fun size beauty

A few weeks ago, I attended the launch of The Estee Edit by Estee Lauder in Toronto. The Estee Edit is a whole new line of makeup and skincare by Estee Lauder. Irene Kim and Kendall Jenner are the faces of the Estee Edit and most certainly well known among teens and 20's.

When I was younger, I had a preconceived notion that Estee Lauder was an old lady brand. I asked around and it turns out a lot of my friends (and the people of the internet) think the same way. I feel like the Estee Edit is Estee Lauder's attempt to tap into a huge market of millennial consumers (me included!).

Today's focus is a piece of skincare from the Estee Edit. The Pink Peony Overnight Water Pack ($58 CAD), aimed at delivering a boost of hydration and radiance. If you're interested in the makeup part of the Estee Edit, I've popped in a few photos from the preview at the bottom of the post. I've also got a review of three lip products in the collection coming very soon!

Anyways, back to the Estee Edit Pink Peony Overnight Water Pack. It's on the pricier side of skincare but in line with other skincare products available from Estee Lauder.

The packaging is clean and youthful. I'm a fan of the white and silver packaging with blue spray paint-like accents. But the packaging can't seem to please everyone. I was reading Bloomin Rouge and she complained that the line "feels super try hard (like a 90 year old woman dressed in Forever 21 clothing, claiming to be 70 years younger than she is)"...While I don't share the same view, I LOL'd.

In beauty lingo, "Overnight Water Pack"is synonymous with "Sleeping Mask". So, to use it, you simply slather a generous amount all over your face before bedtime and (supposedly) wake up with fabulous skin. The potted packaging isn't the most hygienic (because you have to dip your fingers into it) so I'd suggest using some sort of flat brush or a spoon to remove the product from the jar.

The sleeping mask has a lightweight gel texture with a slight stickiness to it. I need to tie my hair into a tight top knot to prevent my hair from sticking to it when I lie down. The product has a pleasant scent, a light floral and fruity with a hint of cherry-flavoured Halls (it's not a bad thing, I promise).

The Pink Peony Overnight Water Pack contains hyaluronic acid, a common non-greasy hydrating ingredient in skincare, as well as peony, goji berry, blueberry, cranberry and pomegranate extracts for antioxidant and glow-boosting properties.

The claims are pretty simple and typical of other sleeping masks - fast-absorbing, leaving skin smooth, radiant and comfortable. It took a little less than an hour for the mask to absorb into my skin (so.. not fast). Upon waking up, I had smooth, slightly more radiant skin, as promised. However, the mask left a film on my face, which balled up into little pieces after I rubbed my skin slightly. For me, this seems to be a common occurrence with many (but not all) sleeping masks. I don't normally wash my face in the morning, but I had to because of the weird film of product.

All in all, the Estee Edit Pink Peony Overnight Water Pack is a decent sleeping mask but nothing special. To be honest, I think my skin would be just as well off if I used THEFACESHOP Pomegranate Pack ($12 CAD), which doesn't leave a film on my face the next morning. That beings said, I'll probably use it until the jar is empty and report back to share my final thoughts in an empties post.

On a more positive note... the photos from the Estee Edit launch party!

#aboutlastnight with @theesteeedit 😘 Can you spot me giving @livingthegrey some sass? 😜 #beautyattitudes
A photo posted by stephanie lau (@stephh_lau) on Apr 1, 2016 at 12:37pm PDT

Fresh new beauty from @theesteeedit • now available @sephoracanada + @sephora 😘 #theesteeedit #beautyattitudes
A photo posted by stephanie lau (@stephh_lau) on Mar 31, 2016 at 5:57pm PDT

The Estee Edit The Barest Lip Colors ($26 CAD), The Estee Edit The Barest Contour Lip Liner ($24 CAD), The Estee Edit The Barest Blush ($36 CAD)

The Estee Edit Metallishadow Creme + Powder ($29 CAD), The Estee Edit The Edit Eyeshadow Palette ($60 CAD) The Estee Edit Lip Flip Shade Transformer in 01 Turn Down ($26 CAD), The Estee Edit Mattified Lipstick ($26 CAD)

There are WAY more additions to The Estee Edit by Estee Lauder makeup line than what I've shown here including but not limited to foundations, highlighters, eyeshadow sticks, and a whole lot of skincare.

What do you think of The Estee Edit?

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What is Quatrefoil? Quatrefoil is a decorative shape found in art, architecture and religious symbols. In Latin, it means "four leaves", which might explain why it looks like four overlapping circles.

Other than a solid colour, a quatrefoil pattern is my go-to nail art when I'm feeling kind of lazy but still want fabulous nails. All it takes is two polishes and a dotting tool. At first, I used Jenny Claire Fox's (formerly JenMissFabulous) tutorial on youtube. Now, I've got the hang of it and could (almost) do it with my eyes closed. Put simply, quatrefoil is a bunch of overlapping dots.

When choosing colours, contrast is key for the quatrefoil so that you can distinguish between the layers of dots. Dark and light work well, as does an assortment of finishes (matte, shimmer, glitter, metallic, cream) to add dimension. For this week's #ManiMonday, I chose a deep purple cream polish and a metallic lilac.

This is at least the third or fourth time wearing quatrefoil on my nails. It won't be the last.

Products Used: Essie Nothing Else Metals, Sally Hansen Boho A Go Go*

Do you think you'll try this quatrefoil nail art?

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Two years ago, cushion foundations were all the rage in Korea (I reviewed the IOPE and THEFACESHOP versions). Now they're gaining popularity on this side of the world with brands from Lancome to L'Oreal to Sephora Collection launching their own cushion foundations (along with cushion eyeliners, blushes and bronzers)

But let's head back to Korea for a moment. The Sulwahsoo Even Fair Perfecting Cushion Foundation ($60) is touted as one of the BEST cushion foundations on the market. Sulwhasoo (owned by Amore Pacific) is a luxury Korean brand that specializes in skincare ingredients derived from medicinal herbs. Hence, the Sulwhasoo Even Fair Perfecting Cushion foundation smells a little more herbal than most beauty products (nothing bothersome).

I tested the Sulwhasoo Even Fair Perfecting Cushion Foundation everyday for two weeks during my trip to Greece and will continue to use it through the summer.

The packaging is standard for cushion foundations - bulky with a mirror and a puff applicator.

The price is $60, which appears pricey but the package comes with a 0.52 fl. oz./15 g refill. This equates to about $60 per 1 fl. oz. (standard foundation size), which is comparable to high end foundations like YSL, Giorgio Armani, Guerlain, etc.

I received the Sulwhasoo Even Fair Perfecting Cushion Foundation in the shade 25 Deep Beige, which is not actually that deep. There is only 2 other shades - 23 Medium Beige and 21 Light Beige. As per usual, a poor selection from a korean beauty brand. For reference I'm a MAC NC 25-30. The Sulwhasoo Even Fair Perfecting Cushion in the shade 25 Deep Beige is too deep for winter skin but a perfect match for the tan I got I'm Greece.

The foundation is broad spectrum SPF 50+, which seriously works because my face is now 10 shades lighter than my body after coming back from Greece (I used SPF 30 on my body).

Coverage is medium, evening out and covering up imperfections (for me that's hyperpigmengation and freckles on my cheeks and pores and redness on the nose with) but without looking like a porcelain doll.

The Sulwhasoo Even Fair Perfecting Cushion Foundation has a very dewy finish that gives a wet/moist look to the face, which is a look I've been enjoying as of late. The shine is less prominent than the IOPE and THEFACESHOP cushions I have tried in the past.

The texture of the foundation cushion is thin and lightweight with a slight tackiness that never really seems to dry down. That being said, it is not transfer resistant but somehow seems to last on the face.

