Category Archives: Makeup

Beauty Bloggers Made Me Buy It

Makeup, , , ,

Soooooo…. This beauty blogging world that I’ve surrounded myself with over the last two years… it’s absolutely filled with talented bloggers who are unbelievable enablers. We’re all friends, so this entire post is said with love, but goddamn it you jerks, you make me spend money because everything looks so freaking good on you! *shakes fist*

Here’s a roundup of recent products that some of my blogging buddies have forced my hand into buying!

Guerlain Météorites - Flocons Enchantés
Guerlain Météorites – Flocons Enchantés
Guerlain Météorites - Flocons Enchantés
Guerlain Météorites – Flocons Enchantés
Clinique Cheek Pop in Cola Pop
Clinique Cheek Pop in Cola Pop
Colour Pop Ultra Mattes
Colour Pop Ultra Mattes
  • Product: Colour Pop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks
  • Culprit: Kaitlyn of Kaitlyn Elizabeth Beauty
  • Blog Post That Did Me In: New In: ColourPop Cosmetics Ultra Matte Lips
  • My Reasons: I held off on ordering the Colour Pop Ultra Mattes when they were released but Kaitlyn was on that train so fast that it made my head spin. She not only got her order quickly but also got lip shots up within what… a day? Maybe two? Regardless, it was LIGHTNING fast. I ended up referring to her post a lot to help me decide between some shades that seemed very similar. I ended up getting Tulle and Trap based on her lip shots (*love* those colours) and although the formula isn’t quite what I love in a matte lip, I still got some awesome colours thanks to her post!
Colour Pop - Coconut
Colour Pop – Coconut
  • Product: Colour Pop Super Shock Shadow in Coconut
  • Culprit: Julie of Swatch and Review
  • Blog Post That Did Me In: Colourpop Super Shock Shadow Coconut review
  • My Reasons: Julie was wearing this when we went to the Charlotte Tilbury launch at Holt Renfrew, and it freaking BLEW ME AWAY. The colour and pigmentation were second to none… the colour just SCREAMED from her eyelids and I placed it in my next Colour Pop order immediately. Of course, like most new products, this has fallen to the back of my single eyeshadow drawer… but since I had to photograph it for this post it’s back into the front row again! I’m still not the biggest fan of the super shock formula (it’s just not brush friendly), but there’s no denying that colour!
NARS Multiple in Siam
NARS Multiple in Siam
  • Product: NARS Matte Multiple in Siam
  • Culprit: Oh hey look… JEN AGAIN
  • Blog Post That Did Me In: Vibrant Blush Week #1: NARS Matte Multiple in Siam
  • My Reasons: I’m not TOTALLY positive that was the right post that got me hooked on Siam, but I know for sure it was Jen that pushed me over the edge on this one. I ended up getting it for a discounted price from a Winners near Montreal. It’s such a gorgeous vibrant red-orange shade that I just could not resist it. (And Jen makes everything look amazing!)
Marcelle Liquid Dip-Pen in Blackest Black (~$7 CAD)
Marcelle Liquid Dip-Pen in Blackest Black
  • Product: Marcelle Liquid Dip-Pen Eyeliner
  • Culprit: Sarah of Workaday Beauty
  • Blog Post That Did Me In: Review: Marcelle Waterproof Liquid DIP-PEN Eyeliner 10H+
  • My Reasons: Sarah knew I was after a liquid eyeliner that was actually matte (and not glossy like most of them are), so she was excited to tell me about the Dip-Pens she’d discovered by Marcelle. And they’re waterproof to boot! In the end, the formula IS amazing, but I’m not in love with the brush which is a damn shame. But for those of you looking for a matte black, waterproof liner from the drugstore in Canada – you may want to look into this one!

That’s it for this roundup of people who make me spend my money! I may turn this into series every few months since I don’t doubt there’ll be even more enabling going on as time passes! I’d love to hear about who has made you buy what products and why!

Challenge Week: Smashbox Double Exposure

Makeup, Tutorials

201511_smashboxdoubleexposure1

The Smashbox Double Exposure palette features 14 shadows that can be used wet or dry. The idea is that you can create different looks with each shade depending on whether or not you add water. Typically, when you add water, it intensifies a shadow (be it a darker matte, more metallic, etc.), however, as a general rule, I find you don’t really need to add water to these shadows. They just work on their own! The pigment is incredible and really wowed me with how well they went on the lids and blended out. I did use a few shadows wet just to try it out, and I’ll point those out as we go. (Wet and dry swatches can be found here.)

