All posts by Chelle

What I Bought This Month – October 2014 Haul

October 31, 2014HaulsBenefit, Hourglass, INGLOT, MarcelleChelle

It’s Halloween today! Unfortunately I don’t have an exciting Halloween post for you because I am knee deep in actually trying to get my Halloween makeup sorted (more on that another day!). Instead, please accept my regrets with a recycled Halloween picture of Nemo with a pumpkin.

Instead, what I *do* have is this month’s haul!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette ($67 CAD)

The most exciting product I picked up this month was the limited edition HourglassAmbient Lighting Blush Palette. I only own one of Hourglass‘ blushes (Diffused Heat) and I use the pants out of that product. Because they’re so bloody expensive, I was really reluctant to pick up another single one (seriously… what is it… $41 for one of their blushes? EESH!). So when I saw that Hourglass was releasing a blush palette for the holiday season, I knew it had to be mine. It’s a costly item, but I adore the formula so much that it’s totally worth it in my book!

In a weak move, I finally caved and bought a high end mascara. The only justification I can possibly offer for this is that Sephora was offering this bundle for the same price as just the mascara itself. Benefit They’re Real mascara is amazing on my lashes and I’ve been a bit pissed off with my drug store mascaras lately so I was like “yep, in the basket you go”. I also like that I can try out a small size of They’re Real Push Up Liner with this bundle. The bulk of the reviews on this liner have been negative, but I’m curious to try it out myself and see how I get on with it. The third item in the kit is the makeup remover in an insanely small sample size, but hey, freebie!

Inglot Cream Concealer in shade 37 ($15 CAD)

Two days before Halloween I got the idea to do a sugar skull on my face for work. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any white bases or foundations to use, so I stopped in at Inglot and they suggested I try the white concealer they have (shade 37). I think it’ll work out quite well if I mix it in with my foundation.

Marcelle Gentle Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes ($14.95 CAD)

And the boring item of the month is Marcelle‘s makeup remover (the waterproof one). I’ve been using Neutrogena‘s makeup remover and I don’t think it works as well as Marcelle‘s so I’ve switched back for the time being.

Additionally, I’ve been getting complaints that there isn’t enough Nemo in my posts… So have some cat nose, because he was very interested in the camera while I was photographing my products!

Review: MaskerAide Sheet Masks

October 29, 2014Reviews, SkincareMaskerAideChelle

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I was recently contacted to try out some sheet masks by MaskerAide. Not being much of a skincare junkie, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about these masks. The idea of a sheet mask has always made me giggle – I mean you basically end up looking like Jason Voorhees (just in time for Halloween!) for the length of time that it takes for the good stuff to soak into your skin.

Like any skincare product, I’m not expecting immediate results. I think the longevity of a product is really what will change your skin for the better (or worse). So for these, I was more curious on how my skin would react to them right away. Let’s take a look!

The first one I tried, also the very first sheet mask I ever tried, was MaskerAide‘s Pre Party Prep. The mask indicates it should brighten, prime and energize your skin. I wasn’t actually looking to go out the night I tried this mask on, but figured it wouldn’t really matter.

So how did it feel? Well, unfortunately, this was my least favourite of the three I tried. While wearing it for the twenty minutes the package indicated, my skin felt like it was slightly tingling and burning – which wasn’t especially pleasant.

After I removed the mask my skin felt kind of tight and not especially soft. I patted the goop off and then refused to put moisturizer on just to see how this would work out. These masks are supposed to be hydrating after all! After twenty minutes my skin definitely did start to feel hydrated and no longer tight. I didn’t feel like I needed moisturizer so I can say that this was definitely hydrating enough in the end, even though it was slightly touch and go for a while.

I *LOVED* this one! After my somewhat “meh” reaction to the previous mask, I was really happy to love the All Nighter mask so much. I tested it out during the day after having only gotten about three hours of sleep the previous night. It smells faintly of peppermint and was the most fun to wear, which sounds funny to say, but it’s true. I think this one felt slightly less goopy than Pre Party Prep.

All Nighter was way more refreshing, likely due to the peppermint scent. It was cooling and tingling in a way that really livened up my skin. I didn’t feel like I needed moisturizer at all after removing the mask and I didn’t have to wait it out till my skin felt “normal” again. Highly recommended.

The last one I tried out was Weather Warrior. This one was creamier in the package, but it didn’t have any scent to it like the All Nighter one did (which was a slight disappointment!). It claims to calm, sooth and heal your skin.

I didn’t like it was much as the All Nighter, but it didn’t make my skin feel tight like the Pre Party Prep one did. Out of all of them, I think Weather Warrior made my skin feel the softest afterwards. I wasn’t jonesing for moisturizer after I took it off and I kept petting my own skin because it was incredibly soft to the touch.

Final Verdict

At $6 a pop, these aren’t cheap masks, but they are fun to use and two out of the three (All Nighter and Weather Warrior) gave me results that I really enjoyed. Out of the three, I’d recommend All Nighter the most since it had a scent that really perked me up. These would make excellent gifts for the upcoming holiday season (think stocking stuffers people!).