I have what I like to refer to as an "oil slick" t-zone. The foundation performs as as most do on my forehead and nose. If I'm not sweating in humid 30C weather, then all is well and good with the Sulwhasoo Even Fair Perfecting Cushion Foundation - the foundation will start separating on my nose after maybe 8 hours. On a hot day, it starts to separate after 3 or 4. No matter the weather, I need to blot my forehead every couple of hours. The rest of my face seems to look fresh all day with the foundation sticking around for over 10 hours.

Overall, I'm smitten with the Sulwhasoo Even Fair Perfecting Cushion Foundation. I might have oily skin but I'm loving the dewy look so this is perfect. With a little powder and a few blotting sheets I can avoid the separation issue. If you prefer the ultra-hydrated look over a matte foundation, try this!

Have you tried a cushion foundation yet?

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In addition to the makeup and skincare goodies from the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Collection, Tarte also launched 6 dual ended brushes. I received 5 of the 6 brushes to review. The Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Brushes include the Foundation Brush, Highlighter Brush, Concealer Brush, Color Correcting Brush, Lip Brush and Eyeshadow Brush (not shown/reviewed).

All of the brushes feel sturdy and have a nice weight to them. Further, they all sport a stunning gold to purple ombre metal handles.

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Double-Ended Color Correcting Brush ($29 CAD)

The Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Double-Ended Color Correcting Brush has a tapered tip on one side and a larger, fluffier and slightly angled brush tip on the other side. The tapered tip is particularly convenient for contouring the nose. The angled brush has some density to it and is great for blending out harsh lines.

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea The Airbrusher Double-Ended Concealer Brush ($29 CAD)

The Tarte Rainforest of the Sea The Airbrusher Double-Ended Concealer Brush ($29 CAD) is meant for concealing on all areas of the face - redness, dark circles, hyperpigmentation, etc. One side has shorter, denser bristles while the other is slightly more fluffy with longer bristles. While both sides provide streak-free concealer application, neither are small enough or precise enough to get very close to the lash line or around the lips (I use the lip brush for this).

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Double-Ended Foundation Brush ($41 CAD)

Flat top brushes are my second favourite way to apply foundation (after the beauty blender). The Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Double-Ended Foundation Brush ($41 CAD) is the perfect flat top brush. Both sides (one smaller and one larger) are super dense and soft, providing streak free, airbrushed application of foundation. This one works super well with water/serum foundations like the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation.

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Highlighter Brush ($29 CAD)

The Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Highlighter Brush has two very fluffy duo-fibred brushes with sparse hairs (one big/angled and one small). The use of the highlighter brush was a little strange for me at first because they're nothing like the brushes I typically use for highlighting/strobing. I would never use the larger side for applying highlighter but it's great for a light dusting of powder all over the face. The smaller, more precise side of the brush is ideal for packing the glow on the high points of the cheekbones and the bridge of the nose.

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Lip Brush ($29 CAD)

The Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Lip Brush features a retractable precision liner brush plus a dense flat brush for filling in the lips. Neither are outstanding but both do the job!

Generally, dual-ended brushes are not my favourite. They're difficult to store upright. But these Tarte Rainforest of the Sea brushes sure are pretty, which mostly makes up for it.

Do you prefer double-ended brushes or single-ended brushes?

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Blinc is a beauty brand that promises to provide safe cosmetics in exceptional formulas. I had only ever heard of the Blinc Mascara which "tubes" your lashes instead of coating them. Hence, I was pumped to get my hands on the Blinc Box Discovery Collection ($45 CAD) - a set of 4 sample sized eye makeup products from blinc cosmetics - a mascara, brow mousse, eyeliner, and eyeshadow primer.

Blinc Mascara Amplified and Eyebrow Mousse || Before and After

Blinc Mascara Amplified - oh famed Blinc mascara...I have heard so much about you. To be honest I was a little underwhelmed at first but it grew on me. The blinc Mascara Amplified is more lengthening than volumizing but can't really hold a curl. It is, however, 100% waterproof as I have experienced no smudging whatsoever. It's also super easy to remove as the blinc Mascara Amplified has a strange formulation that "tubes" the lashes so that on removal, they slide off with ease.

Blinc Eyebrow Mousse in Light Brunette - I've got super thick brows and just need a little filling in. This stuff is BOMB for those that already have thick brows. It fixes my brows in place and adds a slight hint of colour and thickness to any sparse areas. It also lasts all day long. I wish the brush was a tad bit smaller (for better precision). Also noteworthy - for some wild reason, light brunette looks okay with my jet black eyebrow hairs because it's a super cool toned light grey-ish brown. I would definitely repurchase this and choose a better colour from one of the 9 available.

Blinc Light Tone Eyeshadow Primer and Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil || Swatches

Blinc Light Tone Eyeshadow Primer - The shadow primer has a bit of a sheer pigmentation. It does the job in bumping up the bold in my eyeshadows and preventing them from creasing. But this doesn't stand out from other primers that I've tried.

Blinc Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil - Boy, is this stuff waterproof. Removal requires a constant stream of water on the eye area (i.e. a shower). Never have I come across an eyeliner that lasts more than an half an hour in my waterline. This one lasts 6 HOURS in my waterline and tightline without smudging. It's the perfect pencil liner - creamy when applied, budgeproof when dry, super black and totally waterproof. Highly recommend if you have watery eyes and are looking for a long lasting waterproof eyeliner pencil for the waterline or lower lash line.

Is it worth it? Yes. The mascara is 50% of the full size ($30 full size), the eyebrow mousse is 42% ($30 full size), the primer is 42% (~$32 full size) and the eyeliner pencil is 75% (~$28 full size). The total value given the full sizes is $62. That's $17 in savings and four new products to try!

Have you tried anything from Blinc before?

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As mentioned in a previous post, the Estee Edit is a youthful new collection by Estee Lauder. Today, I have three lipsticks to share with you from the Estee Edit line: the Mattified Lipstick in You're Welcome, Lip Flip Shade Transformer in Turn Up and Lip Flip Shade Transformer in Turn Down ($26 CAD each).

Let's talk packaging first. I like the metallic blue tubes of the Lip Flip Shade Transformers. What's even better? The silver tube with a paint-like spritz of blue for the Estee Edit Mattified Lipsticks. So edgy.

The Estee Edit Mattified Lipstick in 11 You're Welcome

The Estee Edit Mattified Lipsticks are meant to be "bold matte lipstick that's gentle on the lips." Infused with Jojoba oils, these lipsticks are indeed comfortable compared to your typical matte lipstick (i.e. MAC). The Mattified Lipsticks are available in 12 shades:

Miss You (light coral), Sunday Vibe (pinky nude), Maybe Later (bright pink), On Point (nude berry), Just Sayin (bright fuchsia pink), Smash (deep fuchsia purple), ABT Last Night (purple berry), Wrapped (raspberry), the Storm (teal), Killin It (bright orange red), You're Welcome (true red), Marooned (merlot).

In order to discuss the Estee Edit Mattified Lipstick in You're Welcome, I've commissioned 4 of my favourite red lipsticks from Bite Beauty, Clarins, Guerlain and NARS.

Bite Beauty Gazpacho, The Estee Edit 11 You're Welcome, Clarins Joli Rouge, Guerlain Rouge Kiss, NARS Cruella

Colour. The Estee Edit Mattified Lipstick in 11 You're Welcome is a true red. It's slightly more yellow than the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Gazpacho and a touch deeper than both the Clarins Joli Rouge and the Guerlain Rouge Kiss.

Pigmentation. It's less saturated than the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Gazpacho and the NARS Velvet Matte Lipstick in Cruella but still very opaque. It only takes one layer for full-on intense colour. The colour lasts 6+ hours on my lips but requires touch-ups if I decide to eat french fries.