Smashbox Double Exposure Makeup Looks

Smashbox Double Exposure - Look 1
Smashbox Double Exposure – Look 1

I gravitated towards the warm tones first (mostly on the right side of the palette) and I love how this one turned out – especially with the dark lips!

201511_smashboxdoubleexposure_look1.2

Eyes

  1. Flushed through the crease.
  2. Copper on the inner and outer thirds of the lid.
  3. Quartz applied wet to the middle of the lid.
  4. Veiled on the brow bone.

I coated my lashes with Smashbox Full Exposure mascara.

Face

  • Bronzer: MAC Refined Golden
  • Blush: Hourglass Mood Exposure
  • Highlighter: Becca Champagne Pop
  • Lips: Revlon Black Cherry
Smashbox Double Exposure - Look 2
Smashbox Double Exposure – Look 2

No real inspiration with this one – I just wanted to play around with some of the shadows I wouldn’t necessarily gravitate towards the most in a palette.

201511_smashboxdoubleexposure_look2.2

Eyes

  1. Peony on the lid.
  2. Temper in the outer corner.
  3. Mauve through the crease.
  4. Veiled on the brow bone

I applied Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara to my lashes.

Face

  • Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in shade 51 Light Vanilla
  • Bronzer: Revlon Bronzed & Chic
  • And unfortunately I didn’t write down my blush or highlighter. Damn.
  • Lips: Too Faced Melted Fig
Smashbox Double Exposure - Look 3
Smashbox Double Exposure – Look 3

Now this is something I really love doing on my eyes. Adding in that warmer shade through the crease really adds some depth to an otherwise cool-toned look.

201511_smashboxdoubleexposure_look3.2

Eyes

  1. Silver on the lid.
  2. Espresso on the outer half of the lid.
  3. Noir to deepen up the outer corner.
  4. Blanc on the inner corner.
  5. Peony through the crease.
  6. Veiled to highlight the brow.

I created the wing with MAC‘s Dipdown fluidline and coated my lashes with Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara.

Face

  • Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in shade 51 Light Vanilla
  • Bronzer: NYC Fire Island Tan
  • Blush: Clinique Cola Pop
  • Highlighter: MAC Soft & Gentle
  • Lips: Bite Beauty Kir Royale
Smashbox Double Exposure - Look 4
Smashbox Double Exposure – Look 4

I wanted something more dramatic for this look to show off that you can really go to town with this palette because it has an awesome black shadow in it. I created that sharp outer corner with a shadow shield – works wayyyy better than tape AND it has a bit of a curve to it that you can’t really see, but it looks a lot more natural that normal tape does (thanks for the tip Julie!). Sidenote: If you think my face is lit up weirdly – it is! I had to use a flash. /shudder

201511_smashboxdoubleexposure_look4.2

Eyes

  1. Mauve on the lid.
  2. Noir for the outer corner and to line the lower lash line.
  3. Flushed to blend out the crease.
  4. Blanc on the inner corner.
  5. Veiled on the brow bone.

I lined my lash line really thinly with Catrice‘s Dating Joe Black liquid liner, applied essence‘s get big! lashes waterproof mascara and then popped on a pair of Noir Fairy false lashes by House of Lashes. I tightlined both water lines with Marc Jacob‘s Highliner Gel Crayon in Blacquer.

Face

  • Foundation: Revlon Colorstay in 200 Nude and 220 Natural Beige mixed together
  • Bronzer: SST Cosmetics Sun Kissed
  • Blush: Hourglass Diffused Heat
  • Highlighter: Becca Champagne Pop
  • Lips: Rimmel Make Your Move
Smashbox Double Exposure - Look 5
Smashbox Double Exposure – Look 5

For my lash look, I *had* to use the incredibly dark blue shadow (Midnight) in the palette. This shadow may not look like much in the pan, but swatch it wet and you’ll be completely blown away.

201511_smashboxdoubleexposure_look5.2

Eyes

  1. Mauve through the crease.
  2. I first applied NYX‘s Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in  Black Bean all over the lid, blended it in with my finger, then applied Midnight on top (dry). I then wet my brush, dipped back into Midnight and applied it wet on the center on the lid. I also used Midnight (dry) to line my lower lash line.
  3. Blanc in the inner corner.
  4. Veiled on the brow bone.

