigmented, so I just put a light dab on top of my cheeks to give me a pinkish/coral glow. If I want a more orange based glow for the day I use Stila Gladiola instead.

I've been using a bunch of different mascaras daily to try to finish them and toss them out, so nothing stood out this month. But I've been using my MAC Liquidlast Liner in Powerplum everyday, which really makes my eyes pop. It lasts all day, and is annoying to take off because it refuses to budge. Haha I complain if my liner doesn't last, and now I'm complaining that it doesn't come off.

I always show love to my Diorskin Shimmer Star in Amber Diamond, but this baby is made for the summer. I've never seen someone buy this and regret it. It's a little pricey for a highlight, but worth it!

I recently did a review on my Bobbi Brown concealer and correctors, and needless to say I LOVE these two, and I've been reaching for them daily this past month.

And finally, my Nivea lip balm in Milk and Honey has been used and abused this past month. It gives a nice glow, and moisturizes my lips, leaving them buttery soft. It doesn't taste anything like milk or honey, but I do like the scent.

Okay, that's the first monthly favourite post from me, it was fun! I wonder what June will bring.

Bobbi Brown Corrector and Concealer

2011-05-27T14:49:00.006-04:00

Everyone has their flaws, and everyday we try to find new ways to cover it up. My biggest nightmare is facing my huge, deep, dark under eye circles. They are impossible to hide. I've tried plenty of different concealers and had settled on the Lise Watier concealer that came in the compact wheel. That wheel is absolutely amazing and covers up everything on my face that needs covering.....but when it comes to my under eyes.......nothing seemed to work. I had given up. I was ready to become a vampire...they're still cool right?

Then, on a gloomy rainy day over a month ago, my friend and I went to lunch and had a few to drink. Afterwards we went to a Bobbi Brown counter and the SA sat me down and put on the corrector and concealer, then handed me a mirror....all of a sudden the clouds disappeared, the sun started shinning, the birds were chirping....and I think I unicorn came out, I'm not a 100% sure.

I was in LOVE with the results. At first I thought I was imaging it (because I did have a few glasses of wine) but my friend assured me it was real. The SA asked if I needed the setting powder along with the Corrector and Concealer...and I said "no" because I had my MUFE HD Powder. I purchased the two items for a total of $65 CDN....I never thought I'd pay that much for concealers but it's soooooooo worth it. I justified it because I don't wear foundation so I thought it was okay to spend some money for my face.

She matched the corrector in the color Bisque, and the creamy concealer in Cool Sand to my skin. They apply so smoothly to the skin (I use a big fluffy brush to apply and blend them in). So when applying, first you apply the corrector, followed by the concealer, then any setting powder if you wish to use some. Then once I've finished I take a tissue and dab it on top of the product to absorb any extra oil...and BAM, it gets locked into place (I learnt this trick from Gossmakeupartist on youtube). It really does not fade. At nights I get sad when removing my makeup because it still looks soooo good and fresh.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

As you can see it takes away the darkness, of course I still have the bags...it can't get rid of that, but in real life it looks 10x better.

This stuff does not BUDGE!! It's absolutely amazing, and worth every last penny. I only regret not getting the setting powder with it, and if I want to buy it separately now I can only get a huge sized one for $40 as opposed to the $14 it cost for the tiny one when I was getting the duo. The MUFE powder is fine and does the job but in flash photography it's super white...the BB setting powder does not do that.

If you have major under eye problems I would recommend you go to a Bobbi Brown counter and have this applied to you. You will see a world of difference!! If your dark circles bother you, and you'd be willing to pay the heavy price tag to get rid of them...then go for it!!

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Tipsy

2011-05-03T15:13:00.001-04:00

Yes...I got it too. The Tarte Amazonian clay blush that seems to be everywhere these days!! I looking at the Tarte blushes and was about to buy one...then I was introduced to Stila Gladiola...and decided to get that instead. But I kept thinking about the Tarte clay blush in Tipsy, because once swatched on my skin it was sooo gorgeous...so after debating it for a few days, it was back to Sephora I went.

When in the store, I thought that Tipsy was more orangey (and it was...when compared to the other Tarte blushes and in the Sephora lighting). I thought it would be great to pair with my new favourite Gladiola...but once I swatched them both at home I realized...how coral Tipsy actually is.

Tipsy is a gorgeous coral color, not exactly the color I was looking for....but beautiful nonetheless. I cannot describe just how pigmented this blush actually is. One sweep in the product with your brush, and you have an insane color on your cheeks. Actually my family made fun of me the first time I wore it, and thank heavens they said something before I went out looking like a clown. The color payoff is INTENSE. Aside from the pigmentation, the lasting power is out of this world. I never have an issue with my blush disappearing, however, they do fade away slightly throughout long days. Not this bad boy...at the end of the day, my blush looks like I JUST applied it. I even had it on before an intense 1 hour cardio session and it didn't budge!!

If I didn't have sooo many blushes...I would totally go and get the other colors as well. But enough is enough. However if you're looking for a blush, I definitely recommend you taking a look at these in person. They look soooo much different once swatched on your skin in person than they do in pictures.

Summer Makeup!

2011-04-25T15:16:00.006-04:00

Today was gloomy and rainy outside...but I know summer is around the corner...at least...that's what I keep telling myself. So I decided to rotate my makeup around and bring out products that I know I'm going to be reaching for more during the summer.

During the summer I'm a huge fan of bronze/corals/and anything to get that beautiful sun-kissed look...haha can you tell? Yeah I love love love summer colours and makeup.

This is my little box that I have by my makeup chair. It has the stuff I reach for on a daily basis. Everything else is drawers and boxes on a shelf. This has all my favourites throughout the month, and changes from time to time...but at the end of each season I do a complete clean out and change everything in there.

Are you guys excited for summer? What are your favourite summer products??

Stila Gladiola

2011-04-21T17:19:00.000-04:00

So I've realized I really love orange blushes and lipsticks. I took a look around me and realized......no orange blush!! So off to Sephora I went to purchase Nars Taj Mahal after seeing a review of it done by the lovely Ebru. But apparently it's discontinued and no longer sold in stores. I took a look at some of the Tarte Clay blushes, but then the sales lady brought out Stila's Gladiola and told me she could sell it to me even though it's not out on the shelf yet.

This is my first orange blush, and my first cream blush. I originally wanted a powder, but I guess it's nice to give creams a go this summer. It's also my first Stila product....so that's three birds with one stone.

This is insanely pigmented. This swatch was done with two small swirls in the pan. It's pretty close to the colour in the pan once swatched...it also has a slight coralish hint in person, which I'm fine with. It's such an intense colour payoff and looks gorgeous on the skin. I love this finish. I've been wearing it nonstop since I purchased it.

If the colour above is too intense, you can blend it out for a more subtle look:

Lately I've been really into mixing blushes. My new favourite combo is Nars Dolce Vita for a touch of sun-kissed colour, then Stila Gladiola for a bright flush, with a touch of Nars Luster. But I'm always finding new combos!!

Essie French Affair

2011-04-19T09:37:00.003-04:00

Okay I promise....I'm done with nail polishes....no more!!! I've been on a nail polish binge lately, but I'm going to stop. The first step is admitting I have a problem. I just had to get this cute little box with the French Affair colours that Essie released this spring. They are so pretty, and look how tiny and cute they are!

So far I've only tried out this cool toned pink colour, also known as French Affair. It was not the best consistency, it took about 3 coats to reach this level of coverage. I tend to have this problem with pink nail polishes, they just don't cover my nails properly. I want to find perfect ballerina pink polish...but then again I'm not sure I really enjoy pink nails to begin with. If you're going to purchase a pink nail polish I recommend looking elsewhere...I'm sure there are much better shades and consistencies out there.

But don't worry ladies....I have a feeling my love for blushes is growing again...thank goodness Sephora has the 15% off offer right now...hahaha

Maybelline One by One Volume Express Review

2011-04-12T22:23:00.004-04:00

After reading one bad review after another about this mascara, I was not planning on purchasing it. However my sister gave it to me because it kept making her eyes itchy and watery, so I decided to give it a go......and you guessed it...like almost everyone else I hated it!

The formula dries too quickly, and doesn't allow you to play around with the product. I too had problems with it burning my eyes and making them itchy. Maybe it was just this tube, or maybe other people had a similar problem with this mascara.

But it made my lashes go all over the place, they didn't look nice combed through. You can see in some of the pictures that I have lumps and clumps at the tip of my lashes....which is the opposite of what feminine lashes should look like!

This is definitely more of a lengthening mascara then it is volumizing...in fact I think it took away some of the volume in my lashes by clumping them together.

All in all, I will not repurchase this...it's just too difficult to work it, and I like my mascara to be quick and easy! Oh well, to the trash this goes and on to the next....

China Glaze Re-Fresh Mint

2011-04-10T16:50:00.007-04:00

I think I found my summer 2011 nail colour! Oh yessss this is going to get a lot of wear this year. I'm in lust! I'm glad the lady convinced me to pick this up when I was purchasing China Glaze For Audrey....because I think I love this even MORE!

China Glaze For Audrey

2011-04-07T17:04:00.004-04:00

After wanting this for the longesttttttt time, it's finally mine!!! I adore this colour so much. It's my first China Glaze polish, and I love it so far. I've had this colour on for more than a week and no chipping yet. It had an easy application, and is a great polish all the way around.

L-R: Peachy Keen, For Audrey, Re-Fresh Mint

I also picked up two other colours because I was in a very Springy mood! Any other China Glaze polishes I should pick up? Also what do you guys think of the crackle polishes? I was pondering over them for a few minutes but decided not to get any.

Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara

2011-04-05T10:57:00.004-04:00

I try sooo many different mascaras sometimes I forget to post reviews of all of them. Looking through my pictures I realized I still haven't gotten this review up. I got this mascara because of the unique brush that has 3 bumps, usually these kinds of brushes with dips and bumps do well with my lashes. The brush left my lashes natural looking and very feminine, nothing dramatic, nothing special.

The formula in the bottle was horrible. My lashes would flake within 10 mins of application. I could get ready to go out, and before I step out the door my under eyes are filled with little black pieces. So I wouldn't repurchase it, in fact I just tossed it out before writing this post. The brush had sexy curves....but it didn't make my lashes sexy. Oh well. On to the next!

Goodbye Old Man Winter...I'm ready to get bronzed!

2011-04-03T10:26:00.005-04:00

I'm soooo excited to be saying goodbye to Winter! I'm ready for some colour on my pale face and the warmth to hit my skin. Warmer weather means rotating my summer makeup in and the putting away my winter stuff. But while packing some stuff up, I realized I hadn't talked about this one product that I've been using for 4 months every single day!

I got the Physicians Formula Bronze Booster Glow-Boosting Pressed Bronzer in Light-Medium back in the middle of winter, because I realized my other bronzers were wayyy too dark for my paler winter skin.

This bronzer never made me look too orange, or too dark. Because it's lighter in colour, I loved using it to blend out my blush, whenever I applied my blush with a heavy hand. I thought it was the perfect bronzer for winter, it really helped me look awake, and healthy in the cold dreadful days of winter.

But it's time to pack it away for the next few months, I'm ready for my darker bronzers and my fun colour blushes....because it's almost summer!!!!