Finish. It leans very matte - slightly less so than the NARS Velvet Matte Lipstick in Cruella but more so than Clarins Joli Rouge, Bite Beauty Gazpacho and Guerlain Rouge Kiss.

In a nutshell, the Estee Edit Mattified Lipstick in 11 You're Welcome is your standard true matte red, in a comfortable, long-wearing formulation that smells like vanilla mint! In fact, the lipsticks look and feel a lot like the Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Matte Sculpting Lipsticks.

The Estee Edit Lip Flip Shade Transformers in Turn Up and Turn Down

The Estee Edit Lip Flip Shade Transformers in Turn Up and Turn Down can triple your lipstick collection if you know how to use them correctly! Essentially, 01 Turn Up (yellow) and 02 Turn Down (black) are meant to be mixed with other lipsticks to lighten or deepen them.

Lip Flip Shade Transfromers in 01 Turn Up & 02 Turn Down swatched

On their own, both Turn Up and Turn Down are a satin finish and I had issues building them up to full opacity on their own since they're quite slippery.

The Lip Flip Shade Transformers are true to their claim of magically changing the colour of your lipsticks, but they do require some work. Simply layering the Lip Flips over your lip colour won't be sufficient. Some tips for making your custom blended lip shade:

1 // Use the warmth of your fingertips to meld the colours together. Turn Up (yellow) requires less blending, whereas Turn Down (black) needs to be treated with extra caution by adding only a little bit at a time.

2 // To lighten your lip colour, use Turn Up first. To deepen your lip colour, use Turn Down after your regular lip colour. Remember that it's easier to darken colour than lighten it. It's like elementary school art class all over again.

3 // The Lip Flips work best with lipsticks that have some level of moisture in them. The moisture will help to blend the products seamlessly together. Liquid lipsticks are not ideal in this case.

With a little work, you'll have a few new custom shades in your lipstick collection!

The Estee Edit Mattified Lipstick in 11 You're Welcome + Lip Flip Shade Transformer in 01 Turn Up swatched = bright coral red

The Estee Edit Mattified Lipstick in 11 You're Welcome + Lip Flip Shade Transformer in 02 Turn Down swatched = deep brown red

Both Turn Up and Turn Down will give the finish of your original lipstick a slight satin sheen and leave your matte lipsticks wearing off slightly sooner than you might be used to. Overall, it's a cool concept but as not as easy as 1, 2, 3. I've had a ~~little~~ lot of fun experimenting and swatching the Estee Edit Lip Flip Shade Transformer with a few lippies in my collection.

From top to bottom:

The Estee Edit Mattified Lipstick in 11 You're Welcome

Wet N Wild Mega Last Lipstick in Sugar Plum Fairy

Quo Velvet Kiss Lipstick in 01

Shu Uemura Brave Beauty Rouge Unlimited Lipstick in Beige

Shu Uemura x Yaz Bukey Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte Lipstick in Sunshine Orange

What do you think of the Lip Flip Shade Transformers? Would you use them?

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The Starlight Children's Foundation and Caryl Baker Visage are teaming up for a Mother's Day campaign called Your Purchase Counts. For every lipstick purchased from May 1st to May 8th, Caryl Baker will donate $1 to the Starlight Children's Foundation, an organization dedicated to bringing joy and laughter to ill children and their families.

Just in time for the campaign, I was sent 5 Caryl Baker Lipsticks to play with. The lipsticks are paraben and gluten-free and contain ingredients such as ceramide 3, vitamin E, shea butter and avocado oil to keep lips moisturized.

The packaging is interesting. The lipstick is housed in matte black plastic. There is a little rhinestone, which I find is a little tacky. When you pop out the lipstick a mini mirror opens. Magic!

The formulation of the lipsticks are fairly consistent across the 5 formulas. Four shades (Fawn, Roseberry, SuperTramp and Marilyn) have a satin finish (more matte than shiny), a texture similar to the Marc Jacobs Lip Cremes. The shade Flirt had a pearlescent finish. Indeed, all of the lipsticks are comfortable and didn't accentuate dry patches or fine lines. For the most part, the lipsticks are opaque in one layer, with the exception of SuperTramp which takes a few extra swipes. The wear time is standard - 5-ish hours until reapplication is required. I found that these lipsticks wore nicely and did not bleed, stain my teeth or migrate onto my chin.

The Caryl Baker Lipstick in Fawn is a light brown nude. In my opinion, this is too light for my complexion.

The Caryl Baker Lipstick in Roseberry is a my lips but better rosier shade. Love it!

The Caryl Baker Lipstick in Flirt is a light/medium blue pink. I don't think it suits my complexion.

When your lipstick doesn't match your eye makeup...

The Caryl Baker Lipstick in SuperTramp is a blue-toned fuchsia. It reminds me of New York Color's Purple Crush.

The Caryl Baker Lipstick in Marilyn is your standard slightly blue red. I'm going to take a wild guess and say that the lipstick is named after Marilyn Monroe.

Overall, the Caryl Baker Lipsticks are a very comfortable formulation, basically perfect for anyone who wears lipstick. I'm not sure about the performance of all the colours but I really liked a couple of the five I tried (Roseberry and Marilyn). Regardless, if you're looking to pick up a new lipstick (for you or your your mom), keep in mind the Your Purchase Counts campaign!

The Caryl Baker Lipsticks ($18.50 CAD) are available in 42 shades at Caryl Baker Visage stores and carylbakervisage.com.

Do you own any Caryl Baker Lipsticks?

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Yeah. That's right. I filmed my very first vlog. Last week, I went for a little visit to the Lush Factory in Toronto and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try my hand at making a video. Subscribe to my youtube channel at >> bit.ly/StephLauYoutube <<

The tour was quite an intimate affair. Just three of us, ooh-ing and aahhh-ing at the sights and sounds. We had the opportunity to work with the compounders to make some of Lush's current and unreleased products. Highlights of the Lush Factory included the GLITTER ROOMand the BUBBLE DEPARTMENT. Seriously though, who wouldn't want to work in a place with a glitter room? Anyways, click the video to see how it all went down.

Yeah, anyone who knows a thing or two about Lush knows that it's a great company. BUT It's one thing to read all of Lush's corporate policies in regards to product quality, freshness, and handmade products on their website. It's another thing to see it all happen in person.

Compounder "made by" stickers

Lush Yuzu and Cocoa Bubbleroon before moulding (aka Play-doh)

Lush Avobath Bath Bomb before pressing

LUSH Superdad Bath Bomb (limited edition for Father's Day 2016)

Everything in the glitter room is covered in GLITTER!

Lush Lava Lamp Bath Bomb (makes your tub look like a lava lamp)

Can I take him home? Please?

New 2016 Canadian launches - May Pole Soap, Outback Mate Soap, Serendipity Soap, Layer Cake Soap, Respect Your Elders Soap

A Whiteboard at the Lush Factory

The tour really was a big reminder of Lush's commitment to being an ethical and transparent beauty brand. A few more things that I saw during the tour that I forgot to mention in my video:

Where possible, ingredients are sourced locally. The Lush Toronto Factory gets their bread from a bakery down the road and juice from Chasers in Toronto.

Everything is fresh. If the fruit and vegetable refrigerator wasn't enough. Lush has a 3 month policy, where any product that is held in the factory for more than three months is thrown out.

Product quality and consistency is a priority. Employees wear gloves and switch them every time they need to change tasks or ingredients. There are scales everywhere so that each bubble bar/soap/shampoo bar is the same size. And blenders too because we were told that if a raw ingredient like avocado or banana doesn't get broken down properly, it could go mouldy.

