Back in early August, I met Kat Von D (!!!) and I attended a morning presentation with Erik Soto, Kat Von D's personal makeup artist and Global Makeup Artist for Kat Von D Beauty. At the session, he shared two looks featuring the Kat Von D Fall 2015 Collection (see his looks and an event recap here). So, I thought I'd recreate them!
/// LOOK #1 - The Natural Pin-up
The focus of this look is the versatility of the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Mother. It looks kind of meh in the tube but on the face it is a mauve-pink neutral yet kind of bold dream come true. I used it as both lipstick and blush in this look.
Slightly more dramatic than the first look, the David Bowie Look created by Eric is super fun and a nice detour from the everyday blahs of natural makeup. Instead of removing the first look from my face, I got lazy and just piled more makeup on top. Thus, the base/face makeup remains the same.
Ideally, I would have liked to use the Kat Von D Lock-it Featherweight Primer as a mixing medium for the DIY liquid blush, the Kat Von D Metal Crush Eyeshadow in Thundestruck (a iridescent metallic pearl) as highlight, and the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner (which I have in mini form but can't find), and the Kat Von D Immortal Lash Mascara. However, I don't have all these things on hand so I worked with what I had on hand instead of frivolously spending all my tuition, rent and food money on the makeups.
Anyways, I had the time of my life recreating Erik Soto's Kat Von D Beauty Looks (alone... in my room... taking selfies)... Look #1 may as well be my everyday makeup uniform. I feel like I've been doing more reviews and less looks here on the blog, so doing these looks was refreshing... let me know which you prefer!
More from the Mary Kay City Modern Collection for Fall 2015... I've already talked about how much I enjoy the Mary Kay Nail Lacquers ($10 each, reviewed here and here) and all three of the City Modern Collection colours are polishes that I could wear all day every day.
In a nutshell, the formula is thin yet highly pigmented and opaque in one coat (even the colours that you'd expect to be sheer!). On my chip-prone nails, the Mary Kay Nail Lacquers last 3-4 days without top or base coat, pretty decent by my standards.
Gallery Gray
Gallery Grey reminds me a lot of Nails Inc. Porchester Square (which I've swatched in Sephora many, many times and can recognize the colour on anyone's fingertips but can't stand to shell out $15 for). Gallery Grey is slightly less purple-tinted than Porchester Square but a decent dupe and a very office-appropriate polish.
Polished Pearl
Polished Pearl looks like something my Grandma would wear (in the best way possible). It's non-streaky unless you're looking a very strong magnifying glass, which makes the pearly-silver metallic appear very sophisticated.
Berry Stylish
Berry Stylish is a quintessential fall nail shade. It even matches with the Mary Kay Velvet Lip Creme in Berry Stylish, so you can have matching deep berry tips AND lips!
I can't choose between these three. Which one would you wear?
Guess who's heading back to school for her very last term of undergrad? In preparation, I've worked hard to empty a few things with a teensy tiny bit of product left and to toss anything that was getting a little old. You know the drill.
Here's my rating scale:
(>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^ // worthy of dance party (repurchase)
^u^ ^u^ // pretty great (maybe repurchase)
-_- //indifference (will not repurchase)
/// MAKEUP EMPTIES
I liked all three of the Rimmel Scandal Eyes X-treme-_-, NYC Big Bold Angel Lashes-_-and CoverGirl the Supersizer Mascara-_-but both the Rimmel and CoverGirl mascaras smudged slightly throughout the day, while I found the brush of the NYC mascara too large for my eye shape. Won't be repurchasing any of the three because I have a love affair with the CoverGirl Clump Crusher.
The Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Colour in Medium-_-was a good colour match for a natural brow look but it dried out quickly. I loved the Lise Watier Magic Lip Enhancer^u^ ^u^. It's a gel-like balm that turns to a slight pink tint when it makes contact with the lips. However, it contains very little product for the $24 price tag.
The Laura Mercier Mineral Powder(>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^is my go-to powder foundation. The packaging is bulky and cracks easily but it's worth the hassle.