Elf Cosmetics

2011-03-30T11:14:00.006-04:00

Over a month ago I decided to order a few things from ELF Cosmetics, and see what all the fuss was about. The main reason for my purchase was because recently decided to carry blushes in my bag...but I'm really rough with my handbags and I didn't want my other blushes breaking. SO I ordered a few blushes to match some blushes that I already have, and now I just throw it in my bag to touch up!

L-R: Gotta Glow, Fuchsia Fusion, Berry Merry, Candid Coral

The blushes are fairly pigmented. However I don't like the way they sit on my face, and they don't apply as smoothly as my Nars, Benefit and Dior blushes. They don't have a great lasting power, but they work fine for a quick touch up over other blushes (which is great because that all that I wanted them for). My favorite is definitely Gotta Glow! It's my second favourite highlighter...of course nothing can beat Dior's Shimmer Star!!!

Studio Eyeshadow Pebble was a last minute purchase, and honestly it's one of my favourite eyeshadows. The swatch didn't turn out as nicely as I wanted, but I've been wearing this all over my lid with Sin UDPP underneath and I loveeee the color. It has a lot of fallout but I'm willing to overlook it for the price that I paid!

If you're in the market for brushes you may want to take a look at the ELF site, because I am amazed by the softness of this brush! It picks up color amazingly, and I have been using to do everything from contouring/blending/bronzing...everything really! I've washed it countless times and still no shedding. I wish I purchased a few more of their brushes to see if they are all this amazing.

Would I recommend these blushes? Not if you already have great blushes in your collection. If you're just starting out with makeup and want to play around with colours and see what works for you, then this is a great start...otherwise there really isn't a need for them. I just personally don't reach for them when I have all these other blushes to play around with.

Essie Polishes

2011-02-24T19:40:00.003-05:00

I recently have found a new love for Essie nail polishes. The brush is thinner than OPI which I thought would make it hard to work with, but they dry soooo quickly and are so easy to work with. I love their amazing neutral selection, I really want to go back for more. I also want the new China Glaze crackle polishes. Ohhhh the list keeps growing longer daily. Do you guys have any must haves?

Left-Right:

Going Incognito

Sew Psyched

Playa Del Platinum

California Coral

Clambake

Sew Psyched is my new favorite polish of all time, taking out the 2 year champion OPI You Don't Know Jacques!

Skin Care Product Reviews

2011-02-22T20:21:00.001-05:00

I've been wanting to review these for the longest time, so I decided to just do a quick review of all of them in one quick post!

Bio-Oil

This product saved my skin this winter. I never used to have dry skin, but I did this year, and Bio-Oil stopped the flaking. I thought it would be too oily to use on my face (normal/combo skin) but it didn't make me breakout. This has become my new face moisturizer, and I absolutely love it. I'm on my second bottle, and I know I'll keep going back for more.

L'Oreal

Go 360 Clean Deep Exfoliating Scrub

When I bought this a few months ago I really liked it. It's gentle enough to use on a daily basis, and it gets off all traces of makeup really well. The only issue is, it doesn't exfoliate. I still have dead skin after use, and it does nothing to unclog my pores. I wouldn't repurchase it, but I didn't hate it either.

St. Ives Naturally Clear

Apricot Scrub Blemish & Blackhead Clearing (2% Salicylic Acid)

I picked this up because I'm always looking for something to clear my blackheads and prevent blemishes...so when I saw both on the bottle I was sold. This product cleans my skin and all traces of makeup while cleaning out my pores. It helps prevent breakouts on my skin (just like Lush's Ocean Salt) except it's MUCH gentler on the skin. This is going to replace Ocean Salt because they do the exact same thing...but this only cost around $4 which is soooooo much cheaper. I'm going to try some of the other face cleansers from the St.Ives line because I'm really impressed.

Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller

I have horrible dark bags under my eyes, and they've gotten worse this school year. I was really hoping this would make a difference, but it did absolutely nothing! I only use it because the roller ball is really cold, and the coldness wakes me up in the morning. But it doesn't actually help with the darkness or the bags. Ohhhh well...I guess the best way to get rid of the dark bags under my eyes is to actually sleep more.

Nail polish Shopping Spree

2011-01-30T14:12:00.005-05:00

Hey girls! Thank you all for your suggestions of different nail polish brands to try. I went and got a bunch yesterday...and I'm soooooo excited to try them out!!!

As soon as I got home I wanted to paint my nails doing something extreme! So I did 3 coats of Sally Hansen Hard as Nails with Nylon in #59 (black) with two coats of the Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail color in Strobe Light (sparkles). Excuse the mess, I didn't clean around it properly.

Also I really want to get a bunch of China Glaze polishes...were do you girls order your China Glaze from? Please and thank you.

Benefit Dallas Blush

2011-01-28T18:35:00.000-05:00

Yes...another blush post...but I have to talk about this blush and share my love for it with the world!!!

I've had this blush in a sample size for over a year, and finally got the full sized one about 2 months ago. I can safely say that this is my favourite blush of all time! I don't know why...it doesn't look like anything special when you swatch it or look at it in the box...but when it's applied to my face, it just completes the look better than any other blush I've tried. This colour contours and gives me a nice flush at the same time, so maybe that's why I love it so much. I don't know how else to explain my love for Dallas...because there are no words. It's the most beautiful dusty rose blush that I own, and that I've seen in the makeup community. I've also noticed that I receive more compliments when I'm wearing this.....so maybe that's why I love it so much haha.

In the swatch you can see a slight sheen, but it looks matte when applied to the skin. I love working with this blush because it glides on and blends out like a dream.

NARS Luster

2011-01-27T08:00:00.003-05:00

I got another blush....because apparently I have issues and don't know when enough is enough. I actually bought this a while ago, and I'm just getting around to swatching it now. While swatching Luster I thought I should also swatch my other NARS blushes that I've reviewed in past posts...because...well why not?

NARS Sin:

NARS Dolce Vita:

NARS Luster:

NARS Luster is described as an apricot coloured blush with golden sheen. It is an amazing colour, and I feel like this baby is going to get a lot of love from me this summer. It's highly pigmented (as are all my NARS blushes) however, I find that it doesn't last as long on my skin when compared to other blushes (but to be fair I've only worn this a couple of times). On my skin it blends really well, and looks very natural. My cousin has Luster as well, she's much darker than myself, and it looks very natural on her as well. What I really love with Luster is the sheen because it's like a built in highlight...which means one less step for me in the mornings.

How gorgeous is this colour?? I can't wait for the summer sun to shine down on my face with this bad boy on my cheeks!!

NARS (L-R) Sin, Luster, Dolce Vita:

I took these pictures while sorting through my makeup...and I realized I really have a blush addiction. I can't believe I've only been wearing blush for a year. I find that blush really makes or breaks my look...and it's definitely my weakness.

What Nail Polish Brand is Your Favorite?

2011-01-26T13:26:00.003-05:00

Hey lovely ladies!! I need some advice...what is your favorite nail polish brand? Or polishes that you think are a must have? I'm looking to venture out. I mostly have OPI, and a few other random brands here and there. What should I look into? Thank you in advance!

Lise Watier Portfolio Professional Corrector, Waterproof Eyeliner and Kajal

2011-01-13T22:43:00.000-05:00

During my last spending spree, I managed to pick up some Lise Watier products which I was really excited to try out.

Waterproof Eyeliner in Raisin Noir 649 (purple)

Kajal in Noir Indigo 659 (blue)

Over the past year, I have fallen in love with purple and blue eyeliners, I find they really make my eyes pop! So I was super excited when I picked up these two liners from Lise Waiter.

I decided to get the Indigo in a Kajal, because I use blues in my waterline a lot, since it makes your eye whites look brighter. But this liner is absolutely horrible! It runs within 10 mins, leaving my waterline and the skin surrounding it an absolute mess! I'm really disappointed, because I thought the colour was gorgeous. Oh well, on to searching for a great blue liner. Ladies do you have any suggestions?

The Raisin Noir is a nice shade of purple, however the liner itself isn't anything special. I'll use it until it finishes, but I definitely wouldn't repurchase it.

Lise Watier Liners...definitely a miss! There are better products out there.

The Portfolio Professional Corrector Concealer has been on my wishlist for over a year! I've wanted one ever since watching Kandee Johnson use it in her videos to transform her face. Ladies, this is definitely a great product. All the colours blend really well and are easy to work with. You need to use your fingers for this, because it needs to be warmed up in order to transfer and blend the product onto the skin. It hides my problem areas really well, and it's great for creating a flawless, airbrushed face. The only issue I have with it, is that it creases a tad underneath my eye. Everywhere else the colour stays put, and doesn't budge, but the skin underneath my eyes doesn't keep this concealer on for too long...it's not too noticeable, but it does cake a little teeny tiny bit. Overall I am very happy with this concealer wheel, and I would repurchase it.

The back of the product there is a guide to tell you where you can apply the different shades:

Ivory: Hides under-eye circles

Brown: Corrects and sculpts

Lilac: Radiance effect (for highlighting)

Yellow Beige: Hides blue veins and under-eye circles

Green: Counteracts redness

(If you really want to see how to use all these colours to transform your face then YouTube some of Kandee Johnson's videos! She does a great job explaining.)

After I apply the different correctors to different areas on my face, I apply a light layer of liquid foundation and then BAM! My face is done. I like how it doesn't make me look fake, it covers everything it needs to cover, while looking natural at the same time!

If you're in the market for a all-in-one concealer then you should check this product out! They even have another wheel for people with darker complexions.

Caviar Dreams Eyeshadow Quad

2010-12-29T18:47:00.004-05:00

This is the first time I've gotten a preset eyeshadow quad from MAC, even though I already have Brule, I just had to get this. I know I'll get a lot of use out of it. I think this may even be the first time I've gotten a limited edition item from MAC. The colours are so pretty I don't want to use it yet.

2010 Favorite Lip Products

2010-12-27T21:31:00.004-05:00

I'm not a big fan of putting anything on my lips...mostly because it will come off in 10 mins anyway...but if I do decide to decoration my lips there were two lip combos that I repeated over and over again in 2010.

One combo consisted of Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Coral Queen with DKNY Be Delicious Lipgloss in Anjou Blush.

The other combo, which is a subtle more wearable one was, Revlon Colourbrust Lipstick in Soft Nude 070 with the DKNY over it.

I know not many people have this DKNY gloss, but I highly recommend purchasing it, if you ever see it. It smells exactly like green apples, and is such a gorgeous shade of orange.

2010 Favorite Eye Products

2010-12-25T12:56:00.006-05:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I'm not going to ramble on and on about these products, just some pictures and a list of all my favorite eye products of 2010!

Mac Eyeshadow:

Concrete

Brule

Omega

Jest

Satin Taupe

Shroom

Hush

Patina

Mac Pigments:

Naked

Sunnydaze

Benefit Eyeshadow:

Where's the Smoke

Eye Liners:

(these weren't my favourite products, I'm just in love with the colours blue and purple, I'm still on a mission to find a great liner)

Urban Decay Binge

Lise Waiter Raisin Noir 649

Others:

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original

L'oreal Telescopic Mascara

Dermaglow Lash Enhance

2010 Favorite Blushes, Bronzers, and Highlighters

2010-12-23T22:44:00.006-05:00

The year is coming to an end, and these are my absolute favourite face products. I'm not going to ramble like I usually do. I'm going to cut straight to the point.