Everything is handmade. Someone's JOB is to crack eggs and separate out the whites for the Brazened Honey Face Mask. I got to hand press bath bombs. And it's crazy because I sucked at it. ALL of lush's bath bombs are hand pressed.

The Lush Factory was FUN.

Products Mentioned:
- Lush Avo Bath Bath Bomb
- Lush Lava Lamp Bath Bomb
- Lush Brazened Honey Fresh Face Mask
- Lush Outback Mate Soap
- Lush Serendipity Soap
- Lush Yuzu and Cocoa Bubbleroon

All in all, this was a crazy amazing opportunity and I'm happy I can share it with you :)

Have you ever visited a Lush Factory? What's your favourite product from Lush?

Special thanks to the Lush PR team for the amazing experience. Products mentioned were received for editorial consideration.

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Ashley Graham - model, designer and plus-size spokesperson. Ashley Graham is the Color Curator of the month of May for the Sephora Formula X #ColorCurators Collection 2016. If you're not familiar with Ashley Graham, she is well-known for being the first plus-size model on the cover of Sports Illustrated Magazine.

As per usual, the Color Curators collection contains three shades in Formula X's wonderful formula. May's collection by Ashley Graham is cohesive colours - a coral, a cherry red, and a deep red. Let's get on to the swatches!

36DDD

36DDD is a warm, orange coral. It is slightly deeper in person vs. in photo. For some reason, this one was slightly thicker than the others but other wise it performed the same. the name also makes me wish that there was a nail polish for every bra size. Where is the 34AAAAA nail polish?

Sexy As Hell

Sexy As Hell is a classic cherry red.

#BeautyBeyondSize

#BeautyBeyondSize is also a classic red but cooler and deeper than Sexy As Hell.

I'm loving the female empowerment/body love theme of the names. The colours also are very fitting for the theme, as reds make a bold statement on the nails. However, these particular shades are not very unique - I already have them somewhere in my collection. As such, if you've already got a few reds in your nail polish stash you can pass on these. If not, go for it!

What do you think of this months Color Curators Collection?

See the past Color Curators Collections:

January - Aimee Song (Song of Style)

February - Patrick Starrr

March - Emily Schuman (Cupcakes and Cashmere)

April - Mary Helen Bowers (Ballet Beautiful)

May - Ashley Graham

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Mother's Day is in less than a week and these goodies from Quo Cosmetics (sold exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart) are sure to please. Seriously, they're housed in floral packaging, so what's not to love? The Quo Cosmetics Mother's Day Collection includes four items - the Quo Perfectly Prepped Palette ($20), Quo Lip Gloss Set ($20), Quo Beauty Box ($25) and Quo Deluxe Portfolio ($50).

AND I'm giving away ALL 4 of the products in the collection, so scroll to the bottom of the post to enter!

All of the palettes are housed in a sturdy floral cardboard packaging that is fitting for both spring and Mother's Day. Let's check them out from smallest to largest!

Quo Perfectly Prepped Palette ($20)

Quo Perfectly Prepped Palette

Swatches: Quo Perfectly Prepped Palette

The Quo Perfectly Prepped Palette is a small eyeshadow but mighty palette featuring 4 matte brown eyeshadows housed with a small mirror. Quo must have reformulated its eyeshadows because these are smooth, pigmented and blendable (in the past they were sometimes chalky). The eye shadows in the Quo Perfectly Prepped Palette lean towards the cooler tones. Perfect for a mother on-the-go or one who likes simple, chic makeup.

Quo Lip Gloss Set ($20)

Quo Lip Gloss Set

The Quo Lip Glosses are my favourite formulation ever. So, I'm stoked to see Quo release yet another lip gloss set for Mother's Day. These particular bottles have a pretty floral pattern on the lid. They're semi-opaque, not overly glossy and not at all sticky. And...your mom only deserves the best, right? I didn't swatch these because many of the colours are similar to previous collections (see here and here).

Quo Beauty Box ($25)

Quo Beauty Box

Swatches: Quo Beauty Box Highlighter and Blush

Swatches: Quo Beauty Box Lip Glosses

Swatches: Quo Beauty Box Eyeshadows

The Quo Beauty Box is for someone who likes neutrals with a few coloured yet subtle options. The Quo Beauty Box contains 1 highlighter, 2 blushes, 6 lip products, 20 eyeshadows and 2 applicators. The brushes suck, which is expected of such large palettes. Other than that, the rest of the palette is quite impressive.

The blushes are both pinks - one warmer and one cooler. They're not the softest powders but they provide the prettiest wash of colour on the cheeks. The glosses are quite nice and varying in textures. The two shades in the centre are a little out there but they can be mixed with the sheerer or more neutral shades to create a custom colour. Last but not least are the eyeshadows, my favourite part of the palette. The coloured shades lean quite cool-toned which in my opinion makes them more wearable. There's a rows of pink/purples, greys, warm neutrals and blues. It's an interesting and versatile combination of colours.

Overall, there's some good stuff in the Beauty Box and it's very reasonably priced at $25. Personally, I prefer it over the Deluxe Portfolio, so I'd recommend the Beauty Box unless you're looking for variety, in which case I'd recommend the Deluxe Portfolio.

Quo Deluxe Portfolio ($50)

Quo Deluxe Portfolio

Swatches: Quo Deluxe Portfolio Eyeshadows

Swatches: Quo Deluxe Portfolio Bronzer, Blush, Highlighter

Swatches: Quo Deluxe Portfolio Cream Eyeshadow and Eyeliner

Swatches: Quo Deluxe Portfolio Lip Gloss and Lipstick

The Quo Deluxe Portfolio is for the mom who loves variety. A LOT of variety. There's 56 eyeshadows, 2 bronzers, 2 blushes, 2 highlighters, 9 eyeliner/cream eyeshadows and 18 lip colours.

On the downside, the eyeshadows are not up to par with the Quo Beauty Box (above). They're inconsistent. Many are chalky and sheer. That being said, there's more variety and a few gems like the row of blues and some of the deeper neutrals. Luckily, the eyeshadows can be worn over the cream liners to amp up the impact. The eyeliners are soft, creamy and easy to blend. The face products (bronzer, blush and highlighter) are similar to the Beauty Box Palette - not too hard or soft and provide a sheer wash of colour. The lip products are similar to the Quo Beauty Box, just with more variety in shades and finishes.

Use the widget below to enter the giveaway! It's open to Canadian residents only and closes at midnight on Mother's Day. Also - fear not international friends... there will be goodies for you to win very soon!

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What are your plans for Mother's Day?

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Behold. My third experience with Too Faced Cosmetics eyeshadows and my first with a palette from the "Chocolate Bar" line. Yes, I can finally confirm that the Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Palette ($59 CAD) smells exactly like a chocolate bar.

I've heard complaints from other beauty blogger friends that the heart-shaped eyeshadow pans and baby pink packaging is way too "pink and girly and tacky". You know what? It is...and I think it's kind of cute. Despite looking a little childish, the tin can handle its fair share of drops. I wouldn't call the packaging sleek but it doesn't take up a lot of space either. There's also a magnetic closure which is so satisfying to snap open and close.

The Too Faced eyeshadows feel drier in texture compared to the likes of the MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Shadows (they're currently my #1). However, the shadows enclosed in the Chocolate Bon Bons Palette are great. They pick up easily with a brush and blend and build easily. There's some fallout but not enough to complain about. OH and did I mention? They smell like cocoa powder/chocolate bars and the scent wears away almost as soon as you apply it to your eyes (i.e. I can't smell my eyes...unfortunately).