/// SKINCARE + NAIL EMPTIES
The Olay Fresh Effects Acne Control Scrub-_- smelled delightfully citrusy, however the scrub lacked the abrasive granules that I typically prefer in my exfoliating products. Similarly, the Missha Cacao & Cream Facial Scrub-_- smelled of vanilla bean and cocoa but was so creamy that it lacked any scrubbing power. I really enjoyed the Odacite Beautiful Day Moisturizer (sample) ^u^ ^u^ - very lightweight, which worked well for my oily skin. Both the Equate Polish Remover(>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^and the Trind Polish Remover ^u^ ^u^were not as strong as acetone but also not as damaging to my nails. I really liked the Soap & Glory Fab Pore Facial Peel(>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^for a quick 5 minute mask pre-shower as it made my skin feel smooth and clear of gunk.
/// BODY EMPTIES
The Jealous Body Scrub(>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^is absolutely fabulous. The coffee grinds are abrasive in the best way possible and the coconut oil makes your skin feel moisturized after stepping out of the shower. The Odylique Coconut Candy Scrub(sample)-_- has the aroma of a fluffy coconut cake but lacks any grit to be considered "scrubby". I found the I love... Raspberries & Blackberries Nourishing Body Butter-_-to be fast absorbing and hydrating but the scent was too artificial for my tastes.
/// MINI POLISH TOSSES
I'm getting rid of a bunch of mini polishes from Indie Polish(>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^and Glitzology(>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^. They've dried out and I think I kept them around because they're so cute.
/// MAKEUP TOSSES
I'm throwing away a no-name lash curler that never fit my eyes. The Shu Uemura curler is EONS better. I'm a bit sad that the Annabelle Big Show Lip Gloss (custom) ^u^ ^u^started smelling funny. One of my Wet n Wild MegaLipsticks^u^ ^u^started separating because I left it in direct sunlight in my room (oops).
The Lise Watier Dramatique Intense 3D Mascara-_- gave me très dramatique racoon eyes. While the Olay Lash Serum + fLash both claimed to enhance the length of my lashes I saw no improvements. The Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer(>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^is just as good as all the British Beauty Bloggers say it is with the ridiculous staying power and high coverage, though the Medium shade only works for me in the summer. While the CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous-_-and Tru Blend Concealers-_- are both good, they're nowhere near as amazing as the Collection.
The Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Pomegranate Punk-_- was a super cool colour but it's now over 2 years old and has dried out. The Almay Smart Shade Mousse in Light Medium was a bit thick and the wrong shade for my face.
The Amazonia Preciosa-_- started smelling weird, so it was time to say goodbye. Wasn't a fan of the treatment. The Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava -_-was the first perfume that my mom ever purchased for me (5+ years ago). I'm not too big on perfume, especially very sweet fruity scents, so I've only spritzed it 5-10 times. The Soap & Glory Hand Food-_- separated the first time I tried to use it and I was kind of grossed out. OPI's Tickle My France-y(>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^was one of my favourite shades of nude polish. After two years, it's gloopy, there's hardly anything left and it's time to let go.
I bought this mini cross body H&M Bag (>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^for ~$10 a couple years back. The strap fell off.
Behold. The Guerlain Neiges et Merveilles is a winter dream come true. Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of previewing the Guerlain 2015 Christmas collection along with meeting Maxime Poulin, International Makeup Artist for Guerlain.
Let's start with the Neiges et Merveilles Christmas Collection. It's inspired by a winter evening, snowflakes and fresh air. Those familiar with Guerlain know that the brand's packaging is the epitome of luxury, making a few or even one of these pieces an ideal gift.
First up, there's the Meteorites Enchanted Snowflakes ($89) - truly a showstopper. The Meteorites are in warm tones of white, beige, champagne and gold for a soft iridescent finish. The snow globe-esque lid and the snowflake pearls are a beautifully festive take on the classic Meteorites Pearls.
The Terracotta Classic Bronzing Powder in 03 Brunettes is available in a limited edition white silicone sleeve. If you look closely, the Terracotta Collector ($64) has a snow-like shimmer.