Blushes

NARS- Sin

The blush that I've been reaching for the most in 2010. It gives a gorgeous plum colour to my cheeks, with golden shimmer that is barely noticeable, yet the overall effect of the shimmer is present.

Benefit- Dallas

This blush I've kept my eye on for over a year. I had a sample size of it in a travel kit, and I knew that the full size would be mine one day. It gives me the most beautiful dusty rose glow.

Diorblush- Sugar & Spice 849

I honestly don't know why I love this blush so much. It is very subtle, yet amazing. There aren't many ways to describe it...I think DiorBlush is something you need to experience for yourself.

Bronzers

the Balm- Bahama Mama

I loved this bronzer for the summer, prefect darker matte shade. Barely any was needed to achieve a darker complexion.

Physicians Formula- Bronze Booster Shade Light to Medium

This bronzer I recently purchased for the winter. Just to give me a touch of much needed colour. Gives me an amazing, natural, flawless finish for the winter.

Highlighters

Diorskin Shimmer Star- Amber Diamond

I just cannot praise this product enough. Out of all my favourite things in 2010, this is my number 1. Have you tried it? If you have, you might know how hard it is to describe the amazing effects of this product. It lifts my cheekbones to a different planet...no a different solar system!

Face

Guerlian Meteorites Powder- Teint Beige 02

These meteorites get mixed reviews from bloggers. They are expensive, and I definitely don't use them daily, however, whenever I am going to be photographed at an evening event, this is brushed all over my face as a finishing touch. They are my "magic balls"!

Did I include any of your favourites for 2010?

2010 Favourites!!

2010-12-22T20:00:00.000-05:00

Since I don't do monthly favourites, I've decided to do an EXTRA big 2010 favourites!! This is a little preview of a bunch of posts that I will start posting on Friday. I'm SOOOO excited to share my favourites, and to see everyone else's posts. I've been taking photos all day! Have you done a post of your favourite products of 2010? Do you see any of your favourites in these pictures?

Hana And Chi Hair Products

2010-12-22T03:36:00.000-05:00

Hey Ladies! During the summer I received some hair products to try from Misikko. And I've been playing around with them for months and here is what I thought.

Hana Shine Shield Thermal Protectant

It's a little runny, I don't see shine after using it, in fact my hair feels a little dried out after using this. This product just wasn't for me, and I wasn't a fan of the floral scent. It's suppose to make your hair healthier, but I would need to use this for a much longer time, on a daily basis to really see a difference. Would I repurchase it....no.

Chi

First off...I LOVE the smell, to me it has the generic man smell (just like all other Chi products). It's an oiler, and thicker consistency when compared to the Hana Shine Shield. When I put this through my hair and blow-dry it the results are OH EM GEE AMAZING. My hair feels like silk!! It looks shiny and healthy...feels amazing. I love it. The only problem is, my hair gets oiler faster with this, so if your hair is on the oily side, this may not be the product for you.

Of the two I would repurchase Chi over and over again. It's not something I use everyday, but I reach for it when I want my hair to look gorgeous for a special occasion.

Here is my only advice ladies, test out different hair products to see what works for you...but use something!! I can't believe I wasn't using any protection in my hair when I was younger. But hair products DO work. I've been using different heat protection products for almost a year now and I totally see a difference and so does my stylist! Definitely use something on your hair if your not doing so already.

Xoxoxo

Spending Spree!!

2010-12-04T16:02:00.003-05:00

Hello lovely ladies! I'm back to purchasing items! It has been far too long since I've shopped, but this past week I've gone crazy buying everything in sight. This is just some of the makeup/skincare/beauty related stuff that I picked up, but I think I've cooled off. Now to play around with everything!! I'm so excited!!!!

Dermaglow's Lash Enhance

2010-12-02T20:22:00.000-05:00

What's the most important thing for you when you do your makeup? For me it's lashes. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you will know I am obsessed with making my lashes look better. Since August I've been testing out Dermaglow's Lash Enhance and I thought I should share my experiences with you lovely ladies that care about your lashes too!

I started by using this almost every night for two whole months. Lashes go through cycles, so I wanted to make sure I observed the effects of this product over a long period of time.

During the first 2 weeks of using the product, I noticed my lashes were getting longer, my mascara glided between my lashes effortlessly, and my lashes just looked nicer than usual. I had totally forgotten that I had started using the Lash Enhance at nights, I just thought I was applying my mascara better. Then one day I put two and two together! It was the Lash Enhance that was making my lashes look longer! And as the weeks went by, I waited for some of lashes to fall out (as all lashes eventually do) and go through their sparse phase, but nope! My lashes stayed in place! Not only did they not fall out, but they were longer and fuller than usual.

I decided to stop using the product just to see what would happen, and for the past month guys and gals...I've hated my lashes. I used to think my lashes were nice and thick, but after being exposed to the amazing results of the Lash Enhance...I can't look back. SOOO right after I post this blog, I'm going back to using it again.

Overall I am in love with this product, the only downside to it is the price tag. Paying $60 for my lashes is too much for me, I know some people shell out much more for lash enhancing products, but it's a tough pill for me to swallow. But I'm hooked, I need it, I want it, and I'll keep going back to buy it once this tube is finished. I doubt anyone else sees the difference that this product makes, but if it makes me happy, and I notice a difference, then $60 is worth it right?

Have you guys ever tried any lash enhancing products and if so what were your results?

The application is very easy, just apply the product on the upper lash line like liquid liner.

*In all pictures shown I'm wearing L'Oreal's Telescopic mascara. I've been using this mascara for months and I love it.

These "after" photos were all taken at different stages of using the Lash Enhance

**Product was sent to me for consideration. All opinions are my own.

Sleepless Nights? My Trick To Not Looking Like Vampire

2010-10-28T19:38:00.008-04:00

Hey! Longgggg time no blog. I have had the worst month of schooling ever. I've been under too much stress, but it's easing off a little and I thought now is a great time to blog and share something I've been dying to tell you guys!

When I have school...I get stressed...when I get stressed...I don't sleep...when I don't sleep...I look like death came looking for me in my sleep. My BIGGEST problem is my dark under eye circles. I used to just put concealer on and go, but when you're only getting 3 hours of sleep, even that's not enough. So this past month I've been playing around with different things to see what works for me, and I finally found something that works!

I looked through my stash and found Benefit's Eyebright laying around. I bought this a year ago, and I haven't really used it since. But I've been using it so much lately that I'm afraid I'm going to run out soon! After I put on my face cream, I put this all over the inner bottom corner of my eyes. Then I blend it in a little, the pink tone really covers up the greenish/blue veins underneath my eyes.

Then I take my L'Oreal True Match Foundation in Natural Buff N3, and blend it underneath my eyes, on top of the Eye Bright.

*Side Note/Mini Review: I love this foundation. I only wear foundation all over my face for bigger events, and this gives perfect coverage. It evens out the skin tone, without looking heavy. Love it!

Dark vampire circles:

Benefit's Eyebright all over the inner corner:

L'Oreal True Match Foundation in Natural Buff N3

(it looks much better in person, I need to get a new camera)

Benefit's Eyebright and the True Match Foundation are usually enough. But if I know I'm going to be photographed and need more coverage then I also put on some of my MAC concealer followed by MUFE HD powder...and volia!

This works for me, but I would love to know what you guys use to fight back against sleepless nights!

PS. While I was MIA and buried in textbooks, my blog's 1 year birthday passed by. It's crazy that I've been doing this for one year and still going. Thank you all for sticking by, I heart you all!

Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel

2010-09-30T19:56:00.008-04:00

With the start of another school year you know what I don't have time for in the mornings? EVERYTHING. I'm always looking for ways to get me out the door quicker. But I don't want to walk around all day looking like a zombie. I need some colour on my face to make me look alive. And finally I found something to help me out in my time crunch.

I went to the store to buy a Dior face bronzer that I had my eye on, but the lady at the counter insisted that I try the Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel. She said she's tried all the bronzers out there and this gave the most flawless glow. I looked at her skin, and it looked pretty radiant so I was sold!

I got this bad boy, came home, put on two heavy layers and went to bed. A few things I noticed about this product after trying it out for the first time:

it dries super quickly (you don't even feel like you have anything on your skin)
the Gel formulation is thick and easy to blend
it smells AMAZING! (Sometimes I put it on just for the smell)

Then I woke up in the morning, and did I see a difference?? Yes I did! Do you know Snooki? Yeah, unfortunately I looked more like Snooki, and less like a sun-kissed goddess. But I wasn't about to give up! I've been playing around with it for 5 weeks now and I've gotten the hang of it.

You only need a dime size amount for whole face, don't go overboard!
Do not use this every night, maybe 3-4 times a week.
Don't go to close to your hairline, it may become yellow/orange

This is all you need for your whole face, if you apply too much you may end up looking orange:

There was another Clarins self tanner, but that one is a milky/lotion consistency. The saleslady said NOT to get that, and I played around with it in the store, and it was runny and hard to work with. So if you want to check one out I definitely recommend the Gel formulation.

I had to play around with it for a while but I got the hang of it. The colour payoff is great. It's not runny, and it doesn't have a nasty scent. It's a little pricey, but definitely worth it! With this product I'm able to put some mascara and run out the door in the mornings. When I started using it, everyone noticed something different about me, and I got a lot of complements, but I didn't run around telling everyone that I was using a self-tanner, that's my secret, and well...now yours!

Rating: 7.5

Update

2010-09-18T12:57:00.004-04:00

Hey loveleees!

Uni has started up again, and I have been swamped with work! I have some ideas of posts that will come within in the next month or so, they include a review of the Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel....I have mixed feelings about it...but I'm still in the middle of playing around with it. Also I have been using a Lash Enhancer and can't wait to report the results back to you guys!

Hope you're all doing well, I still read and check your blogs even when I'm not updating my own blog. For me blogging isn't about doing a post everyday, it's about posting something when I have something to say! So yeah that was just a quick update.....now back to studying!

300 Followers Giveaway Winner

2010-09-11T12:32:00.004-04:00

Hey Ladies!

I have a winner for my 300 follower giveaway, which ended last night. Thanks everyone for the song recommendations! I'm going through the songs, and you guys have great taste :)

Now, I'm old fashioned, so I just went through the comments and I wrote out all the names on a piece of paper and drew them from a bowl. I wish I could send something to each and everyone of you to thank you...but until I win the lottery all I can give you is my love!

My winner is the lovely CassandraKK! If you don't follow her blog then go and check it out. She has an amazing nail polish collection and great blog.

Annabelle Blush Rose Fawn #44

2010-09-08T15:38:00.006-04:00

I was looking through some swatch photos that I had on my computer, and I realized that I hadn't done a review on this gorgeous blush yet! I have a crazy love for my Annabelle blushes. They are right up there with my love for Dior and NARS blushes, and completely blow MAC blushes out of the water (in my opinion). The only issue I have with them is the limited selection of colours. But because they have only a few blushes in the lineup, that makes getting all of them even easier (in addition to the cheap price). I've seen these blushes anywhere from $5-7 depending on the store.