Almond Truffle (matte mauve brown), Satin Sheets (frosty champagne gold), Sprinkles (shimmering pastel pink with gold sheen), Molasses Chip (metallic bronze), Malted (matte cool dark brown), Cashew Chew (satin light pink brown), Cotton Candy (shimmering baby pink), Cafe Au Lait (metallic silver brown)

Bordeaux (matte dark red-brown), Mocha (matte medium warm brown), Black Currant (shimmering plum), Dark Truffle (shimmering warm dark brown), Pecan Praline (matte cool light grey brown), Totally Fetch (shimmering fuchsia), Earl Grey (shimmering deep teal), Divinity (matte bone)

If there's one thing about Too Faced that's amazing, it's their ability to curate multiple eyeshadow shades into wearable, versatile, covetable palettes. There are 16 cocoa-infused eyeshadows in the palette - 12 are what I'd call "neutrals" and the other 4 are a little more "avant garde" (Cotton Candy, Totally Fetch, Earl Grey and Black Currant). In terms of finish, there are 6 mattes, 6 shimmery shades, 1 satin, 1 frosty and 2 metallics.

Only one of the shadows wasn't new to me and that's Satin Sheets which also appeared in the Le Grand Palais Palette for Holiday 2015. This doesn't bother me because Satin Sheets is just stunning. It works as a stellar highlight for both the face and eyes.

Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Eyeshadow Palette Look - Cafe Au Lait on the lid and inner corner, Almond Truffle in the crease, Bordeaux on the outer corner

My favourites of the palette include both metallics (Cafe Au Lait and Molasses Chip) as well as the the matte-ish colours that are fabulous as transitions shades (Almond Truffle, Mocha, Pecan Praline, Cashew Chew) and Bordeaux for the outer corner. In a nutshell, I'm all about the neutrals in this palette. But even if I was looking to tip toe outside of my comfort zone, the palette has got a bunch of brights and deeper bold colours for me to play with.

Overall, I'm glad I got my hands on the Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Palette. It's a well thought-out palette with whole lotta neutral for everyday and a few pops of colour to sweeten things up.

Have you tried any of the Too Faced Chocolate palettes?

Received as a gift. Too Faced is a cruelty-free and gluten-free brand.

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The concept of cushions is no longer limited to foundations. As part of their Spring 2016 launches, Sephora launched a series of cushion themed products - the Wonderful Cushion Foundation, Wonderful Cushion Blush, Wonderful Cushion Luminizer, Wonderful Cushion Lips and I <3 Cushion Bronzer. Today, I have the Sephora Collection Wonderful Cushion Foundation and I <3 Cushion Bronzer in Light Medium to share with you.

I Love Cushions!

Sephora Wonderful Cushion Foundation ($24 USD)

The Sephora Collection Wonderful Cushion Foundation is housed in standard, bulky cushion foundation packaging. Opening the compact reveals a mirror and sponge and flipping open the cap underneath the sponge will unveil a cushion soaked in liquid foundation.

The soaked cushion/sponge is slightly harder and less refined than other cushion foundations that I've reviewed, while the applicator is slightly harder. You'll see later that this doesn't make a difference in the end result of the product.

Left to Right: Sulwhasoo Even Fair Perfecting Cushion Foundation, Sephora Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer in 10.5 Blondie, Sephora Wonderful Cushion Foundation in 30 Sand, Sephora I <3 Cushion Bronzer in Light Medium

The Sephora Wonderful Cushion Foundation is available in six shades - 14 Soft Beige, 20 Cream, 25 Beige, 30 Sand, 33 Walnut and 35 Bronze. 30 Sand is the third deepest shade and matches my tanned skin perfectly (~MAC NC-30).

The texture is slightly watery and easy to blend into the skin. Sephora says that this foundation will provide fresh, radiant skin, buildable coverage (minus the cake), and all day wear and hydration.

Before and After: Sephora Collection Wonderful Cushion Glowy Natural Finish Cushion Foundation

Sephora Collection really delivered with this one. The Sephora Collection Wonderful Cushion Foundation feels weightless on the skin. It's almost watery and sinks into the skin without leaving streaks or emphasizing imperfections. I found the foundation to have a light coverage, buildable to medium - covering some imperfections such as the pores on my nose while evening out my complexion. The coverage was not successful in hiding dark circles or hyperpigmentation my cheeks.

The finish is less obviously glowy or dewy/wet compared to a Korean cushion foundation and is therefore more natural looking. Wear time was decent. My nose started looking a bit greasy after 5 hours but the rest of my face remained intact all day long.

Sephora I <3 Cushion Bronzer in 01 Light Medium ($16 USD)

Next up, we have the Sephora I <3 Cushion Bronzer in 01 Light/Medium (also available in 02 Medium/Tan. Packaging is a little different from the compact style of the Wonderful Cushion and instead has a twist-off top, a stopper with a groove for a sponge and underneath, the cushion!

Again, the cushion is a little stiff and less refined than Korean cushions, but this does not make a difference in the application.

Sephora says that this bronzer provides a "sheer, bronzed look". Again, the product delivers. Flawless bronzing with the squish of a cushion. Something about applying products using a cushion and sponge make them look quite natural and blended on the face. The shade Light/Medium has just the right amount of warmth to add dimension to the face. However, if you're much lighter than me, it'll likely appear a bit orange.

Before and After - Sephora Collection I <3 Cushion Bronzer in Light Medium

Unfortunately, these products are no longer available on the Sephora Canada website, however, they are still on the US and Australian websites. If you're in stores and spot these, they're definitely worth picking up!

Have you tried any non-foundation cushion products yet?

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Wet N Wild just launched a new line of 17 brushes priced at $0.99 to $2.99. No, no. I didn't type that wrong. These brushes are very inexpensive yet they seem to perform on par with much pricier brushes.

All of the brushes are cruelty-free and made with synthetic hairs. The synthetic hairs are made in a way that copies the imperfections of natural hair to mimic the performance of an animal hair brush.

The brushes are all pink and white, pretty and simple. They're also super soft. The softness is comparable to the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea brushes... which is actually a little surprising.

The Wet N Wild brushes all have an ergonomic handle to help the brushes fit into the fingertips with ease. I had no issues using the ergonomic handle.

I tested out 15 of the 17 brushes. The Wet N Wild brushes did not disappoint.

Wet N Wild Small Concealer Brush; Wet N Wild Large Concealer Brush; Wet N Wild Small Stipple Brush; Wet N Wild Large Stipple Brush; Wet N Wild Foundation Brush

Wet N Wild Small Concealer Brush - This brush is great for spot concealing without streakiness. It can also double as a lip brush.

Wet N Wild Large Concealer Brush - Same as the small concealer brush but covers more area.

Wet N Wild Small Stipple Brush - The bristles on this brush are not overly flimsy, which makes the brush perfect for applying and blending cream blush.

Wet N Wild Large Stipple Brush - Same as the small stipple brush but covers more area.

Wet N Wild Foundation Brush - Applying foundation with a flat brush like this one is my least favourite way to do it (because it always turns out streaky). It's perfect for applying clay face masks.

Wet N Wild Flat Top Brush; Wet N Wild Contour Brush; Wet N Wild Blush Brush; Wet N Wild Powder Brush; Wet N Wild Fan Brush

Wet N Wild Flat Top Brush - Another great brush. It's not overly dense or sparse and provides streak-free foundation application. Note: since it's synthetic it works well with liquid AND powder.

Wet N Wild Contour Brush - This brush is perfect for softly chiseling the face. The smooth and fluffy bristles are wonderful for eliminating harsh lines while also defining the face.

Wet N Wild Blush Brush - This brush was a tad large for my cheeks, so it's not great for precise application. However, if you're going for a more overall flush, this works.

Wet N Wild Powder Brush - Your standard powder brush. I liked it for applying loose powder.

Wet N Wild Fan Brush - This was the most awkward brush to use. I tried it for highlighter but the application turned out a bit strange on my cheekbones. On the plus side, it comes with a cover.