The Meteorites Voyage Enchante ($214) is a skin-perfecting illuminating powder. It's matte, which means it can be used as both a setting powder and if applied more liberally, a subtle highlight with a luminous, soft focus effect. Holding the compact is an experience in itself, as it has quite a bit of weight to it.
The Rouge G Exceptional Complete Lip Colour in 867 Merveilleux Rose ($56) has some of the most refined, elegant packaging I've seen for Holiday 2015 thus far. In addition, the neutral pink is quite a wearable colour for all year-round.
The Palette Ors et Merveilles Eyes and Blush Palette ($95) contains two levels of product - 5 iridescent eyeshadows (all warm neutrals), 2 matte blushes (Rosewood & Coral) and 2 pearlescent blushes (Pink and Iridescent Red).
The bold purple hue of the La Lacque Couleur in 903 Merveilleuse ($29) seems a little out of place in this particular Christmas Collection. Nonetheless, the illuminated purple with a iridescent blue glitter throughout is a beautiful polish.
With the products from the collection, International Makeup Artist Maxime Poulin created an angelic winter look featuring the ever-popular strobing/highlighting trend. He used the Meteorites Pearls on the high points of the model's face and decollate for a radiant effect and paired it with a neutral eyes and lips for a softer look.
In addition to the Christmas Collection, I hand swatched the new Parure Gold Foundation and Abeille Royal Oil. For luminous skin, Maxime recommended applying the oil as skincare and then mixing the foundation and oil at a 1-to-1 ratio to add a natural radiance to the skin.
Meet my camera man, +1, boyfriend Charles! Thanks to his skillful product photography skills, there's lots of pretty pictures of all the Guerlain Neiges et Merveilles Collection items.
111 days until Christmas and after previewing the Guerlain Neiges et Merveilles Christmas Collection, I can't wait for it to come sooner. The collection will be available November 1, 2015 at Guerlain Boutiques and selected counters.
Super Mario Bros. celebrates its 30th anniversary on September 13, 2015! It was one of my favourite video games as a kid, so to honour the occasion, I've decked out my nails in red and green Power-up Super Mushrooms, an Invincibility Star and a Question Mark Block.
For the Super Mushroom nails, I used 2 coats of a white polish as a base, then covered 2/3 of the nail in red or green. I added a stripe to separate the white and the colour, then used a dotting tool to create dots on the mushrooms' caps. To draw the eyes, I used a black striper to create two small lines that divided the length of the nail into thirds.
For the Invincibility Star nail, I used a 2 coats of a light blue base. I drew the outline of a star with a yellow striper and then filled it in. I used a black striper to outline the star and add eyes. I found the star to be the most difficult to do.
For the Question Mark Block Nail, I used 2 coats of a light blue base. I drew a box with a yellow striper and filled it in. Again, I used a black striper to outline the square shape. Then, I used a white striper to draw a backwards C curve and a dotting tool and some white polish to finish off the question mark.
/// PRODUCTS USED:
- Essence the Gel Nail Polish in Wild White Ways
- CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Polish in Sky Light
"Multi-masking"is all the rage, so I thought I'd do a little multi-masking with a couple new goodies from Lush. On my cheeks and nose, I'm wearing Rosy Cheeks Fresh Face Mask ($12.95 / 60g) and on the rest of my face I'm wearing Don't Look at Me Fresh Face Mask ($10.95 / 60g)
Lush Don't Look at Me Fresh Face Mask
Don't Look at Me is meant to be a rejuvenating, brightening mask - lemon juice to cleanse, ground rice to scrub and brighten, and murumuru butter to moisturize. The lemon juice combined with the neroli oil and grapefruit oil give mask a slightly citrusy, awakening scent.
Upon scooping the blue goop into my hands, the consistency was surprisingly thin. I had no problems spreading it over my face and the rice granules didn't feel scratchy, just slightly exfoliating. After removing the mask, my skin felt soft and moisturized. No need for extra lotion before going to sleep as the murmuru oil left a bit of hydration on my face.