This beauty here is #44 Rose Fawn. And in the pan it looks boring and nothing special. Just like their other blushes...but when applied to skin, I can't describe it, the colour is sensational. I took over 70 photos and even the swatches don't do the blush justice.

This colour turned into a neon pink blush when applied to my skin. I was not expecting this colour at all...I thought it would be a soft pink based on what I saw in the pan. It is a matte colour, but it has a light natural sheen when the light hits it. I LOVE this blush...it even makes me look more tanned, which is always a bonus. I've been using it almost daily for about 5 weeks now, and I barely made a dent in the pan because it's so pigmented I barely have to tap my brush to pick up colour.

Rating: 9

Now I know Annabelle is only available in Canada, so if you would like to get your hands on one of their blushes, I am giving one as part of my giveaway (which ends this Friday, so enter if you haven't already). Have you tried Annabelle blushes? Or have any other drugstore blushes completely wowed you? Let me know!

FTC: Blush was sent to me by Annabelle Cosmetics.

the Balm Bahama Mama

2010-08-29T17:12:00.004-04:00

Whatttt another post in the same week? I haven't done that in a while. But I promised my next review was going to be on the Balm's Bahama Mama, and so here it is!

This is true matte bronzer. No shimmer, no orange...just pure sun kissed colour in a pan. I don't know why this bronzer doesn't get more attention and love in the makeup community. I haven't tried NARS Laguna (to be honest I'm a little weary of the shimmer in the pan) and I've tried Benefit's Hoola and it's just too chalky for me. This is perfect for contouring parts of my face, or for a quick splash of colour on my pasty skin. As with any bronzer...if you go overboard you will look strange, and I've definitely had my days where I thought I could go a little darker...and then BAM too dark, had to wipe off everything and start all over again. But this is an AMAZING bronzer, and much cheaper than the other cult favourites. This retails for $26 CDN/$19 USD, which is much cheaper than NARS or Benefit's bronzers.

I thought a swatch on it's own won't show the true colour of the product. So I swatched a NYC bronzer next to it (review to come in the next few days)...so you guys can see the difference. NYC bronzer has a red/orange-y undertone, whereas Bahama Mama is more of a natural soft brown colour. It doesn't give off too much colour after one application, so you can build it up gradually, I think it has just enough pigmentation for a bronzer. If you are in the market for a new bronzer definitely give Bahama Mama a try, I think this bronzer doesn't get enough credit! In fact the Balm's Hot Mama doesn't get enough enough credit as a peachy/pink/golden blush, read my review of that by clicking here.

Rating: 8.5/10 (although the packaging is cute, it gets dirty really fast)

That's it for now lovelessss......have you entered my giveaway? If you want to, do so before it ends!

the Balm HOT MAMA!

2010-08-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

Hey ladies! I finally bought something new to review! It was exciting, I hadn't bought anything for myself in a longggg time. These are my first items from the Balm Cosmetics. None of their products have ever interested me other than their line of blushes and this bronzer. The packaging is super cute, kinda reminds me of Benefit Cosmetics...but a little sexier! I know I have pictures of both the blush and the bronzer. However, when typing this post I realized there was too much going on, so I decided to do reviews on them separately!

The Balm: Hot Mama! Blush

Now when I first saw this, I asked: "Do I really need this? It looks exactly like Benefit's Coralista!" But something came over me and I caved and bought it anyway. This is a pink/peach coloured blush with tons of golden shimmer...TONS! So step away from the highlighter if you are using this blush.

I like the picture above because it really shows the gold shimmer particles.

I thought to myself, the only way I can review this properly is if I compare it to Coralista, and see if they are dupes! It was really hard to picture them together and see if they look the same in the pan or not, because Coralista is set deep inside the cardboard box.

When you look at the swatches you can see the difference in pigmentation. I used to think Coralista was pigmented...but after one swipe in each product, look at the intense colour payoff of Hot Mama in comparison to Coralista. The heavy golden shimmer in Hot Mama really intensifies the colour, and I also noticed that Hot Mama is a tad bit peachier. Both are peachy/pink blushes and till now, I thought Coralista was a very peachy blush, however, Hot Mama blew her out of the peachy playground! I'd never thought I'd say this but...Coralista is not my favourite peachy/pink blush anymore.

Verdict:

If you are in the market for a peachy/pink blush I think Hot Mama is an amazing colour to try out. However, if you already have Coralista there is no need to go and buy this as well. I mean really who is going to notice if your cheeks are a tad bit more peachy/pink rather than pink/peachy? If you decided you really must have Hot Mama in your collection, you are definitely getting an amazing colour, with great pigmentation payoff!

That's it for now ladies, next post will be the Balm Bahama Mama bronzer review! Oh don't forget to enter my giveaway if you haven't already!

XOXOXOX

300 Followers Giveaway!

2010-08-19T18:20:00.006-04:00

Hey guys, I've been wanting to get this giveaway up for the longest time for reaching 300 followers. Finally got around to doing it, and now there are 326 of you lovely people! So the prizes consist of some things purchased over the past little while and put aside for a future giveaway...and now the day is finally here.

What am I giving away?

Benefit's Miss Popularity Highlighter (this product now is discontinued)

L'Oreal Panoramic Curl Mascara

Annabelle Blush #18 Rosewood

NYC Creme Stick Blush in Big Apple

Rimmel London Colour Rush Duo Eye Shadow in Ombretti

Blotting Paper (50 sheets)

I've been sitting here thinking of how to work out the details of this giveaway. I wanted to make it as simple as possible. So here are the rules:

One Entry

To enter, you must be a follower (you must follow publicly so I can see)
Post a comment on this blog post stating your favourite dance song (I'm updating my iTunes and I need your help lol!)
Only one comment per person. Please leave your email so I can contact you if you win!
It's open internationally, I will ship anywhere (on this planet), sorry I will not pay $$$ for postage to any other planets in this universe.
Contest will close September 10th, 2010 11:59 p.m.

These are all the rules to the giveaway. For a second entry scroll down.

I wanted to do this giveaway as a small thank you to all you lovely people reading my blog, and the friends I made from blogging. Starting this blog introduced me to a lot of you ladies, and I truly consider you guys friends (I know, I know...cue the violins). For me blogging is more than just swatching, posting, and commenting about makeup related things. I like the interaction, and getting to know you ladies! Some of you fellow bloggers I have on twitter and I really enjoy interacting with each one of you!

So I decided that if you already follow me on Twitter state your @username in your comment, and I will give you an a second entry just like that! For the rest of you who do not have my twitter, I will link it at the bottom of this post, feel free to follow me. However, my Twitter account is personal and I do not use it for blogging purposes (I don't ever tweet about my blog/or like talking about it there). But if you want to interact/get to know me, and get a second entry, you can follow me.

Second Entry

Follow me on twitter
Leave your twitter username in your comment below (along with your favourite dance song)!

I just wanted to make a little request. Please NO blogging or tweeting about this giveaway.

Thank you!!

XOXOXOX

Obsessed Makeup Addict Favourite Series: Eyeshadows

2010-08-13T15:00:00.001-04:00

Hey darlings, I'm looking at my posting patterns and I've noticed I've been posting less and less every month. Please, wait...I can explain!! Not only have I been busy, but I haven't been shopping a lot lately. I've kinda shifted out of the buy, buy, buy makeup pattern I was in a few months ago, and now I'm in a "use everything up" mode. So sorry for the lack of updates.

So anyway, I'm continuing with my favourite series, and up next is my "favourite eyeshadows'. Recently I've started wearing eyeshadows on a daily basis (again, this is part of my "using up some of the stuff I own" phase). I've found that since I'm wearing eyeshadows during the day (and not just for special occasions) I'm reaching for neutral colours more often, mostly in matte finishes....but don't get me wrong, I love my shimmery/satin eyeshadows as well!!

Mac Palette #1

This is my favourite palette of all time! I'm able to create the most neutral/no mess/no shimmer/classic nude or smokey look. I pile on the Brule and Omega all over my lower and upper lids, Concrete in the crease, and then Jest as a highlight. Easy as 1,2,3! If i had to get rid of all my eyeshadows and palettes and just keep one, this is the clear winner!

more pics of this palette

MAC Palette #2

While I was swatching and editing these pictures of my second MAC palette (pictured above) I realized it looks almost the same as my other MAC palette...but it's more on the shimmery side. This one is used for nights out, when I want more of a fun smokey/shimmery look. From this palette, if I were to recommend two colours that you all should own at some point in time, the clear winners would be Patina, and Satin Taupe. These two colours are something else...in my opinion non-dupable!

Single Eyeshadows

These three bad boys I use on a daily basis (the other day I actually hit pan on MAC Bronze!! My first time hitting pan!!!). I use these not because I love them the most, but because they give the most natural look (almost like I'm not wearing anything). Why bother wearing eyeshadow if it looks like I'm not wearing anything you may ask? Well, thanks to Mother Nature's hot muggy weather, my lids have been sooo oily, and personally I hate having my lids look oily...but then again, it's not like I've ever heard someone say "I love looking oily!!" I've found the only way to avoid oil production has been to cover my eyelids with shadow!

Modest Tone, is almost the colour of my skin so it's hard to see in swatches, but it evens out the skin colour on my lids and covers the veins, so I'm happy with it. And NYX Taupe is barely noticable, but again I use this for very soft, natural, everyday looks. Sometimes I'll alternate MAC bronze in the crease, for a purple or a blue shadow, just to give my eyes an extra pop!

That's it for now ladies...can you believe summer is almost over? Enjoy every minute of it while you can!!

Lot's of Love.....

XOXOXOX

Tag: Would you rather....Beauty edition

2010-07-30T00:00:00.000-04:00

Hey Darlings! I saw this Tag done by Lollipop26 on Youtube, and although I wasn't tagged or anything I thought the questions would be fun to answer so here we go!

1.Would you rather go out with messy hair and nice make-up or nice hair and no make-up?

I would rather have messy hair with nice make-up, because sometimes my "messy" hair looks cute and put together...as strange as that sounds. In fact I'm always playing around with my hair to get the perfect "looks-like-I-don't-care-when-in-fact-I-spent-15-mins-working-on-it" look down right!

2.Would you rather shave your eyebrows or have your eyelashes fall out?

Oh gosh, this is a hard one! I love working on making my eyelashes look just right, and I think they can make or break your overall look. However, I have really really light eyebrows, soo if I were to all of a sudden not have any eyebrows and needed to draw them in...I'd look really scary. So I'm going to say have my eyelashes fall out, I mean hey...they fall out every 14 days anyway, right?

3.Would you rather be forced to shop at only MAC or Sephora for the rest of your life?

Well, here is the deal, I'm not a really big MAC fan. For blushes and stuff I prefer NARS/Dior and a lot of other brands over MAC. But then again I love MAC's eyeshadows. So I'm going to cheat on this question, since I can buy ALL the other makeup brands at Holts/Shoppers Drug Mart, I'm going to say I'll give up Sephora. That way I'll be able everything I need from other brands from various stores, and still be able to get my MAC eyeshadows. But eyeshadows are the only thing that I'm attached to at MAC, everything else I could live without.

4.Would you rather wear lipgloss/lipliner look or 80's perm?

Oh man...umm never a perm. I mean I wasn't even around in the 80s, so I don't think I should be trying to copy any looks from then. I'll do a really light lipgloss and lipliner, soo it's not that obvious and not too many people laugh and stare at me. I know some people that still do that combo...maybe I'll just hang around them, at least they won't make fun of me :)

5.Would you rather leave the house with an obvious foundation line or overdone blush?

Well, I don't wear foundation...but I've seen a lot of bad foundation lines. I'm going to say I'd rather have overdone blush (done it many times before), because you can always grab a tissue and rub some of it off, but foundation is harder to adjust once it's on. But what I do when I'm applying my blush, or makeup in general is move around the house to get different kinds of lighting to make sure I haven't overdone anything. I'll go to my washroom, to my bedroom, to my closet, even downstairs just to make sure it works in different kinds of lighting!

6.Would you rather wear MC Hammer pants or biker shorts in public?

Easy! I would wear biker shorts, because I could wear a dress on top of it and cover it up :)

Okay, okay, I'm cheating on these questions, I know. But I really couldn't pull off either, I'm such a casual dresser that I just can't do anything outside of the 'norm'.

7.Would you rather have a bad orange-y spray tan or really weird tan lines that can't be covered?

I would have a bad spray tan any day because it's not permanent. Three, four days, maybe a week tops! Then the tan is gone, and I'm back to my non-orange-y self. Much better than weird tan lines that will last until the winter!

8.Would you rather have a bad haircut or bad hair color?

I like my natural colour...so bad haircut. Because again, with a cut, the damage isn't as long as a bad dye job. With colour you need to keep going back to your salon, and spend all your hard earned mula to fix it. But with a bad haircut, you can keep putting it up for a month or so, or until it grows out a bit.

9.Would you rather have youtube or twitter taken away forever?

I'm not that attached to youtube so take that away. But twitter I've gotten close to a lot of you girlies out there from the blogosphere. But again, I have other ways of contacting you guys, so if both were to disappear it wouldn't be the end of the world. But still Twitter is lots of fun! If you don't have it, you should get on it!

10. Would you rather give up using makeup brushes or mascara?

Lol, if you've been following this blog for a while you guys know that I'm obsessed with mascara. Without it I feel naked, and I'm always on the hunt for better and longer lashes. So I'd easily apply my makeup with my fingers and toes, just let me keep my lashes looking full and long!

OXOXXOX

I'm not going to tag anyone in particular, it's not like I was really tagged, but all of you guys should do it! It was one of the funnest tags ever!

(Link me to your blog post if you do this tag so I can read it too!)

All images taken from Google search.

MAC Shimpagne MSF and Nuance Mineralize Blush

2010-07-25T17:37:00.001-04:00

Hello darlinggsss!

Ughhh it's so hot and muggy out, I've been dying of heat. The only thing I love about this heat is watching women with lots of makeup melt of their face throughout the day. I definitely try to keep my makeup as minimal as possible when it's scorching hot. What do you guys do to cope with the summer heat?

Anyway on to my review of some things I picked up at a CCO while in Vegas. I got the MAC Shimpagne MSF and Nuance Mineralize Blush, which were my first items from the MAC Mineralize collection. These are items that aren't available at MAC at the moment, but I figure it's good to get this review out there in case some of you happen to stumble upon these items and consider buying them.

MAC Shimpagne MSF

Okay so my very first MAC MSF is definitely not versatile, I can't buff it all over my face/use it as a blush etc. This is only to be used as a highlighting powder, and careful because too much of this can make you look like you've just sweat buckets! Now at first I HATED this, I couldn't believe I wasted money on it, but over the past 2 weeks I've been using it lightly and it is beginning to grow on me. It gives a nice glow, however I prefer my Dior Shimmerstar over this. Shimpagne is just too powdery, one swirl if my brush in the product and there are particles of shimmer all over my desk. Here is my opinion on this product, if you have it, it's a nice product and is workable, but don't go looking for it and hunting it down for your collection! There are much better highlighters out there! This one doesn't give a natural finish like my Dior one, but like I said before, I'm finding ways to work with it.

Rating: 5/10 (it's not horrible, but there are soo many better options for a highlighter, don't fret if you don't have this in your collection...you're not missing out!)

Nuance Mineralize Blush

In the pan Nuance looks like a peachy sheen blush with lots of golden shimmer and a slight coral undertone. But the shimmer isn't prevalent once applied on the skin, and at times, depending on how heavily I apply this blush or how dark/light my skin is at the moment, this blush can appear orange. Having said that, I've learnt how to work with this blush, and I must...say I adore it. It helps me achieve a beautiful sun-kissed glow...but beware, you may not need to highlight your cheekbones with this blush, or if you choose to highlight you must note, not all highlighters will flatter this shade. Nuance is definitely an interesting colour, since it is sheen, you're able to play around with it and create different looks!

Rating: 8/10

That's it for now ladiesssss........and gents ;)

Swap Goodies

2010-07-23T17:48:00.000-04:00

I'm sure most of you guys know about Ebru's MakeupBag...she has amazing FOTD and EOTD to look at....and she's crazy gorgeous!! Well we did a swap a few weeks ago, and I wanted to show you guys the great stuff she sent over!

Up till now I haven't seen why people love the NYX jumbo pencils, they crease like crazy for me! But this white one called 'Milk' is amazing, it provides eyeshadows something to stick to, and not crease for about 6-8 hours (in the summer heat).

The reason why I haven't gotten this post up sooner is because I keep forgetting to swatch and take a picture of this Revlon Colorbrust Lipstick in Soft Nude 070. It is the BEST nude lipstick I have tried thus far! Hands down one of the most amazing nude lippies out there, and it is super creamy! I can't wait till we get this in Canada, I have yet to see them in stores!

The Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips are soooo great, and my favourite part of the swap! They are highly pigmented and super shimmery... and little-to-no fallout, which I love! I decided not to use the "Sunset Strip" bronzer as a bronzer, and instead use the individual colours as eyeshadows! They are such amazing colours, and I've gotten a lot of complements whenever I created a look with this palette. Prefect for summer!

The "Rosy Glow" blush and highlighter palette really does give one of the best natural looking glows I have ever gotten from a blush. I don't use this one separately, because pinks don't really work on my eyelids, but it's going to be my go to blush for the summer for sure!

Rosy Glow

Sunset Strip

Marcelle Volume Precision Mascara

2010-07-09T17:20:00.002-04:00

Hey Darlings! Sorry for being a slacker...but it's been a CRAZZYY month in my life, and it's about to get crazier! But you know what? We've almost reached 300 followers! I keep forgetting to look at the follower count, but whenever I do I'm always shocked at the number I see. WHAT 296 people actually care what I have to say??!?! Lol well anyway thank you all, I've been collecting/buying stuff for a giveaway, and I'll do one as soon as I have everything I want to give away!

On to my next review! If you have been following me for a while you may know my staple in makeup is mascara. It's the only thing I can't go without using. So a few months back I received the Marcelle Volume Precision Mascara, and I finally formed my thoughts and now it is time for a review!

The brush has an interesting "8" shape, where it dips in towards the middle, and it thicker at the top and bottom. I find that brushes with the "dip" in the center really give my lashes a lift.

Also the handle/wand is shorter than most mascaras, which I find really helps with precision (OHH well what do you know, it's in the name "Marcelle Volume Precision Mascara")

Following pictures are after ONE coat:

I find that this mascara is more of a lengthening, rather than voluminous mascara. There is something about the formulation that creates this "doll-like" appearance in my lashes. It makes my lashes extremely dark...I don't find that I'm comfortable wearing it during the day as it is too intense (I don't think the intensity has been captured in these photos, but in reality it's extreme). However for nights out this has become my go to mascara! The most important thing for me in a mascara is the "wet/freshly applied look," I need my lashes to look fresh without drying out, and this mascara is the BEST mascara in the "wet/fresh" category, hands down!

Rating: 8

FTC: Product mentioned was sent to me for free.

New Mac Palette

2010-06-29T09:00:00.002-04:00

I LOVE buying and putting together MAC palettes, I usually go into the store with a set list of items I want to get. However, this new palette was purchased on a whim at a Pro MAC store while I was in Vegas. I basically was in there for an hour just swatching stuff until I got a set of colours that I thought worked well together. The only colour I already knew I wanted was Satin Taupe, so the rest of the palette was based around this colour.

Swatch and Description Left-to-Right

Shroom: a satin eyeshadow that is a soft beige colour with golden shimmer which I've found is working really well with a lot of different eyeshadow colours that I own.

Hush: Hush seems to be just another light pink in the pan, but on the lid it is a very interesting peachy colour with pink shimmer. It's not a must have, if you have enough pinks/peaches, you'd survive without Hush in your life.

Patina: this is described as a "muted taupe brown with golden shimmer" and it is a gorgeous colour, however, I'm finding it is a little hard to pick up colour since it is a frost shade. But nonetheless, love love love the colour.

Satin Taupe: Oh man, no wonder everyone is always raving about this colour! For a frost it has AMAZING pigmentation. It's the most beautiful taupe brown I have ever seen, it is described to have "silvery bronze shimmer" to it...I didn't notice the silver, but either way, it's an amazing colour, definitely a must own!

Now excuse me, I'm not good at doing "looks" (FOTD/EOTD)but I took a picture of a new combo I've been doing using to create dark smokey looks. I first use my Benefit Skinny Jeans Creme Eyeshadow, then on top I pack on MAC Patina, and the below picture is the result of these two combined. And then depending on my mood I darken or lighten it with other colours.

Contest Winnings!

2010-06-27T18:00:00.000-04:00

Hey lovely gals, I forgot to show you guys some stuff that I won from the lovely Wendy over at Fashionable Heart! She's always giving away stuff and has a great blog, go check her out!!

It was only suppose to be a Maybelline Eyestudio Gel Liner, but she was sweet enough to include a bunch of goodies in there as well! This is the first gel liner I have ever owned...but oh my gosh, I don't think I'll go back to pencils anytime soon! It is so easy to use with the little brush that comes with it, and it creates the most amazing lines. You can control the thickness and create many different effects easily because it blends smoothly and doesn't dry too quickly. So if you're new to gel liners, like I am, then you have plenty of time to work out any imperfections before it dries.....ughhh I'm just in love!

But silly me, I forgot to take proper pictures/swatches of this product in use, but I've managed to find some pictures that I had stored on my computer from before, but they aren't the best. Sorry if the quality isn't great!

Sorry for not being attentive to my blog...it's FIFA time, and it only comes by every four years and is really important to me. It's a time filled with excitement and heartbreak! But on a side note, I'm getting close to 300 followers, and I want to have a small giveaway for you lovely dolls soon!

xoxoxo

Obsessed Makeup Addict Favourite Series: Blushes

2010-06-19T17:00:00.000-04:00

Ohh blushes...I think they are my weakness when it comes to makeup!! I love the different effects certain colours and placement of a blush can create. I love blushes from all over the place, I don't say no to trying any new brands/colours. So if you guys think I'd like something you like...let me know!!

Left to Right:

Diorblush Sugar & Spice 849 (matte)

Diorblush Sugar & Spice 849 (shimmer side)

Benefit Dallas

Nars Sin

Nars Dolce Vita

Benefit Coralista

Annabelle Golden Bronze 51

(Click on the names of the blushes to go to past reviews & more swatches)

Diorblush: There is nothing bad to say about this blush, it is so natural on my skin, it blends like a dream (so I never have to worry about overdoing it). The only thing is the price, but even so I'd repurchase it, I love it too much, and it's worth every penny. I don't use the shimmer side often, but it complements the matte perfectly!

Benefit Dallas: This is the ultimate "dusty rose" and it is the perfect blush/bronzer duo! It can be used as either, and it works well with a lot of different overall looks (including crazy eyeshadow combos/risky lip colours).

NARS Sin: The most amazing berry colour I have ever come across!!! Don't be afraid of this colour ladies if you see it in the store. It is full of shimmer and looks strong...but it applies softer, and you barley notice any shimmer. Try it on, or have a MUA place it on you...you will be amazed!!

NARS Dolce Vita: This is marketed as a "dusty rose" colour, but I beg to differ. I reach for this when I want a more reddish toned matte colour on my cheeks. But it is SOOO pigmented. More than one tap in the product and you may look like a clown. Before I go out, I check this blush out in different lighting to make sure it looks fine. So beware! But having said that, I love it, it gives a great natural flush look when applied right!

Benefit Coralista: This is the most amazinggg coral colour I own. I love it, and have been using it a lot lately with the weather warming up again. When I use this I tend to skip the highlight, because it does have enough shimmer that I find I don't need any.

Annabella Golden Bronze 51: This is the only drugstore blush that made the cut into my favourite blushes. A lot of other ones mess with my skin, but not this. And this blush is sooooo pigmented, and according to some other blogger friends, they LOVE Annabella blushes as well. I have more detailed swatches of this blush, so go and see it, the colour is hard to describe, I don't even think swatches do it justice! Perfect for summer bronzed looks. (I know this is only available in Canada, so once I do a giveaway I'll be sure to purchase this and include this colour in there!!)

FTC: Annabella sent me the blush to use for free.

So that's it for now ladies! Let me know what you recommend, I have no limits and don't say "no" to any crazy colours!!

xoxoxo

Las Vegas Photos + FIFA

2010-06-16T16:54:00.000-04:00

HELLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOO, I'm back from Vegas (the happiest place on earth)...back to normal life, where I don't get to come home to a ready made bed and a chocolate on my pillow, where my shower can't fit 10 people and isn't marble, and I don't have 6 pools. So you think I'd be upset and bumming around, but no time.......it's FIFA baby!! I've been waiting for 4 years for this time again, so this month I'll be a in full focus on watching all the games.

But for now here are some pictures from the buildings and such. Oh and shopping wise, makeup items where just a few MAC items, which I'll get up later (I want to try and do a EOTD with them), I spent my focus on buying other things other than makeup for once lol.

Ohhh and if you follow me on twitter you may have already seen the picture of Kanye West that I tweeted, of when we ran into him at the airport!

The pictures are giant! So if you want to see a bigger view just click!

The view from our room of the pool

This botanical garden was in our hotel lobby (Bellagio)

I think the following few pictures were in Caesar's Palace.

The Wynn Hotel...these lights moved! They were soo cute

The largest Chocolate Foundation in the world!! It was in our hotel lobby as well.

I love flying!! And I always take millions of pictures of the clouds, when I'm up there I feel like the world's problems are millions of miles away.

BTW anyone else following FIFA, and if so what teams are you cheering for?

I'll be away for a week!

2010-06-08T13:16:00.003-04:00

Hey darlings, I wanted to give you guys a heads up that I will be out of town for a week, and won't have access to a computer.....because I'm on vacation!!!

So if I don't answer your emails, or respond to your comments, sorry, I will as soon as I get back! I'll take pictures and post them when I get back, but not too many, because as they say what happens in Vegas...

NYC Creme Stick Blushes, L'Oreal True Match Foundation, Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs

2010-06-06T20:00:00.001-04:00

I've picked up some drug store goodies, in the past week, and I thought I'd wait to play around with everything, so I could review everything while showing you guys all the stuff I bought.

Okay, so I went a little crazy with the NYC Creme Stick blushes! I kept going back to get more and more, but I stopped at 4...even though I think there are 6 in total. I've heard so much about these from all the bloggers, and everyone has been raving about them. I really like them myself, for drugstore products they are pretty good. These are the first creme blushes I've ever owned, and they aren't greasy, they don't fade away too quickly. They work really well when used underneath powder blushes, because they add an extra pop of colour and vibrancy to my cheeks. The only thing is when you're applying them, if you try to layer it, the top colour removes the bottom colour, so you have to wait for it to settle on the skin before adding more.

Rating: Considering the price I would give these 7.5/10, they aren't the best thing to hit the makeup community, but they are definitely something nice to have in your stash.

Top to bottom:

NYC Creme Stick Blush in Plaza Pink

NYC Creme Stick Blush in South St. Seashell

Top to bottom:

NYC Creme Stick Blush in Mauvin' Uptown

NYC Creme Stick Blush in Urban Spice

I also picked up some L'Oreal True Match Foundation foundation (my 1st foundation ever!) and so far I love it. I don't wear it everyday, but when I do, it stays on all day without getting patchy, and it doesn't look like I'm even wearing anything on my face, just evens out my skin-tone.

But my favourite item this past week has been my Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs spray tanner. I got the colour in Medium Glow, and I LOVE it. It doesn't make you streak because it's a spray on, and if applied properly it doesn't look orange. On my arm it kinda looks orange because I'm super pale, but on my chest/shoulder area, it gives the most AMAZING glow!! I love this and it's going to be my best friend this summer!! But you do have to quickly rub it in your skin, to even anything out, otherwise you might get little "dots" like you see above, because this stuff dries in seconds.

DiorBlush Sugar & Spice 849

2010-05-31T18:38:00.000-04:00

I can't believe I've had this blush for months and I never reviewed it! I absolutely loveeee it. It's the DiorBlush in Sugar & Spice (849) which gives the perfect glowing colour/blush/highlight that my cheeks need. You can swirl your brush and mix the two sides, but I prefer to keep the matte side and the shimmery highlight side separate. It has amazing pigmentation, and the finish is to die for. I don't know why, I only use this on fancy nights out (probably because of the price tag of this blush).

Oh it came with a little brush too, but I like most people don't use them. After using this product I look like I just came back from vacation and have gotten a little bit of a healthy glow. Dior...why must you make such amazing products?

The swatches really don't do this any justice, if you can try these out in stores. The DiorBlush series comes with amazing matte blushes paired with their perfect shimmer pair, go and find your perfect shade! A Dior makeup artist matched me to this, and honestly it's really hard to love my other blushes after using this.

Obsessed Makeup Addict Favourite Series: Lip Products

2010-05-26T20:33:00.000-04:00

Hey Ladies, I'm continuing with the favourite series, and these are my favourite lip products. Honestly I'm not big on the lips, I usually never wear anything, because I'm more of a mascara and out the door kinda gal. But when I want to dress up, sure, I put on some colour on my lips.

Favourite Lipsticks

From Left-to-Right:

Avon Beyond Colour Lipstick
Avon Slick Tint
Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick Nude Delight
Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick Soft Coral
Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick Coral Queen

I'm more of a nude/light colour lipstick girl, because I don't have full lips I don't reach for bright colours, but I do enjoy wearing Rimmel's Coral Queen for a statement. But for the ultimate nude colour I love Avon Beyond Colour Lipstick, on the lips it's just something else, I like how it matches my lips to my skin-tone, therefore making my lips look bigger.

Favourite Glosses

From Top-to-Bottom:

Etude Fruits Tube (I don't know what number/colour because it's written in Korean)
Classics Super Shine Volume Tube Lipgloss #10
DKNY Be Delicious Lipgloss in Anjou Blush
Versace Lipgloss (name and everything has been rubbed off)

I apologize that I included two glosses (1+2) that are only hard to find, but I like them what can I say! But lately my favourite has been the DKNY Be Delicious over a nude lipstick, and I usually stay away from orange colours! If you can get your hands on any of the DKNY glosses, get them! It smells just like the perfume "Delicious"....and if you've smelt it then you might agree that it really smells delicious!

Are you guys big on lipstick...lol I know some of you are obsessed with them...so care to share?

xoxoxox

Annabelle Zebra Bronzing Pressed Powder and Blushon in #51 Golden Bronze

2010-05-21T11:30:00.001-04:00

For all you ladies that are not in Canada, Annabelle is a Canadian drugstore brand, and they have amazing products for their price. I only owned eyeshadow that I bought from them years ago, and since then the quality of their products have improved tremendously!!!

Annabelle Zebra Bronzing Pressed Powder in Haute Gold used to be limited edition item for the summer, but will now be around all year long! I cannot describe my love for this bronzer, I wake-up in the morning and the first thought is to get out of bed and get this bronzer on. *Warning* it is really pigmented, especially when applied with the Annabelle A-13 Makeup Pro Powder Brush (so sometimes I have to go over with a buffer brush and take some of the colour off). But what I love is even when I over-apply it by accident, I don't look orange (which happens with a lot of bronzers on my skin-tone). The best part: it's only $10.95 CDN.

I was looking at the Zebra print and if you pay attention, they are ALL a different shade, even if they look similar, they aren't. The product has a slight sheen to it, so I don't need to apply a highlight with this, it automatically "highlights" my high points/features.

I don't know if you guys can tell from the photos, but it doesn't have shimmer, just a slight sheen when in the sunlight.

I have been pairing this with the Annabelle Blushon in #51 Golden Bronze, which is AMAZING. I tried to get some nice pictures of the swatch, but it does not do the product justice. This is better pigmentation than my MAC blush, and dare I say....on par with my NARS blushes? This is my first Annabella blush, so I'm not sure if it's just this colour that is heavily pigmented, or if all their blushes are like this, but I'll keep you guys updated!

Honestly the photo doesn't do this justice, it is the most beautiful golden/dusty/rose blush, in person the blush picks up a lot of different colour hues in different angles...lol does that make sense? Sorry if it doesn't!

FTC Disclaimer: All of the Annabelle products mentioned where sent to me. I was not paid for this post. All opinions are my own.

XOXOXXO

Obsessed Makeup Addict Favourite Series: Highlighters

2010-05-19T18:30:00.000-04:00

This "favourite series" is going to be short, because I think I can survive with only with two highlighters in my life. My two favourites are Diorskin Shimmer Star in Amber Diamond 002 (which I have swatched and reviewed so click here), and I have done the same for the Benefit High Beam (click here to see swatch).

The reason why I think I only need these two is because one has more of a pinkish tone and one has a golden/bronzed tone. With these two I can accommodate any look I'm trying to achieve.

This Dior powder gives you the most beautiful finish, and iridescent glow without actually being shimmery. I find whenever I use this to highlight I look like I have a fresh tan, and it also slenderizes my face (which is always a plus).

Benefit's High Beam is amazing to for nights out, because it really picks up beautifully in photographs. It's also great for during the day because of the pinkish tint, and is very natural looking. I love putting this on my cupid's bow to make my lips a little more voluptuous, and under my eyebrows to pick them up.

I've been highlighting since I was 15, before I owned any blush or anything, and I really think it makes a difference. These two are definitely products I would purchase over and over again. Are there any highlighters you guys feel absolutely amazing? If so, please share :)

My Other Obsessions Series: Headbands

2010-05-15T15:20:00.003-04:00

Hey Darlings! Are there any other obsessions you guys have? I have plenty...and one is headbands. This isn't all of them, I have a lot of workout/sporty headbands. I have a few more that I want, which includes more Lacoste headbands in purple, blue, and yellow, and a Burberry one, and any other fun/cute ones that come my way.

I can't remember where I purchased this one from, but I love the sparkle it gives.

This one was rather pricey (Banana Republic) but I LOVE it. It's stretchy fabric with lots of detailing. But the only issue is it's stretching out, so I try not to wear it often.

Do you girls have any other obsessions?

Neutrogena Wave Pad Reviews

2010-05-13T19:48:00.008-04:00

Hello darlings, sorry I haven't gotten this up sooner, but I've become really lazy lately...enjoying my summer after 8 months of studying nonstop.

But here it is, my thoughts and experience with the Neutrogena Wave Pads. I have two different refills pads, but I never purchased the machine, because honestly it looks cheap and useless, and I can move my hand in two different speeds lol, no need for a machine. And I'm glad I didn't because I am loving the results that I have gotten on their own, without the machine.

Neutrogena Wave: Gentle Exfoliating Pads

This one is definitely gentle enough to be used everyday. It has a really nice fragrance, and smells fresh. But it doesn't offer the same type of clean feeling as the other pad. At the end of the day, it does offer similar results, but my skin doesn't feel as soft, and as clean. It leaves the surface clean, but I don't feel like the pad has cleaned beyond the surface.

Before:

Impressive results though, right? Same results on the surface as the other Pad, but doesn't leave me feeling as clean.

Rating: 8 (gentle to be used daily, and gives great results, but I want a deeper clean)

Neutrogena Wave: Shine-Free Blemish-Free Pads

This is my favourite Pad for sure. It is a little more rough on the skin (as you may be able to tell from the picture, I tried to capture it's texture for you guys to see). It really leaves my skin feeling like I just had a facial. I feel my skin breathing after using this, and I just feel like it went beyond the surface and took out all those blackheads/oils because my skin looks clear and clean for a few days after use. The smell is nice, a little citrusy but I like it. I will def keep repurchasing this one.

You guys already know what the before looks like, so I just posted an after. Same results on the surface, but I just feel cleaner after this.

Rating: 10 for sure!

If you guys want to start off trying these Neutrogena Wave products I recommend to use the Shine-Free/Blemish Free Pads. And please don't waste your money getting the machine...you could get the same results gluing these to an electric toothbrush. But definitely try them out, they are easy to use, and mess free. Great for a lazy night, when you want to go to bed feeling clean without wiping out the scrubs/potions/lotions.

Rexall Drugstore Goodies

2010-05-11T09:22:00.004-04:00

I cannot describe to you guys how excited I was yesterday as I entered a new drugstore by my house called Rexall, because now I have access to some brands that I didn't before. Now I didn't want to go crazy the first time, but I will be going back a few more times this week for sure. But two brands that I'm super excited to try out are N.Y.C cosmetics, and NYX!! When I saw them there I almost died. Here are a few things I picked up!

I love the colours of these lipsticks! Now I will say the lasting power isn't great, it does bleed out...but it's not a huge deal for me, as I'm not big on lipstick/gloss. I usually put it on before heading out for the night, but I never reapply, cause I prefer a nude lip, so really these lipsticks suite my needs perfectly. And because they were so cheap, I couldn't resist trying out some of the different colours.

Oh and I forgot that I never swatched my other NYX Jumbo sticks in Cottage Cheese, and Iced Mocha that I received in a swap. So here you go!

Ohh and what is that wooden surface I took my pictures on you might ask? Well it's my new jewelery box! I'm still playing around with how to organize it, but here is a picture of it empty. For anyone wondering I got it from Bombay (the store, not India).

How I Store Things Around My Room

2010-05-04T20:30:00.000-04:00

Hey Darlings! I was packing my bags to go away for the weekend, and I thought it was the best time to show you guys how I store some of my makeup and other junk around my room! When I pack I have to get everything out and see them side by side to decide what to take, I'm definitely an over-packer!

Most of my stuff is in boxes, it makes it harder to use, but they are really cute, and keep my room looking organized. And my nail polishes and cotton wipes are in that white box with the compartments, and it spins for my convenience!

This is where I keep everything that I use on a daily basis, like mascaras and lip products.

My jewelery is ALL over the place though, I need a good jewelery box but I'm very picky and haven't found a good one yet, so for now they are scattered.

This is what I ended up packing: my favourite lip products...

my favourite eye products...

my favourite face/eye/blush products.

I think I'll do a "favourite" post soon, I always think I'm still new to makeup and it's not time to do a fav post yet...but I think I'm ready now lol. Now that it's summer I have more time to get all the posts I've been dying to do!

I'm back to my old ways...spend spend spend

2010-05-04T17:09:00.007-04:00

I'm officially off my spending ban, and with all the new summer collections coming out...I can't wait to start swiping the cards and buying some things I've been lemming over.

The other day I went to buy my mom something for mother's day (I'll show you guys what I bought her on Sunday, once she opens it, it is just some stuff from Givenchy). But I ended up getting myself some little things here and there, and it felt GOOD to buy myself some beauty products.

First up, I got 2 lipsticks from Rimmel London Lasting Finish collection, and they are the perfect summery colours I've been looking for, and for $3.99 each (they were on sale) they were worth every penny.

They are extremely creamy, and soft, and they lasting power is pretty good so far. Oh and they smell great too! The Frost 272 is perfect to add as a finishing touch to a bronzed look!

I got three more brushes from QUO, which is a Canadian company, I usually stock up when they are 40% off, which is great cause most of their brushes are under $20 anyway.

QUO Eye Smudger Brush

QUO Angle Contour Brush

QUO Blush brush

This I got for my birthday, and I thought I would just include it in this post. It is the MAC Liquidlast Liner in Powerplum. (My 1st MAC liner)

Sorry I couldn't get the camera to focus, but it is so sharp and thin. I thought it would be difficult to use, but it makes the perfect line.

I swatched this yesterday, and it was still on my hand today. And I wash my hands 100x a day, but I had to scrub it off in the shower...it did not want to come off! I had it on my lids and slept with it, and it was still perfect in the morning, so needless to say the lasting power is amazing.

I also was given the MAC Love Lace eyeshadow from the Love Lace collection back in December, and it is a beautiful frosted blue.

I picked up another Neutrogena wave pad, even though I don't have the machine to use this. These pads are AMAZING! I have to do a seperate post, and show you guys before and after photos.

I'm weak...don't judge me: My First Mac Blush Coppertone

2010-04-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

I know, I know...I'm on a blush binge. But I was having a really crummy day, and I walked by a Mac counter and I as soon as I saw the blushes I was like I'm going to get one. I love shopping for makeup sometimes without planning it out, because I'm so much more open to look at everything. If I looked at swatches on different websites beforehand, I would have never picked this one out. But I think it will look perfect for the summer, when I apply a little bronzer, I can use this as a blush, or if used right it can work as a contouring colour. Oh and then I also picked up OPI Bastille My Heart because it was on sale for $8 because it's being discontinued.

And I noticed when I got home that this is my very first Mac blush!! I would have never thought this would be my first purchase.

I've noticed since I started this blog, that I have very transparent skin, you can always see my veins, lol sorry!

It's a very pigmented colour, I just have to dab my brush in to pick up more than enough colour, but I have to be careful because too much and it can look orange!

Here's my question to you guys do you ever shop for makeup without a predetermined list?

NARS Deep Throat

2010-04-27T20:21:00.003-04:00

This is a bit of a cheat blog post, because this isn't really mine, but I purchased it as a gift for my sister, she just left it over and I decided why not do a quick swatch?

So here is the NARS Deep Throat, which is an amazing pink (Nars says its a peach with shimmer) however I say it's more pink than peach. If you want more of a peach I'd say you're better off going with Nars Orgasm (although I prefer Coralista over Orgasm, but that's a whole different story).

Some of the NARS blushes are too shimmery for my liking but not Deep Throat.

B.Liv Cellnique Skincare Review

2010-04-24T22:31:00.013-04:00

I received these products to review almost 3 weeks ago and have been using them ever since. Of course with any skin product, I applied it to my hand/wrists and waited for a day to see if I had a reaction before continuing. So here is my experience with the products I received, and towards the end of the review I will let you know how to receive a free sample of one of the products to review for yourself!

Glow & Shine Mask:

This thick white mask is designed to be left on your clean skin for 10 mins, and is then to be massaged off, while the little beads help exfoliate your skin. The Glow & Skin is suppose to help with scarred/damaged skin, but I don't have scarred skin (knock on wood) so I can't say that it really helped with that. It was a nice product and it made my skin brighter and tighter, however, for the price ($25 USD)I don't know if I would repurchase it, there are many different masks I've used that were more expensive/cheaper/homemade that gave me similar results. BUT it does smell amazing!

Shrink and Tighten:

This is a serum that comes in a bottle with a little pump to get the product out. It is to suppose to help plump up the skin with collagen to make large pores disappear. I've seen a bit of an improvement in my large pores after 3 weeks of using it near my nose where my cheeks begin. Although I have seen shrinkage, I don't know if I feel comfortable applying collagen to my skin as I am still in my teens. But if you are okay with the collagen, and the $49 USD price tag, and you hate your large pores, perhaps this way be the product you are looking for. The difference in size wasn't noticeable on camera, the change is something that only I really notice. What I really love is now I feel more comfortable using shimmery products on my cheeks, because sometimes I felt that the shimmer magnified the pores on the apples of my cheeks. So maybe I will continue to use this product, but before I do, does anyone know if applying collagen at a young age is okay, I tried doing some research but didn't find anything, please let me know!

Off With Those Heads:

Last but defiantly NOT least, is the Off with the Heads serum that is suppose to help with unclogging blackheads and whiteheads. If you guys remember my post on my favourite skin products, you may remember that my blackheads on my nose are my arch nemesis. And long behold, I think I have found my kryptonite!! Now I'll be honest, I used this for two weeks (day and night), and I was prepared to stop, because I just wasn't seeing a difference... then BAM! Third week all of a sudden I noticed how tiny my blackheads on my stubborn nose had gotten. I applied this once before bed after washing my face, and once in the morning before putting on makeup and my pores have reduced in size AND quantity. I will FOR SURE buy this again, but honestly I don't think I'll be running out anytime soon. The pump allows you to get out enough product without wasting much, so this should last me months. Now I exfoliate my skin about once a week to help clean out the pores as well, but if you are patient this product surely will get the dirt out over time!! I don't have whiteheads, so I can't tell you if they will help with that but they did amazingly with my blackheads. The ONLY downside is the $63 USD price tag, so I just think it comes down to how big of an issue your blackheads/whiteheads are to you, are you willing to spend that much to get rid of them or not? For me the answer is yes.

Here are some pictures of the results (if someone told me a few months ago when I started a blog that I would be posting pictures of my blackheads I would have laughed in their face...I can't believe I'm doing this!):

I have a few spots on my nose where I don't have ANY blackheads anymore!! Do you guys see it too??

My blackheads are 3D anymore, they used to come out of my skin, but now they aren't noticeable especially in person!