Wet N Wild Brow & Lash Comb; Wet N Wild Angled Liner Brush; Wet N Wild Bent Liner Brush; Wet N Wild Large Eyeshadow Brush; Wet N Wild Crease Brush

Wet N Wild Brow & Lash Comb - Nothing special. It's like every other brow/lash comb out there. I have a couple of these but I don't get much use out of them. Spoolies are better.
Wet N Wild Angled Liner Brush - Not fine enough to draw a precise wing. It's not bad used to fill in the eyebrows but the bristles are a little too soft to make the strokes of the brush mimic natural hair.
Wet N Wild Bent Liner Brush - Just like the Angled Liner Brush, this one is also not fine enough to apply precise winged liner.

Wet N Wild Large Eyeshadow Brush - This brush is a little large for my small eyes. It's decent for packing on colour (but a little too fluffy) and applying highlight to the browbone and cheekbone.

Wet N Wild Crease Brush - My favourite of the eye brushes I tried. The softness of the bristles lends well for blending out colours softly into the crease.

It seems like Wet N Wild covered all the bases in terms of essential brushes for anybody's makeup collection. Sure, there are a couple so-so brushes but the majority of the brushes are impressive, especially for the price. If I'm ever in need of a budget-friendly brush replacement, I know I can count on Wet N Wild.

What are your favourite budget makeup brushes?

Press samples featured. Wet N Wild is a cruelty-free brand.

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Guess what? There are a ton of new Anastasia Beverly Hills products now available at Sephora. ABH is one of those brands that I've always seen on instagram/youtube but have never tried. Words are not enough to describe my excitement in testing out products from a cult internet brand.

Swatches - Anastasia Beverly Hills Concealer in 2.5, Metallic Luster Liner in Liquid Gold, Liquid Lipstick in American Doll, Lip Gloss in Dainty, Eyeshadows in Soft Peach, Sienna, Victorian & Star Cobalt

Anastasia Beverly Hills Concealer in 2.5 ($25)

Anastasia Beverly Hills Concealer in 2.5 - Before and After

The Anastasia Beverly Hills Concealer in 2.5 ($25) is thick and creamy. It doesn't melt into the skin quite like the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer or the Sephora Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer, rather it sits atop the skin. The concealer requires careful application and looks best when applied sparingly. The shade 2.5 is perfect for my summer skin tone (MAC NC-30 ish). The thickness of the concealer makes very pigmented, ideal for every concealing need - very dark circles and hyper pigmentation. When set, it lasts all day long. If not, it creases. There is an impressive range of 16 shades of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Concealer.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Metallic Luster Liner in Liquid Gold ($23)

I am OBSESSED with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Metallic Luster Liner in Liquid Gold ($23). It's soft and creamy, super glitzy and creamy. Liquid Gold is a silvery gold with matching shimmer. I found the Metallic Luster Liner to last all day without fading, however I experienced some glitter transfer onto my mobile lid after 8 hours. The Metallic Luster Liner is also available in Liquid Silver.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadows in Soft Peach, Sienna, Victorian and Star Cobalt ($16)

Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadows in Soft Peach (all over the lid) and Sienna (in the crease and outer corner), Metallic Luster Liner in Liquid Gold, and Concealer in 2.5

The Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadows in Soft Peach (matte nude coral peach), Sienna (matte earthy brown), Victorian (metallic antique silver) and Star Cobalt (metallic electric galaxy blue) ($16) were a bit of a let down. This was mainly because they are $16 (which is even more than MAC shadows) and they perform like any other shadow. Not to say that they are bad shadows, they are fairly soft and blend easily, the colour range is solid (84 shades)...but they're just eyeshadows. There's some fallout with the matte shades, which appear sheer if not worn over a primer or built up in layers. The metallic shades Victorian and Star Cobalt are pretty but not that metallic. Overall, the ABH eyeshadows are nothing extraordinary.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss in Dainty ($21)

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss in Dainty

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss in Dainty over Caryl Baker Visage Lipstick in Marilyn

The Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss in Dainty, a soft pastel peach, is not flattering on my skintone when worn alone. For a lip gloss, it is extremely opaque. It's a comfortable and non-sticky formula, which makes me curious about the more wearable shade. Though it's not great on its own, the shade Dainty is the perfect tool to achieve an ombre lip if worn over other lip products.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in American Doll ($26)

The Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in American Doll ($26) is much more comfortable than ColorPop and Kat Von D Liquid Lipsticks, both of which makes my lips dry and peel-y. It doesn't dry down with the same tightening feeling, thus the finish is more of a velvety matte than a true matte. There's some slight transfer but for the overall look of the lipstick remains in tact for over 8 hours. I experienced some light bleeding around the edges of my lips, so I'd suggest wearing the ABH Liquid Lipsticks with a liner. The ABH Liquid Lipsticks are available in 26 shades and are probably the best liquid lipstick I've tried thus far.

What are your favourite products from Anastasia Beverly Hills?

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The perfect harmony of simplicity, discipline and control. This is the inspiration for the Orofluido Asia Zen Control Line. The Orofluido Asia Zen Control line is targeted towards frizzy hair to promote control, while making hair soft, more manageable and shiny.

The Orofluido Asia Zen Control line contains a myriad of Asian-inspired ingredients:

Tsubaki (Camellia Oil) - promotes frizz control, increases shine and managability

Bamboo Extract - improves moisture retention, strength and elasticity

Rice Oil - nourishes split ends, strengthens hair fibre and adds shine

All of the products in the Orofluido Asia Zen Control contain a sweet, exotic floral scent. Upon first sniff, it seemed like it would be a bit to much for my nose and sensitive eyes to handle but it ended up being just enough to uplift the senses without irritating them.

The Orofluido Asia Zen Control Shampoo and Conditioner were both surprisingly more lightweight than I'd expect, as they are packed with oils and are targeted towards frizz control. The shampoo lathers into a soft yet very moisturizing foam and by the time I apply the conditioner, almost all of my hair is totally detangled. Typically, my hair requires brushing after exiting the shower but with these products it wasn't necessary.

"Elixir" is a fancy word for "hair oil". The Orofluido Asia Zen Control Elixir is meant for all types of hair as a leave-in treatment that is anti-humidity, controls friziness and protects hair from UV rays. I applied a small amount to my hair. It never dried down fully, so I was left with slightly greasy-looking hair. Thus, I'd suggest using this conservatively, even if you have very long hair.

The haircare line also includes the Orofluido Asia Zen Control Mask, which is an intense cream that contains amino acids, corn starch, and keratin to provide conditioning, frizz reduction and promote moisture retention. I didn't end up trying this because the Shampoo, Conditioner and Elixir were already moisture overload for my hair.

Overall, the Orofluido Asia Zen Control haircare line is perfect if you're looking for products that will detangle and de-frizz. After using the range, my hair looked slightly less frizzy than usual but the greasiness from the Zen Control Elixir was less than ideal. I have oily roots, so I'd only suggest this range if your hair is on the drier end of the spectrum.

Have you ever tried products from Orofluido?

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This is a sponsored posted powered by Pretty in My Pocket.

New season, new skincare. The warmer weather calls for a new set of products catered to my finicky skin (featuring huge pores, oiliness, and hyper-pigmentation). Thanks to Paula's Choice, I was set up with a brand spankin' new skincare routine.

To preface all of this, Paula's Choice is a website that I've been reading since my pre-blogging times. Back then, the Beautypedia section of the website was my go-to resource for informative beauty reviews. Many years later, the Paula's Choice came out with their own line of beauty and skincare products and I've heard nothing but good things about the brand (especially from Julie of

Swatch and Review, Zoe of Writing Whimsy and Rae of the Notice). So, as someone who likes to try all the things, I was down to review some Paula's Choice.

Paula's Choice has primo customer service and offers FREE skincare consultations to help y'all choose the best products for your skin. Because this is in partnership with Pretty in My Pocket, you too can book a consultation and get 20% off + free US shipping on Paula's Choice skincare with the codePRIMPSPRING. You're welcome :) >> shop here<<

In case you're wondering, the consult consisted of 4 questions regarding my skin type, skin concerns and sensitivities. If you haven't read one of my skincare posts before... My skin type is combination oily. Particularly around my nose and forehead. My skincare concerns revolve around XL pores on and around my nose, as well as some hyper-pigmentation on my cheeks.

The consultation yielded both an AM and PM routine consisting of 6 products in total.

MORNING

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Oil-Reducing Cleanser ($25)

a lightly foaming cleanser removes dirt and oil without stripping skin or leaving a hint of residue.

The Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Oil-Reducing Cleanser is effective, as it foams quickly and removes excess dirt, oil and makeup from the skin. It's also super gentle, and I can even use it on my very sensitive eyes. Every time I've used the cleanser, I have not experienced dryness or sticky residue. Definitely going to stick with this one for the long-term.

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner ($20)

a lightly hydrating toner regulates oily skin and minimizes pores while its potent antioxidants, anti-irritants and cell-communicating ingredients go to work to restore and repair damaged skin.

While my skin doesn't feel any different after using this toner, the Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner is the nicest non-alcohol smelling toner I've ever used and doesn't sting my skin.

Paula's Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA ($30)

a water-light liquid exfoliant works quickly to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, unclog and minimize pores, and eliminate blackheads and bumps.

The Paula's Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment with 2% BHA is a unique delivery of acid treatment through a water-like liquid. Again, acids I've used previously have a slight stinging sensation. This one doesn't. After using it for a couple weeks, I've noticed the blackheads and sebum on my nose have been reduced. On the downside, I was probably having a bad week at school (and eating too much sugar and bread), so the treatment didn't quite manage to prevent acne fully.

Paula's Choice Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defence SPF 30 ($32)

a daytime moisturizer with sunscreen designed for normal to oily skin with signs of aging. Its multi-purpose formula not only protects skin from sun damage, but also fortifies it with potent antioxidants. This gentle, mineral-based formula has a sheer tint that works beautifully for all skin tones, whether worn alone or under foundation.

The Paula's Choice Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defence SPF 30 is a tinted suncreen/moisturizer. The product sinks quickly into the skin leaving no excess greasiness. The shade is too pale (in other words, it has a white cast) for my light/medium complexion, so I feel the need to wear foundation on top.

EVENING

For my nighttime routine, the Paula's Choice consultant recommended the same first three steps as my morning routine - the Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Oil-Reducing Cleanser, Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner, and Paula's Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA.

I followed those three steps with...

Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator ($32)

The RESIST Clear Skin Hydrator contains an exclusive complex of proven anti-wrinkle and skin-clearing ingredients that renew and restore your skin, making it look younger, even-toned, and fresh. Powerful antioxidants and skin-repairing ingredients stimulate healthy collagen production, repair sun damage, and fade red marks and discolorations from past breakouts.

...Mixed with 2-3 drops

Paula's Choice Resist C15 Super Booster ($48)

RESIST C15 is a concentrated 15% Vitamin C that works to brighten skin, fade brown spots, and prevent signs of aging.

The Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator mixed with the C15 Super Booster is meant to brighten the skin and fade past breakouts. I haven't noticed any changes to my sun-induced freckling or hyperpigmentation from breakouts. On a positive note, the Clear Skin Hydrator is an amazing nighttime moisturizer for my oily/combo skin. When I wake up, my skin feels hydrated but not greasy.

All in all, I think I'm on the fence about this skincare routine. While I'd definitely repurchase products like the Skin Balancing Oil-Reducing Cleanser, the Treatment with 2% BHA and the Clear Skin Hydrator, I don't think the Paula's Choice skincare routine lived up to the hype... yet. Personally, I'd pass on the tinted sunscreen and the toner. As for the Vitamin C Treatment, I'll need at least a couple more months to decide whether it's going to remain in my skincare routine.

Have you ever tried Paula's Choice skincare?

Press samples featured. Paula's Choice has a 100% Money Back Guarantee (within 60 days), does not test on animals and contains no irritating dyes or fragrances.

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During the spring, pastels are my thing. So, upon receiving the OPI Soft Shades Collection, I was ecstatic. The OPI Soft Shades Collection contains six beautiful neutrals, perfect for this time of the year. Pastels look particularly amazing with a tan (which I have thanks to my trip to Greece!).

As with any brand's pastels, the OPI Soft Shades require at 3 coats for opacity. Other than that, they're exactly what you'd expect from OPI polishes - self-levelling, flattering colours, and decent wear time. Onto the Soft Shades!

It's in the Cloud

It's in the cloud is an off-white. This one looks the best with some sunkissed skin.

Stop I'm Blushing!

Stop I'm Blushing! is a off-white pastel peach. Very springtime!

One Chic Chick

One Chic Chick is a buttercup yellow. Thankfully, it's actually quite flattering and doesn't make my fingertips look sallow.

This Cost Me a Mint

This Cost Me a Mint is a pastel off-white yellowy green. It's quite a unique shade, but it's not particularly flattering on my skintone.

It's a Boy

It's a Boy is a pastel aqua blue with a slight tint of mint. It reminds me of Essie Mint Candy Apple and OPI Gargantuan Green Grape (except It's a Boy has more pastel).

I Am What I Amethyst

I Am What I Amethyst is a pastel blue with a slight tint of lilac. It's an exact dupe of Mary Kay's Sweet Lilac.

Okay. So I'm obsessed with this collection. I wear pastels all year around so...it's totally understandable. My favourites are Stop I'm Blushing, One Chic Chick and I Am What I Amethyst.

What's your favourite polish from the OPI Soft Shades Collection?

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Marc Jacobs Beauty is a brand that truly intrigues me. It's a little expensive but not so much so that I can't afford it or ignore the launches. Most of the products have a positive reputation online and each new launch always has some sort of inspiration or innovative twist.

Today's three things are new to me products from Marc Jacobs Beauty - the Marc Jacobs Beauty Lamé Noir Ultra-Glittering Mascara and Fineliner in Blacquer and (Big)Eyes!

Swatches: Marc Jacobs Beauty Lamé Noir Ultra-Glittering Mascara ($33); Marc Jacobs Beauty Fineliner Ultra-Skinny Gel Eye Crayone Eyeliner in Blacquer and (Big)Eyes! ($30 each)

Marc Jacobs Beauty Lamé Noir Ultra-Glittering Mascara ($33)

This is the first glitter mascara top coat that I've come across in my beauty escapades. The mini mascara tube contains a flat wand with black and gold glitter suspended in a clear gel. When applied over mascara, it clumps the lashes together slightly. The glitter effect is subtle, as it's visible close and in-person but undetectable on camera. The glitter fallout/transfer is real when it comes to wearing the Marc Jacobs Beauty Lame Noir Ultra-Glittering Mascara. It's also a little painful to remove. I really wanted to love this but it just wasn't for me.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Fineliner Ultra-Skinny Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in Blacquer and (Big)Eyes! ($30 each)

Not so new to me is black and white eyeliner. The packaging reminds me a lot of the Shu Uemura Lasting Gel Pencils. They're twist-up but not retractable. I don't understand why. Someone please explain... Anyways, the Marc Jacobs Beauty Fineliner formula is much creamier and less crumbly, while drying down to become just as long lasting (all day and then some without smudging). Moreover, the 2mm tip is not half bad for creating winged liner.