You’re encouraged to use one of the masks every week, but they do indicate that you can use them daily with no ill effects. I did use two of the masks on back to back days and found that to be completely true: I didn’t react badly to any of the masks, nor did I break out.

Let me know if you’ve tried this brand out before and what you thought of their products!

The products featured in this review were sent to me for consideration.

What’s On My Face – Volume 26

October 27, 2014Makeup, TutorialsBoots No7, Dermacol, essence, Hard Candy, Hourglass, INGLOT, L'Oreal, MAC, Makeup Geek, Nicka K, NYC, NYX, Revlon, Sephora, Tarte, Too Faced, Urban DecayChelle

I’ve been having “blah” kind of makeup days lately. A lot of neutrals, with brighter lip shades (tis the season?) but it’s actually starting to make me feel a bit depressed. With the darkness in the morning, I have far less desire to get out of bed. And because of that, I spend a lot less time on my makeup, which means not only boring looks (to me), but it also means sometimes I don’t even have enough time to take pictures of my makeup before I dart out the door to work. Sigh. Beauty blogger problems? I don’t know. I’m looking forward to DST ending so I can get an extra hour of that sun in the mornings (uhhh that is how that works right? I think I mess this up every year…), because right now, the only relatively suitable light I have to take pictures is at 7:55-8:05 a.m., which is when I’m supposed to be out the door!

So I tried to spice it up and do some interesting things every now and then. This is a mix of “meh” and “oooo”. I hope you find something you like!

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Let’s start out with my favourite! Themed after one of my favourite candies of the Halloween season: candy corn!

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Eyes

I first applied NYX‘s Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk all over the lid, blended it out, then:

Makeup Geek White Lies on the inner third of the lid and pulled around the tearduct.
Inglot Matte 370 on the middle third of the lid.
Inglot Matte 383 on the outer third of the lid and on the outer corner of the lower lash line.

Tarte‘s black gel liner to create the wing with Urban Decay Perversion mascara on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla
Bronzer: NYC Fire Island Tan
Blush: Hard Candy Skinny Dipping
Lips: NYX Butter Gloss in Cherry Cheesecake

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While I love this shadow, this is what I mean when I say I’m too damn lazy to get out of bed in the morning. This is basically a one eyeshadow look with no liner. Not something I’m fond of, but this colour certainly gets the job done!

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Eyes

L’Oreal Infallible in Golden Mahogany all over the lid and blended up through the crease.
MAC Blanc Type to highlight the brow.

On my lashes is Estee Lauder‘s Sumptuous Infinite Daring Length + Volume Mascara.

Rest of the Face

Bronzer: NYC Fire Island Tan
Blush: MAC Gingerly
Highlighter: Too Faced Candlelight
Lips: Sephora Color Reveal Balm in Unique Pink

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I actually did this in 2012, but never got around to posting it. I believe I wore it to work on Halloween that year.

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MAC Coppering all over the lid.
I then used a piece of tape to create the sharp outer edge, and then blended appliedUrban Decay Blackout to the outer corner.
MAC Brule was used to highlight the brow.

L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara is on my lashes.

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These are the kinds of looks I just don’t gravitate towards, but they’re a heck of a lot simpler to put together in the morning!

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Eyes

L’Oreal Infallible in Tender Caramel all over the lid.
MAC Copperplate on the outer corner and through the crease.
MAC Shroom on my brow bone.

On my lashes is Urban Decay‘s Perversion mascara.

Rest of the Face

Bronzer: Hard Candy Hula Hula
Cheeks: Hourglass Mood Exposure
Lips: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Istanbul

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Another easy one. Whack on boring eyeshadows, a super bright liner and tada!

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Eyes

MAC Blanc Type on the lid and on the brow bone.
MAC Copperplate in the outer corner and crease.

Nicka K Shimmer Eyeliner in Green to create the wing with Dermacol Party Time mascara on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

Bronzer: NYC Fire Island Tan
Blush: essence Pinky Flow
Lips: Revlon Pink Velvet

Fitness Friday: o.b. Tampons (+ Giveaway!)

October 24, 2014Fitnesso.b.Chelle

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You might be thinking “What the hell do tampons have to do with fitness?” but bear with me, I’ll explain my madness shortly.