I applied Make Up For Ever‘s Smoky Stretch mascara to my lashes.

Face

  • Bronzer: Joe Fresh Sand
  • Blush: MAC Warm Soul
  • Highlighter: Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo #1
  • Lips: Rimmel Apocalips in  Celestial

Have you used the Smashbox Double Exposure palette? Let me know what you think of it!

The product featured in this post was provided by PR for consideration.

Red Cheeks for Winter

Makeup, Reviews, Swatches, , , ,

201511_redcheeksforwinter1

During the cold months, one of my most beloved makeup tricks is to give myself the appearance that I’ve just come in from the cold. Few makeup things please me as much as the appearance of a red cheek in the winter! I don’t actually flush very pretty naturally from the cold air – in fact my face turns blotchy red and I get weird sun sports that appear out of nowhere. BUT, I have this vision of rosy red cheeks that make me look like I’ve been kissed by the cold air and that’s what I try to replicate with my makeup when the air temperature drops.

I’ve picked some of my favourite blushes that help me achieve that red cheek look. As with anything, if the colour intimidates you, try using it with a lighter hand!

Clinique - Cola Pop
Clinique – Cola Pop

With the dropping temperature here in Toronto, I’ve gone absolutely ham on this blush. Clinique‘s Cola Pop looks like NOBODY’s colour in the pan – in fact you’d expect it to just be an eyeshadow with that kind of dark pigmentation.

Wearing Cola Pop
Wearing Cola Pop

But on the cheeks this is freaking BOMB! On my NW20 skin, it goes on fairly rosy, but if you have a deeper skin tone you can definitely keep building this up. I’ve started pairing this with dark red lips and it’s a great way to help balance out the colour and make me not look washed out.

Tarte - Natural Beauty
Tarte – Natural Beauty

It took me a while to pick up Tarte‘s Natural Beauty. It was one of those products that sat in my Sephora Loves list for not just months, but years! And yet, it’s exactly the kind of colour I love to wear.

Wearing Natural Beauty
Wearing Natural Beauty

Because of Tarte‘s blush texture, this goes on my cheeks a little bit softer, so this is a good one for those of you wanting some of that red cheek look without looking like a clown.

Illamasqua - Tweak
Illamasqua – Tweak

A word of warning – Illamasqua‘s blushes are pigmented AF. In fact, the first time I wore this blush I applied way too much and kind of gasped in horror. I’ve since learned the error of my ways and barely touch my brush to the product now. That being said, Tweak is a phenomenal colour that feels rather akin to a “power colour” to me. (Forgive me, I hate that term, but I couldn’t figure out how else to express my affinity for this shade!)

Wearing Tweak
Wearing Tweak

Tweak is easily one of my favourite colours to apply to my cheeks. It gives me look and feel instantly alive. I love how it makes the apples of my cheeks pop and I just really feel good about myself when I’m wearing this colour.

Burberry - Poppy
Burberry – Poppy

Burberry‘s Lip & Cheek Bloom in Poppy has a mousse texture and can be used on the lips and cheeks. This item was my first foray into Burberry products and it jumped out at me because it was so dissimilar to the rest of their line. In general, Burberry is a beautifully classy line of makeup, so they don’t tend to have shocking colours. So when I saw this one I just gravitated towards it like a moth to a flame.

Wearing Poppy
Wearing Poppy

Due to the mousse texture, Poppy applies more like a cream. I find this to be more of a soft colour, so you’ll get more subtle red cheek glow with this one. (The shot above is with a few layers applied to my cheeks.)

Elizabeth Mott - Tints & Sass
Elizabeth Mott – Tints & Sass

The last one on my list is a liquid stain by Elizabeth Mott that I received in an Ipsy bag a while ago. Tints & Sass, although it’s a stain, does blend out quite easily on the cheek. I apply three dabs to my cheekbones and then blend it out with a stippling brush. Due to the staining nature of the product, I prefer to wear this one when I know I’m going to be outside a lot because even if I end up wiping most of it away, at least I’ll be left with a stain! (Bonus: It smells good too!)

Wearing Tints & Sass
Wearing Tints & Sass

On the cheeks Tints & Sass is glorious. I can get instant red cheeks without much fuss with this product and I appreciate that so, so much. I even brought this on vacation with me last year when I went back to Ottawa for Christmas!

Red cheek swatches
Red cheek swatches

And for comparison, here is each of them swatched side by side. You can see a few of them are quite close in colour, but they all have enough variety amongst them to keep me happy!

Red Cheeks for Winter!
Red Cheeks for Winter!

So how about you? Do you like red cheeks in the winter?

Swatch Sunday: Lise Watier Palette Expression

Makeup, Swatches

201511_lisewatier_paletteexpression1

Lise Watier‘s Palette Expression was a limited edition release for Spring 2015 (sold in stores between February and April 2015). It features mostly pastel shades with a few deeper colours.

Lise Watier Palette Expression
Lise Watier Palette Expression
Lise Watier Palette Expression
Lise Watier Palette Expression

Lise Watier Palette Expression Swatches

Lise Watier Palette Expression - Shade 1
Lise Watier Palette Expression – Shade 1
Lise Watier Palette Expression - Shade 2
Lise Watier Palette Expression – Shade 2
Lise Watier Palette Expression - Shade 3
Lise Watier Palette Expression – Shade 3
Lise Watier Palette Expression - Shade 4
Lise Watier Palette Expression – Shade 4
Lise Watier Palette Expression - Shade 5
Lise Watier Palette Expression – Shade 5

Bourjois Délice de Poudre (Review & Swatch)

Makeup, Reviews, Swatches

201511_bourjois_delicedepoudre1

I’ve yammered on about my love for the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation before and yet that’s just about the only thing I’ve tried by the brand. Wanting to expand my knowledge of Bourjois a bit more, the lovely Natalie of Ivory Avenue was kind enough to pick up the Délice de Poudre for me while she was in England recently.

Bourjois Délice de Poudre
Bourjois Délice de Poudre

So, why did I want this? Let me count the ways!

  1. It looks like a slab of chocolate.
  2. It’s supposed to smell like chocolate. (It doesn’t though – it smells like coconut to me!)
  3. The cardboard packaging is freaking adorable.
  4. I’ve seen YouTubers using it for years.
  5. I freaking love bronzer.
Bourjois Délice de Poudre
Bourjois Délice de Poudre

I mean just look at it? How can you not love that bronzer? As it turns out, Délice de Poudre actually comes in a few shades! Natalie picked up the lightest shade for me which is pour les peaux claires/medianes (light/medium) and it retailed for £7.99.

Bourjois Délice de Poudre
Bourjois Délice de Poudre

The powder itself looks fairly brown with a hint of warmth. So imagine my surprise when I swatched it and got this:

Bourjois Délice de Poudre
Bourjois Délice de Poudre

That is straight up orange, and yet the powder does not look nearly that warm in the compact. I tried fussing around with the colour but no matter what I did, that’s actually how it looked on my skin in a swatch. I was a little skeptical how this was going to turn out on my face.

No bronzer
No bronzer

Alright so here we go. This is my face with foundation (Revlon ColorStay in 200 and 220 mixed together), eyes are done except for mascara and my brows are not filled in. The lighting is a bit bleak because I took this early in the morning when the sun was just starting to peek through the thick clouds.

Wearing Délice de Poudre
Wearing Délice de Poudre

And here I am wearing Délice de Poudre. It’s applied (heavily) to the backs of my cheekbones and jaw line and more lightly along my forehead and nose. You can definitely see that this leans very warm on me.

Side by side comparison - with and without bronzer
Side by side comparison – with and without bronzer

Although the side shot looks very heavy handed with the product, I do *really* like how it looks in a full face shot comparison. My face looks slimmed out and nowhere near as pasty pale as the foundation made me look. It adds an aliveness to my face that I wasn’t really expecting considering the overwhelming warm tones in the product.

201511_katvondmividalocaremix_look4.1

And just so you can see a fully made up shot, I’m wearing Délice de Poudre here along with the Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix palette.

Final Thoughts

Although I wasn’t expecting Délice de Poudre to be as warm-toned as it is, it still worked out really well to add some depth to my skin after I’ve applied foundation. I do feel that, on me, this is best applied with a lighter hand, so  I’ll know to be a little less generous with the product next time I wear it! I’ve been wearing this bronzer on and off for about two weeks and I enjoy the overall experience of it (which sounds hilarious, but you makeup lovers will get me!). The compact is adorable, the scent makes it fun to open and swirl your brush in and the application is fairly flawless since it’s easy to blend. This product is definitely worth your money, even moreso if you can pick it up in the UK since it’s quite a bit cheaper there than in Canada!