The Marc Jacobs Beauty Fineliner is (surprisingly) one of two eyeliners that will actually stay put in my tightline for 5-6 hours and thankfully does not make me look like a raccoon. Blacquer is, as the name states, an ultra black that can be worn on the upper/lower lashline, waterline and tightline. (Big)Eyes! is a pure white eyeliner and when worn on the waterline it makes your eyes pop.

What do you think of glitter mascara?

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Rimmel has released quite a few goodies the past couple seasons. So, I thought the best way to test them out would to be to throw them all on my face.

Rimmel Magnif'eyes Mono Eyeshadow in 001 Gold Record, 003 All About the Base and 004 VIP Pass ($5.99 each); Rimmel The Only One Lipstick in 810 One of a Kind and 700 Naughty Nude ($8.99 each); Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 103 True Ivory ($10.99); Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer in 335 Light Medium ($9.99)

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 103 True Ivory ($10.99) + Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer in 335 Light Medium ($9.99)

Rimmel recently reformulated its Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation. It's meant to be an invisible coverage base with 24 hour hydration and a pore blurring effect. I did find it to be pore blurring around my nose however not on my nose, where it looked a bit cakey. The rest of my face looked pretty good, a nice satin finish. Unfortunately, the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 103 True Ivory ($10.99) turned out to be way too light (and too...green) for me... so I didn't wear it for more than a couple hours.

Oddly enough, the Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer in 335 Light Medium ($9.99) was too dark, even with my tan from Greece. Instead of concealer, I ended up using it to do some bronzing to warm up the too light Rimmel Match Perfection foundation in 103 True Ivory. The concealer was lightweight and blended out nicely.

Rimmel Magnif'eyes Mono Eyeshadow in 001 Gold Record, 003 All About the Base and 004 VIP Pass ($5.99 each)

For swatches, see above. The Rimmel Magnif'eyes Mono Eyeshadows ($5.99) are available in six shades. Not tested are Black Fender, Poser and Q Jump. All three shades that I tried blended out nicely and were decently pigmented but much better with primer. 001 Gold Record is a shimmery yellowy gold. I didn't find the yellow to be particularly flattering on my eyes. The shimmer was quite sparse and lacked pigment. 003 All About the Base was much more impressive. It's a taupe brown, perfect as a crease colour or as a face contour (as shown below). 004 VIP Pass is a warm brown with subtle golden shimmer - pretty all over the lid, in the crease or on the outer corner.

VIP Pass and All About that Base mixed together all over the lid

Rimmel The Only One Lipstick in 810 One of a Kind and 700 Naughty Nude ($8.99 each)

Rimmel The Only One Lipstick in 700 Naughty Nude

Rimmel The Only One Lipstick in 810 One of a Kind

The Rimmel The Only One Lipsticks ($8.99 each) are meant to be high-impact, ultra-comfortable lipsticks. Indeed, they are. they glide on the lips with ease and only require 1 layer for full opacity. They also feel quite lightweight, don't bleed and last about 5 hours on the lips. That being said, the only uncomfortable thing about these lipsticks is the scent. I can't quite put my finger on it but my best attempt at a description would be plastic, watermelon, and sickly sweet. If you can put up with the scent, you're in for a great lipstick. 700 Naughty Nude is a my lips but better shade, while One of a Kind would have been a great berry tone for the winter. Rimmel The Only One Lipsticks are available in 12 shades.

I'm a little sad about my ability to shade match myself from a stock photo. Other than that, the lipsticks and some of the eyeshadows are quite promising.

What do you want to try from Rimmel's new product offerings?

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When Make Up For Ever sends you all 20 of the new Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eye Pencils ($25 each), you draw rainbows on your face.

The MUFE Aqua XL Eye Pencils are made in collaboration with Charli XCX, a play on her creative spirit and bold, energetic look. The pencils are meant to be long-wearing, waterproof, non-creasing, non-smudging and ultra-creamy with the intense colour that you'd usually expect from Make Up For Ever products.

In a nutshell, the Aqua XL Eye Pencils are meant to be the ultimate eyeliner.

Getting straight to the point - the Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eye Pencils are the ultimate eyeliner. Creamy, smooth, rich, pigmented, opaque, longwearing, waterproof... there's nothing more I could ask for. On my upper lashline, the pencils last all day. I can wear the pastels in my waterline for 7+ hours with minimal fading. Same for the black, which doesn't smudge at all. You might even call it holy grail.

They set very quickly (in ~10 seconds), which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your preferences. If you're trying to blend out the eyeliner, you might have some issues with smudging if you're not quick about it. Otherwise, the liner becomes waterproof, smudge-proof and budge-proof... and true to MUFE's claims, it won't come off until you remove it.

Speaking of removal, you'll need something a little more heavy duty than Bioderma... for instance, the Make Up For Ever Sens'eyes Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser or some sort of oil-based remover.

There are a total of 20 shades in the Aqua XL Eye Pencil range. There are mostly neutrals and cool tones with a pop of yellow. I feel like the collection is incomplete without some sort of reds or oranges. Unless you're looking for an orange or red liner, there seems to be something for everyone - 10 eyeliners I would consider "neutral"/wearable and 10 vibrant pops of colour.

Similar to the Artist Shadows there are 5 finishes - matte (10), metallic (1), satin (2), diamond (2) and iridescent (5). Most are matte, which is likely the most popular finish. My favourite is the metallic finish. I wish there were more metallic liners in this collection because they're oh so glam.

The shades (in the order as pictured above):

M-10 (matte black)
D-12 (diamond black)
M-13 (matte charcoal grey)
S-50 (satin taupe)
M-60 (matte dark brown)
D-62 (diamond brown)
ME-42 (metallic bronze)
I-36 (iridescent khaki)
I-34 (iridescent pop green)
I-32 (iridescent lagoon green)
M-40 (matte pastel yellow)
M-30 (matte pastel green), similar to the Stila Smudge Stick Eyeliner in Turquoise but longer lasting
M-26 (matte pastel blue)
I-24 (iridescent blue with green sparkles)
M-22 (matte majorelle blue)
S-20 (satin navy blue)
M-80 (matte plum), the same colour as the Make Up For Ever Artist Liner in M-80 but I prefer the XL formulation
I-90 (iridescent pop purple)
M-92 (matte pastel purple)
M-16 (matte white)

If I had to pick a top five, they'd have to be...

M-92 (matte pastel purple) and M-92 (matte pastel yellow), both unique pastels that I'm happy to add to my collection.
ME-42 (metallic bronze), because I'm a sucker for metallic, shimmery liners.
S-20 (satin navy blue), wearable yet a nice change from the classic black.
M-10 (matte black), the classic matte black and one of the few that I can wear in my waterline. Compared to the recently reviewed Blinc Waterproof Eyeliner, the MUFE Aqua XL's are creamier and glide on more easily.

The Gradient Eyeliner Look || On the upper lash line: M-40 (matte pastel yellow), M-30 (matte pastel green), M-26 (matte pastel blue), I-90 (iridescent pop purple); In the lower waterline: M-92 (matte pastel purple); In the tight line: M-10 (matte black)

Overall, I'm crazy about these eyeliners. I know there are tons of pencil eyeliner options on the market, but if you're looking for something that's multi-purpose (for the waterline, tight line, upper lash line and as a shadow or shadow base) and a sure thing, one (or five) of the Make Up For Ever Aqua XL will do you good.

Do you have a holy grail pencil eyeliner?

Press samples featured.

Note: I was watching a Make Up Geek video and apparently the MUFE Aqua XL Eye Pencils are made in the same factory as the Make Up Geek ones. I haven't tried them out myself but perhaps if you're looking for something similar to the Aqua XL's and at a lower price point, that's something to think about.

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