They also sent me this reusable bag, which is super cute, and is part of their No Paper. No Bag. campaign, and I'm a big supporter of saving the environment and I try to do my part everyday. If you decided to make a purchase over $60 USD and opt out of getting the packaging/boxes for your products, then they will send you this bag. I think more companies should start doing this, cause really what is the point of boxes? We can tell if something has been used or not, we don't need boxes!

The leaves on the trees are hearts, how cute is that?

UPDATE: IT IS NOW TOO LATE TO ENTER TO GET YOUR SAMPLE

Okay, so now on to the giveaway. The company offered to send a sample of the Off With Those Heads (the best product in my opinion, and defiantly my favourite) to the first 50 readers of my blog! Which I think is great, because the product is a little pricey, I'm glad some of you guys will get a chance to try the stuff out for yourself first! I was going to write the instructions on how to get your sample here, but then I thought that some random people might land on my page, and I wanted my lovely readers the chance to get their free products first! So here's the deal, if you would like a sample write your email below in the comment box, and I will email you instructions on how to go about getting it!

FTC Disclaimer: I've never posted this disclaimer before, but I will on stuff that I receive and haven't purchased with my own money! So I got all of these products for free, I have not been paid for this review, all opinions are my own!

PS. I will email you as soon as possible with instructions if you want a free sample! Also follow me on twitter, and leave me your twitter names, I'm always looking to connect with fellow bloggers and other people!

NARS Dolce Vita

2010-04-22T20:02:00.005-04:00

I got another blush!! YAY! I know I'm weak.

But I've had my eyes on this forever, and I got it with my 15% off coupon from Sephora!

I got Dolce Vita, and the only reason I got this was because I loved my Dallas blush from Benefit, but I didn't want to buy anymore Benefit blushes.

Dolce Vita is a nice matte dusty rose, slightly more red than Dallas. Now I've been playing around with it, and it's a little hard to work with because it is sooo pigmented, and it is a slightly dark colour. I've had to take it off a few times and reapply it.

But now that I'm getting the hang of it, I'm really liking! However, I think I might prefer Dallas (go figure the only blush I didn't buy in full size) because it gives off a dusty rose with a slight tanned look. Dolce Vita is more red, so you can't play around with the placement of the blush on different areas of your face.

But all in all, another great blush by NARS. I think I'm going to have fun with this during the summer, for nighttime looks where I don't want any shimmer.

Opinions, thoughts? Anyone else have this and loveeee it?

Rating: 8.7 (it's a little expensive, and a little dusty, and maybe a slight bit too red...just a tad nothing to worry about it)

Sephora Birthday Gift 2010

2010-04-20T16:07:00.004-04:00

Hey darlings! So I went shopping at Sephora the other day, and since it was around my birthday they gave me my birthday gift.

Now you guys may or may not know that you can pick this gift up if you shop, either 2 weeks before or after your birthday and if you are a Sephora Insider.

So here is what you get for the year 2010. MUCH better than last year's pack of 3 glosses!

This is what you get (all of them are sample sizes):

Sephora Eyeshadow in Aspen Summit N23

Sephora Lash Plumper

Sephora Nano Eye Liner in Silver Green

Yes I got a NARS blush...I'll post what I got tomorrow!

This is the set of stuff you get, which I think is really nice! I mean it's FREE.

This is the Sephora Mono Eyeshadow in Aspen Summit.

This is more of a highlight colour, but I wore it out today (as a highlight) and I think it's more of a nighttime highlight...not really suited for daytime. It's white shimmer with silver tones which I think is too harsh for the day. (At least on my skin tone, for someone else it may work well!)

This is the Sephora nano eye liner in Silver Green. It's a very interesting colour, not too out there, if you want a slight bit of colour but not too far away from black this may be something to check out.

And last but not least this is the Sephora Lash Plumper Mascara. I haven't used it yet, the brush looks interesting, however the formulation looks a little dry. But I promise no judgement until I use it, and give it a fair chance.

Anyone else pick this up yet? Are you looking forward to picking up your gift?

Birthday + Stuff

2010-04-18T18:00:00.000-04:00

I wrote this ahead of time but you guys will be seeing it on my birthday!!! YAY!! I'm officially 19, which means legal age where I live, so this summer is going to be interesting for sure. I don't think I've ever stated my age, so I'm sure you guys didn't have a clue what age I was...actually I know I'm kinda like anon when it comes to blogging, I'm a bit of a private person...at least when it comes to online stuff. If you guys want to get to know me a little bit better you can follow me on twitter, but I don't talk about blogging stuff on there, it's just me and my normal self.

But I was looking through my pictures from my 18th birthday last year, which was my champagne year because I turned 18, on the 18th of April. So we made it extra special, and had a Tiffany theme party for me and 15 of my girl friends. Everyone one wore black, and we danced and partied and (and slept over) it was just soooo much fun. I'll post a few pictures of the decor.

So that's a few pictures of the decor, I didn't put too many to bore your guys.

But anywhooooo I also needed some advice, I know I'm on a spending ban, but that only means I can't spend my money right? I'm allowed to spend money I get in gifts. LOL it's the inner lawyer in me, always trying to find loopholes. So I really want to get my hands on some NARS blushes, other than Orgasm which ones do you guys recommend?

ALSO I want to transform a room into a closet/vanity area where everyone can come over and get ready before going out, and I was wondering what colour scheme to do. Should I go white and bright, or dark grey/Abercombie style? Do you guys have any decor websites for me to get ideas, please and thank you!!

xooxoxoxxoxooxxo

Awards and Tags

2010-04-17T17:43:00.000-04:00

Hey Darlings! Sorry I haven't been updating but Uni is almost over!! YAY!! But I know you beautiful ladies have been giving me awards left, right, and centre and I decided that they have been piling up and it's time to spread the love back!! I went through my comments and found all the awards, but if you gave me an award/tag, and I didn't acknowledge you, PLEASE let me know!!!

Beautiful Blogger Award

This was given to me by the beautiful Lora, she is newer to the blogging world and has a great blog, go check her out!!!

Okay so 7 more interesting facts about me...

I am deadly afraid of snakes
I hate when people sneeze/cough/sniffle more than 5 times in a row (I'll snap)
I am the baby of the family, with two older sisters
I am a jeans+t-shirt+ hoodie kinda girl
I like to sleep in tight spaces
I can't fall asleep if I don't brush my teeth
I love astronomy, (I took a uni course and hated it) but I love stars/planets and everything to do with things beyond our planet

I Love Your Blog

I was given this award by Fintia and Jay Anne, I loveee them and their blogs too! Go check them out!

Me in 3 Tag

I was tagged to do this by Cassandra and Lora. So here we go:

Three Nicknames I go by:

Ozoz (sister)
B1 (one of my best friends, she's B2)
Cheetah (another friend, actually every one of my friends has their own nickname for me)

Three Jobs I've had

Student
Teach computer classes
Ummmm no other jobs, does being obsessed with things count?

Three Places I've Lived

I've lived in a lot of different homes, but basically in the same area, soooo yeah lol

Three Fav Drinks

Water with lots of ice and a HUGE straw
Sprite is nice every now and then
Light Blended Carmel Frap (Starbucks)

Three TV shows I watch

Vampire Dairies (I'm behind a few episodes so no spoilers lol!!)
Friends
Will and Grace

Three Places I've Been

New York
Amsterdam
Montreal

Three Places I Want to Visit

Spain
Greece
Brazil

Three People Who Text Me A lot

Ummm I go through phases, I text back and forth with different people each week, depends on my mood

Favorite Dishes

Pumpkin Pie
Sushi
Fruit bowels

Makeup Products I Couldn't Live Without

Well I could live without them but I guess...

Mascara
Blush
Face Cream

Three Things I'm Looking Forward

Summer partying/relaxing
FIFA!!!!! OMG I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS FOR 4 YEARS
My birthday (which is tomorrow April 18th!)

People I tag:

Jojoba

Oliva
PEONIES AND LILIES
Abby
Nikki
Holly
Farah
Gaby
Jordan
Patukiii
Schnella
Kasia
Lora
Julia

I'll tag more people later, there are plenty of people I need to tag for sure! I just can't think of all of them I follow over 300 blogs! Ladies feel free to do whichever tag you haven't already done so!!

PS Follow me on twitter, and leave your twitter in the comments so I can follow you!

Ulta Lash Icon Volume Mascara Review

2010-04-11T14:03:00.000-04:00

Hey dollfaces! I realized I haven't done a mascara review in ages! And they are my favourite, because mascara is my favourite makeup item, and I think the right mascara makes all the difference.

This mascara was given to me in a swap by Emily. Whenever I get a new mascara it takes me a while to get used to the new brush and know how to work with it. But I love this mascara, however I would say that it does more to lengthen than volumize.

But enough with the chit chat, mascara reviews need pictures, not words...well I'll add a few captions under the pictures :)

I didn't understand what this brush is suppose to accomplish, but after using it, I think the middle where it dips in is where it separates, and the ends (where is is thicker) adds more volume.

I tried really hard to get a profile picture to show the length, but this was the best I could do. Taking pictures of lashes is really hard lol.

Not amazing volume, but I am happy with the length.

The only issue I have is the dried out clumps at the ends, but I think that is due to my application, I always have trouble with the right eye because I'm left handed.

(also excuse the length difference in the lashes, I've had a lot of fallout recently)

So overall I love the length this mascara provides, not a lot of fullness, I would say this is like Lashblast, except it does the reverse. Lashblast gives me volume to the max, this gives me length.

Rating: 8.5 (I think mascara is never perfect, unless it can give me fake looking doll-like lashes its never going to get a 10)

Urban Decay Primer Potion: Original and Sin

2010-04-06T12:30:00.000-04:00

Heyy girls (and boys..lol even if you don't like to admit it, I know you're out there!). Summer is in the air...can you smell it? I can't, cause I'm indoors, studying. But if you are able to go and enjoy the spring weather!

Anywhooo, I wanted to thank you guys for sticking by me, and all the new followers! I don't pay attention to the numbers, but I looked over last night before going to bed and I couldn't believe that we are over 200!

I realized that I am the owner of both Original and Sin Urban Decay Primer Potions, so I thought time for a review? Yes!

Well I got Sin (which is a shimmery champagne colour) last May, and I haven't used it that much. The first time I used it, I use A LOT of it, I did a green smokey eye that lasted over 24 hours! But then with time I learnt that you really don't need a ton of product, just a dot or two (on each eye) will do, and it should last you a good 6-8 hours!

Then last month I got the Original, because I recently got into the nude neutral eyes, and I hated using Sin because it made everything shimmery! And you know what? I find that the Original lasts longer. With Sin, I need a bit more product to make the shadow last as long as the Original formulation. With "Original" one generous dot on each eye will make my shadow last over 12 hours. In fact I HATE taking it off before going to bed, because it just gets nicer with time! (Anyone else feel the same way?)

In conclusion, if you were to get only one, definitely get the Original, it lasts longer, it goes on nude, and you need less. Also if you want to make it shimmery you have the option of adding a shimmery shadow, so really you don't need Sin. The only issue is that I hate the packaging, why can't they make it in a squeeze tube?

Sin Rating: 7.5

Original: 9

Does anyone else have both? Thoughts/opinions? Share them below! And enjoy your day :)

xoxoxoxox