I’ve been a user of o.b. tampons since my mid-teens. I’ve never been one to carry a purse even in my adult years (except for a brief stint at the age of 16 when I thought my CD Walkman carrying case could double as a purse and I was not only clever, but cool to be doing so! /shudder), so I need something that is small and compact. Something that could fit into the pockets of whatever pants or shorts I had on, or, if I was wearing pocketless shorts like I often did to play sports in, something small that would fit into my sports bra.

o.b. tampons in Regular (pink), Super (green) and Super Plus (yellow)

When I was first introduced to o.b. tampons (I don’t even really remember how to be quite honest, it was probably an ad I saw on TV), I’m sure I thought the concept was pretty weird. For some people, not using an applicator feels pretty unhygienic I suppose. But the more I used them, the more I got used to the idea and the ease of use of them. And there was definitely no beating the convenience factor of carrying something impossibly small and inconspicuous.

o.b. tampons spotted while I was on vacation in Prague

One huge comparison, for me, between tampons with applicators and those without, was that, for whatever reason, an applicator would always pinch me in areas I definitely did not want to be pinched. This pinching problem isn’t something I ever experience with o.b.. Once you unravel the tampons from their plastic covering, you use the tampon string to wiggle apart the base. This creates an indent for you to place your finger and use it to guide it up to where it’s supposed to sit. It does require some maneuvering but it’s not something that ever feels difficult.

The usual box of o.b. tampons I buy – a medley of sizes depending on what I need

After having used o.b. religiously for 15 or so years, I was surprised (and pleased) when the brand reached out to me when I made a comment on someone’s blog saying how much I enjoyed o.b. tampons. Their timing was almost serendipitous: The day before they contacted me I had run a 10K race on Toronto Island while on my period and I had packed several of their itsy bitsy applicator-free tampons into my running shorts simply because I could. No chance in hell would I have gotten a full-on tampon with applicator into those shorts (pictured below). And if you’re in need of a tampon mid-run, you damn well better have it on you or you’re going to be looking at a pretty gory finish line. (This is thankfully not a problem I’ve ever had!)

Just look at how tiny these things are! They’ll fit in any pocket you can think of! Skinny jeans? Short shorts? Athletic shorts? In your hand as you head to the bathroom at work? FOR SURE!

Honestly, you can barely even tell it’s there.

All this to say… I can’t recommend o.b. tampons enough. They are small and inconspicuous, and come in varying sizes depending on how heavy your blood flow is that particular day. They’re a brand that has held my loyalty for over a decade now and I couldn’t be happier.

o.b. Tampons Giveaway!

o.b. was kind enough to sponsor a giveaway for my readers! Please see below for details.

A box of 18-count o.b. tampons (regular)

25 lucky winners will receive an 18-count pack of o.b. tampons (regular)!

Details

Open to residents of Canada (you must have a Canadian address that we can ship to).
Giveaway runs from October 24th until November 7th.
Be aware that all entries will be double checked to ensure fairness.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Inglot (re)Opens in Toronto

October 22, 2014Makeup, ReviewsINGLOTChelle

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At long last! Toronto is finally seeing the return of Inglot! Beauty lovers can finally get their hands on Inglot‘s huge range of colours and products.

Seriously doesn’t this just feel slightly pornographic? No? Just me then?

You’ll notice I say re-opened. Inglot actually had a few locations in Toronto several years ago but the company never really got off the ground in this city. It turns out that Inglot, although primarily owned and operated in Poland, does actually operate their external locations as a franchise.

I had the good fortune to speak to Toronto’s store manager Jason, and he kindly gave me the latest information on Toronto’s fresh new Inglot store that opened on September 20, 2014. The shop is in an absolutely phenomenal location (19 Dundas Square), so much so that they had to beat out some seriously prominent franchises (Starbucks!) from that particular retail location. Being right beside the Eaton Centre will potentially bring in a lot of shoppers and tourists into the store since the square has good visibility.

The Toronto location has now become the only Inglot location in all of Canada since the Montreal location closed down a few months ago. There are plans to open more Toronto locations in the future, but right now they need to make sure that the one at Dundas Square gets off to a solid start.

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Jason said that they were surprised with how quickly some of their products were selling out. Their red gel liner has turned out to be super popular and they’re already having to order new product in. (It’s one of my personal favourites.) Their other best sellers have been their black gel liner (no brainer there!) and their breathable nail polishes.

One thing I was incredibly surprised to hear was that all of Inglot‘s products are fresh made. None of them are sitting in a warehouse anywhere waiting to be shipped to the store. When a store runs out of product, they need to order it in from Poland where the products are then made by the batch and shipped directly to the store that ordered it. On average, between production and shipping time, any new products that are put on a shelf in an Inglot store are actually fresh made within 7 days! I was particularly impressed to hear this since it means you’re unlikely to get stale products.

The shop is well-lit and airy. It’s a giant playroom for makeup junkies with huge windows and makeup laid out like finger paints. Inglot has always had a store layout that has made me salivate. I’m glad that I no longer need to pick up my much-beloved cosmetics while on vacation in other countries (so far the list stands at the US, England and Ireland!) and can walk the ten minutes to this shop to pick up my goodies.

I’m mostly well-versed in their eyeshadows and gel liners. These are products that I keep coming back to and will continue to keep snapping up. Inglot is wonderful for having some completely unique colours in not only shimmery formats (which everyone seems to have) but also in a matte formula! It’s really nice to be able to pick up vibrant matte shades that aren’t just neutral.

I hope the eye candy was enough to give you the urge to check out Inglot when you get a chance. Aside from visiting their physical location, you can check them out on the following platforms: