Skincare Saturday: Introduction to eos (Evolution of Smooth)

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Of all the things in the beauty world, skincare is a category that doesn’t get a lot of attention from me. In general, I’d much rather be playing around with colourful makeup and seeing what kind of fun look I can create, but that leaves out a lot of options to cover on the blog. As a result, I’m creating “Skincare Saturdays”. It won’t be every week, as I certainly don’t use enough new skincare to have something to talk about that consistently. But I didn’t want to detract from the makeup posts either, so that’s why I’m opting to add an extra posting day to my schedule every now and again that will cover solely skincare.

Good grief, that was a lot of preamble. I need to shut up and start talking about the products…

Alright, so let’s cover the basics. I was recently sent some products by eos (which is an acronym for evolution of smooth) and wanted to talk about them. eos is primarily known for their lip balm spheres – you know, the ridiculously cute ones that look kind of like an egg? As it turns out, eos doesn’t just do lip balm.

eos shave creams
eos shave creams

Who hasn’t spotted these ridiculously attractive bottles of shave cream at the drugstore? These eos shave creams stick out amongst the rest because they’re so damn visually appealing. I like that the tubes are matte and have indents on them as it stays very true to their branding. eos recently reformulated their shave creams and they now contain “a unique ingredient blend of vitamin B3, grape seed extract and green tea to help brighten and improve skin condition, leaving you with more beautiful, more even-toned skin”.

eos shave creams in Pomegranate Raspberry and Vanilla Bliss
eos shave creams in Pomegranate Raspberry and Vanilla Bliss

The shave creams feels rich and luxurious, just as the advertising indicates. And, frankly, it’s kind of nice to feel like you’re pampering yourself while shaving. For me, shaving is usually an annoying process that I do simply because I like hairless legs and pits, but this adds a little fun to it all. Hey, you might as well enjoying smelling something nice while doing a boring task, right?

Of the two I tried, Vanilla Bliss was easily my favourite (I’m a sucker for vanilla), but the Pomegranate Raspberry scent was very fun and refreshing (something I don’t think I’ve EVER said about a shaving cream before).

eos shave cream
eos shave cream

The eos shave creams truly are a cream too. I’ve become so accustomed to calling shaving gels and foams as creams, that it took me a second to realize this is way more akin to a cream than anything else I’ve used in the past. The texture is very similar to a thick hair conditioner. Because the product doesn’t “puff up” like a gel or a foam, you may find you need a few more pumps of this to get maximum coverage on whatever area you’re shaving.

eos Everyday Hand Lotions
eos Everyday Hand Lotions

Also part of the eos arsenal are the Every Hand Lotions that are probably the smallest dang size I’ve ever seen in a hand lotion. These tiny little.. man, I don’t even know how to describe that shape… oblong? Is that oblong? We’ll go with oblong and call it a day. These oblong little tubes have a nice snap shut mechanism that keeps them from spilling all over the place (and good grief is it ever a satisfying crunching noise when you snap them shut).

eos Everyday Hand Lotions in Cucumber and Fresh Flowers
eos Everyday Hand Lotions in Cucumber and Fresh Flowers

They contain aloe to soothe, moisturize and heal your skin, oat to protectin delicate, dry, sensitive and irritated skin, as well as shea butter, vitamin E and C to round it out.

But the best damn thing about these hand lotions? THEY ARE NOT GREASY. They aren’t sticky or slimy, so your hands don’t feel like you’ve spread butter all over them. It’s just so freaking refreshing to put on hand lotion and actually feel like you can open a pickle jar afterwards. They are moisturizing, don’t get me wrong, but they sink in so rapidly that you don’t feel like your hands are essentially useless for the next half hour. Hooray!

What have you tried by eos? And what have you liked or not liked?

This post features press samples sent for consideration.

Clarins Joli Rouge Lipsticks (Review + Swatches)

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Launching this month, Clarins Joli Rouge lipsticks have experienced a face lift. They’ve been enhanced with a moisture-rich formula and come in brand new gold packaging. The range boast 25 shades that offer plenty of variety – from nudes and typical pinks; to vibrant reds and fiery oranges with the occasional dark vampy shade thrown in for good measure.

Clarins Joli Rouge Lipsticks
Clarins Joli Rouge Lipsticks

The new Clarins Joli Rouge come in a solid gold tube with a small indent and etched C on the lid. The tube feels light, but not cheap. It’s sleek and compact, so it definitely looks and feels like high end makeup.

Clarins Joli Rouge Lipsticks in Soft Plum and Rosy Nude
Clarins Joli Rouge Lipsticks in Soft Plum and Rosy Nude

The Joli Rouge formula is smooth and easy to wear. They glide on to your lips with ease and stay glossy for ages. They also have an interesting fruity, sweet scent. I would consider myself very sensitive to scents in lipsticks but these do not bother me. (For those who are familiar with essence lipsticks, they smell similar to those, but less artificial and slightly more fruity.)

Clarins Joli Rouge Lipsticks in Soft Plum and Rosy Nude - Swatches
Clarins Joli Rouge Lipsticks in Soft Plum and Rosy Nude – Swatches

The shades I tried out are not shades I would have picked for myself, but sometimes that’s the best part about being sent PR samples! Left to my own devices I’d only choose bright red-pinks or something of that ilk, and not gotten to experience these shades.

Clarins Joli Rouge in Soft Plum
Clarins Joli Rouge in Soft Plum

Soft Plum is a gorgeous purple-red berry colour that one can’t help but associate with fall. I basically want to throw on a long comfy sweater and pull on some knee high boots while wearing this shade! If you’re not especially comfortable with colours like this, rest assured that the sheen in the formula helps to diffuse the colour so that it doesn’t appear quite as stark. If the formula were matte, it’d be a completely different story and a lot more in your face.

Wearing Clarins Joli Rouge in Soft Plum
Wearing Clarins Joli Rouge in Soft Plum

In the look above, I matched Soft Plum with a golden lid shade (Makeup Geek Fortune Teller) and a deep cranberry crease shade (Makeup Geek Bitten).

Clarins Joli Rouge in Rosy Nude
Clarins Joli Rouge in Rosy Nude

Rosy Nude is the shade that took me by surprise. Even a friend of mine took one look at the bullet in the tube and was like “whoa, that’s light”. And I suppose it does look rather pale in the tube – I certainly wasn’t expecting it to look good on me in the slightest. But holy cow was I ever wrong. Rosy Nude is a *stunning* peachy-pink shade that matches every eye look I throw at it (although I apparently never caught any of them on camera, much to my displeasure). It’s currently rivaling my combination of Wet n Wild’s 903C with NYX’s Butter Gloss in Tiramisu on top for most flattering lip look on camera. Total winner.

Final Thoughts

In a beauty world where everyone has become obsessed with matte liquid lipsticks, it’s rather nice to try something new for a change. Don’t get me wrong, I am still very much in love with matte lips, but it’s been really pleasurable discovering a product that doesn’t make your lips feel like the Sahara. Having never tried Clarins‘ lipsticks before, I have to say I’m impressed with the Joli Rouge lineup. They’re soft, creamy, hydrating and easy to wear. They stay shiny the entire length of time I’ve worn them (which is around three hours, then I usually end up wiping off my lips to eat or drink) and they claim to last six hours. I’ve not tried them for that length of time because it’s just not in my nature to wear lipstick for that long, but at the three hour mark they showed no signs of giving up the ghost. Since they don’t dry down at all, you need to be aware that they will transfer to anything you touch your lips to, but that’s not expected for a formula that stays shiny for so long.

Of the colours I tried, Soft Plum was the more “typical” fall shade, whereas Rosy Nude knocked it out of the park for me in terms of the colour. Both colours wore well and I experienced no difference in the formula between them.

Let me know what you’ve tried from Clarins because I’m going to need recommendations! So far they’ve knocked it out of the park with their Aquatic Treasures collection and now this Joli Rouge lipstick lineup!

Just passing through...
Just passing through…
This post features press samples sent for consideration.

Challenge Week: Annabelle Smokey Nudes

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New for fall is the Annabelle Smokey Nudes palette. And as I mentioned in my Swatch Sunday featuring this palette, the drugstore has definitely been in need of quality palettes.

Annabelle Smokey Nudes palette
Annabelle Smokey Nudes palette

This is a palette that many, MANY makeup lovers (and casual users) are sure to fawn over simply because it’s a neutral palette. And it definitely did not disappoint. There are matte shades in here amidst the usual shimmers and that makes for a far more well balanced look. My particular favourite shade is the shade labelled bronze (bottom row, middle shade). I found myself using this shade over and over and over again to deepen the crease and it added a gorgeous touch to an otherwise two-dimensional look.

My only true gripe with the Annabelle Smokey Nudes is there is no real brow bone highlighting shade (for my skin tone). The pink is far too pink, and the white is far too shimmery. Mixed together they do an okay job of highlighting the brow, but when I used either by themselves I wasn’t that pleased with the results.

Here’s five looks I came up with using this palette:

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The first look I tried out. While I am a colourful eyeshadow lover, I do like using neutral palettes because it gives me a chance to play around with my lip colour. It’s a lot easier to wear bright(er) lips when you’ve got neutral shades on your lids!

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Eyes

  1. Nude all over the lid.
  2. Copper on the outer corner with some Black mixed in.

On my lashes is Urban Decay‘s Perversion mascara.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Make Up For Ever Ultra HD liquid foundation in Y225
  • Bronzer: NYC Fire Island Tan
  • Blush: Laura Geller Pink Grapefruit
  • Highlighter: Too Faced Candlelight
  • Lips: NYX Fizzies

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I wanted to play around with the Gold shade, but I found it didn’t come off as golden as I had expected it to. It’s more of a soft, muted yellow. It adds colour, but not a whole lot.

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Eyes

  1. Gold all over the lid.
  2. Brown through the crease.
  3. Bronze on the outer half of the lid.
  4. Black on the outer corner to deepen it up.

On my lashes is essence‘s Lash Princess False Lash Effect mascara.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla
  • Bronzer: elf Surf’s Up
  • Blush: essence Autumn Peach
  • Highlighter: Becca Champagne Pop
  • Lips: MAC Barbecue

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This is fairly easy go to look for me when I’ve got a shimmery white and a black in a palette.

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Eyes

  1. Bronze through the crease.
  2. White on the lid.
  3. Black on the outer half of the lid.
  4. White and Pink shade mixed together on the brow bone.

I applied Maybelline‘s Lasting Drama Waterproof Gel Eye Pencil in Sleek Onyx to my lower lash line and blended it out with the Black eyeshadow. On my lashes is Urban Decay‘s Perversion mascara.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Stick foundation in Y225
  • Bronzer: Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 25I
  • Blush: Hourglass Luminous Flush
  • Highlighter: Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo #1 highlighter
  • Lips: MAC Brave

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Another favourite combination of mine. I took the eye shots at the end of my work day (although the face shot was before I left for work) so they look a bit shinier than usual (thanks greasy eyelids, thanks a lot).

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Eyes

  1. Bronze through the crease.
  2. Pink all over the lid.
  3. Copper on the outer corner.

I created the winged liner with essence‘s Jumbo Eyeliner Pen and applied Urban Decay‘s Peversion mascara to my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla
  • Bronzer: Revlon Bronzed & Chic
  • Blush: Hourglass Incandescent Electra
  • Highlighter: Becca Champagne Pop
  • Lips: MAC Burmese Kiss

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I have to laugh at my face in this shot – it was the one that best showed the makeup, but it looks a bit dopey with my mouth half hanging open! Out of all the looks though, this one is definitely my favourite.

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Eyes

  1. Bronze through the crease.
  2. Taupe all over the lid.
  3. Brown on the outer corner.
  4. Pink and White mixed together to create the brow bone shade.

Urban Decay Perversion mascara is on my lashes.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla
  • Bronzer: MAC Refined Golden
  • Blush: Burberry Lip & Cheek Bloom in Poppy
  • Highlighter: MAC Soft & Gentle
  • Lips: Revlon Fire & Ice

Have you picked up the Annabelle Smokey Nudes palette? Let me know your thoughts on it!

The Annabelle Smokey Nudes palette was sent to me for consideration.

What I Bought This Month – August 2015 Haul

August’s haul is pretty light… likely because I’m preparing for the release of EVERYTHING for the holiday season. (Seriously, there’s like three Too Faced palettes I want… a Kat Von D one… and I’m sure there are going to be tons more!)

Lush - L'Eveil du Phenix $6.95, Oh soleil $10.95, Dorothee $6.25, Bleu glace $6.40
Lush – L’Eveil du Phenix $6.95, Oh soleil $10.95, Dorothee $6.25, Bleu glace $6.40

Lush products are lovely, but the price tags ALWAYS make me cringe. However, I was on vacation in Montreal so it never really feels like I’m spending real money unless I’m in my own city. So this was a VACATION treat, you see.  It turns out they’re discontinuing the Dorothy bubble bar and I’m horrified because I absolutely love that scent. The Oh soleil (don’t know the English name) suckered me in due to the gorgeous colours. I also wanted to give a bath bomb a shot so I grabbed the Phoenix one which smelled kind of cinammon-y. And the Ice blue soap was a last minute decision at the cashier – they get me every single time. I love it because it’s very fresh and aquatic smelling.

NARS Matte Multiple in Siam ($24.99 CAD)
NARS Matte Multiple in Siam ($24.99 CAD)

This was such a fluke. I had been wanting the NARS Siam Matte Multiple ever since it came out. But I could not justify the price when it’s basically a cream blush that I’ll use, but it won’t be a daily thing. So when I was in Montreal, someone pointed out that Winners had some Matte Multiples and I was like “what seriously? Well if they have Siam, I’m picking it up.” And sure enough, they did! It’s still incredibly pricey at $25, but it’s a lot better than paying the regular ~$50 for it!

Dior brow products - free (gift)
Dior brow products – free (gift)

These were freebies from hmmm… I think it was Zoe. As a brunette she has no need for blonde eyebrow products so I was more than happy to take them off her hand and give Dior products a shot. Unfortunately, the blonde Dior pencil is far too orange for my colouring, but the Brow Styler Gel is pretty cool. I have to use it after I’ve already applied pencil, but I like how it adds texture to my brows.

Sephora VIB Rouge Event sample bag
Sephora VIB Rouge Event sample bag

Although I’m not a VIB Rouge member at Sephora, I had the pleasure of being invited to the VIB Rouge event at the Eaton Centre by Julie. The swag bag was fairly epic, as the only thing I bought in the shot above was the Bite Beauty lip mask!

Bite Beauty Maple Agave Lip Mask ($30 CAD)
Bite Beauty Maple Agave Lip Mask ($30 CAD)

So here’s the lip mask by Bite Beauty. Not going to lie, it’s a bit painful when I realize I spent $30 CAD on basically a lip balm. But it has the new Maple scent that’s exclusive to Canada and I’ve been wanting to find out just how good this Agave Lip Mask stuff really is. It’s very, very thick (to the point where it’s actually quite hard to get out of the tube), but it does smell like maple and it feels quite luxurious. I’m curious to see how this will protect my lips during the winter.

Too Faced - The little Black Book of Bronzer (free - gift)
Too Faced – The little Black Book of Bronzer (free – gift)

I’ve professed my love of bronzers before, so it feels kind of awesome when your friends recognize that and throw bronzers at you.

Too Faced - The little Black Book of Bronzer (free - gift)
Too Faced – The little Black Book of Bronzer (free – gift)

What’s even better is when you get eight bronzers in one! The Too Faced Bronzer Wardrobe comes with eight of their lovely bronzers in bite sized pans. This is going to be phenomenal for travelling (because yes, I’m the kind of person that wants eight different bronzers when I go on a trip!).

Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 25I (free - gift)
Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 25I (free – gift)

My photography of this one isn’t great for colour accuracy. This is the Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 25I. I received it because it was a little too orange for the original owner, although my photo doesn’t display that. I can wear it, and I love it because it has that wonderful Pro Bronze Fusion formula, but it doesn’t beat out my 30M.


That’s it for this month! I’ve got a few exciting products waiting for me in the US (Too Faced Vegas Nay palette, Colour Pop order) which I’ll be able to pick up while I visit two friends in New York City next month. September is also the month of IMATS. So I can see next month being a fairly expensive month!

Swatch Sunday: Annabelle Smokey Nudes

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New for fall is Annabelle‘s Smokey Nudes palette! I feel like we say this every few months, but it really is starting to feel like the drugstore brands are starting to up their game. We’ve needed palette options from the drugstore and we’re finally starting to get them! With ten shades to work with, nude and neutral lovers can rejoice in this palette. There’s even three matte/satin finish shades which are an enormous bonus in a palette. Trying to work eye looks with only shimmery shades can be a bit difficult, so I’m really happy that Annabelle included different finishes.

Enjoy the Annabelle Smokey Nudes palette swatches today, and later on this week I’ll have a Challenge Week featuring this palette. 🙂

Annabelle Smokey Nudes palette
Annabelle Smokey Nudes palette
Annabelle Smokey Nudes palette
Annabelle Smokey Nudes palette
Annabelle Smokey Nudes - Shade 8 Light Pink
Annabelle Smokey Nudes – Shade 8 Light Pink
Annabelle Smokey Nudes - Shade 7 Nude
Annabelle Smokey Nudes – Shade 7 Nude
Annabelle Smokey Nudes - Shade 3 Taupe
Annabelle Smokey Nudes – Shade 3 Taupe
Annabelle Smokey Nudes - Shade 2 Grey
Annabelle Smokey Nudes – Shade 2 Grey
Annabelle Smokey Nudes - Shade 1 Black
Annabelle Smokey Nudes – Shade 1 Black
Annabelle Smokey Nudes - Shade 10 White
Annabelle Smokey Nudes – Shade 10 White
Annabelle Smokey Nudes - Shade 9 Gold
Annabelle Smokey Nudes – Shade 9 Gold
Annabelle Smokey Nudes - Shade 6 Bronze
Annabelle Smokey Nudes – Shade 6 Bronze
Annabelle Smokey Nudes - Shade 5 Copper
Annabelle Smokey Nudes – Shade 5 Copper
Annabelle Smokey Nudes - Shade 4 Brown
Annabelle Smokey Nudes – Shade 4 Brown
This post features a press sample sent for consideration.