Rose lovers rejoice because this one's for you. Rosy Cheeks is a kaolin (clay) based face mask that smells like a garden of fresh roses.
It's quite a thick clay mask that feels slightly cooling when applied and dries fully in about 10 minutes. My mom used to use calamine lotion to treat itchy bug bites, so it's no surprise that the calamine in the Fresh Face Mask is extra calming. I'll be using this one when my skin's feeling irritated.
> what's inside:Calamine Powder , Glycerine , Kaolin , Water (Aqua) , Rose Clay (Kaolinite) , Red Rose Petals (Rosa Centifolia) , Fragrance , Rose Oil (Rosa damascena) , *Benzyl Alcohol , Lilial , *Citronellol , *Geraniol .
And this is what I call multi-masking AND multi-tasking!
Both of these masks are both hits for me! There's also the Cup O' Coffee Fresh Face and Body Mask ($10.95 / 150g) which I feel like I need to get on my face.
Have you tried any of the new Lush Fresh Face Masks?
Press samples featured. Lush Fresh Face Masks are available in store only.
Last year, I had a slight obsession with the Shu Uemura Tint in Gelatos for cheeks and lips. Even still, it's probably the only product that I like for both lips and cheeks. With the Shu Uemura Haute Street Collection, Shu released four limited edition Tint in Gelato ($28) shades - Urban Coral, Graffiti Orange, City Dusk and Street Rose.
The paint-tube packaging is a playful take on the artistic side of makeup, though not quite as sleek as the regular Tint in Gelato casing and at a glance you can't tell which colour is which. Since there's no applicator of sorts, it's slightly messier but kind of like finger painting on your face if you don't feel like using a brush.
Graffiti Orange is an orange with some warm tones of red, while Street Rose is a bold cool pink with purple tones. Further, the unique formula can be worn with a dewy finish with bold colour when applied in a thicker layer or a soft matte when blended out. I'm preferential to the soft matte look for both the lips and cheeks.
Street Rose
Graffiti Orange
In terms of product formulation, my thoughts remain the same. The texture is weightless, creamy and delightful to blend onto the skin. It's a tad drying on the lips and but still workable as long as you're careful. For lasting power, the Shu Uemura Tint in Gelato stands a solid 5-6 hours on the cheeks and 2-3 hours on the lips.
All in all, I'm still enjoying the Tint in Gelatos, especially in these fun, limited edition shades that can be worn in daily makeup or incorporated into a more inspired look.
Have you tried the Tint in Gelato yet?
Press samples featured. The Haute Street Collection is available as of September 2015 at select Hudson's Bay and Sephora locations as well as www.shuuemura.ca
From lace underwear to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (yum!) and Dior makeup, the EGPR Essentials Lounge Six had all the things necessary to keep me alive during TIFF.
The Esther Garnick PR Essentials Lounge is a one-day, media-only gifting suite which sends attendees home with items meant alleviate the potential stress of Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) days to come. TIFF 2015 begins September 10, 2015 and ends September 20, 2015. It's my first year at TIFF and also my first time attending a gifting lounge...
...and I took a 20 minute walk + public transit with a 30lb bag of goodies. My shoulders are crying. Anyways, continue reading to see what was in the EGPR Survival + Recovery Kit from A to Z!
Since I like to avoid washing my hair as much as possible, the Rush Brush Dry Shampoo is a quick way to keep oily roots at bay. I got the shade Darkest. From Cake's sister brand, I received the Delectable Skin Perfecting Bronzing Body Lotion (available at Shoppers Drug Mart), which I'm hoping will help my legs to look less pasty.
Clarins Fragrance Group
Not one but THREE beautiful fragrances - Azzaro Pour Homme EDT, Azzaro Pour Elle EDP, and Thierry Mugler Angel Shooting Star EDP. The Thierry Mugler Angel Shooting Star has a little something special, it was poured into the bottle at the event and it has my initials and the year engraved into the glass (S.L. TIFF 2015).
Dior Beauty
What's not to love about Dior? Above is the Dior Eye Reviver Palette and the Dior Cheek and Lip Glow. The packaging is chic and the colours are appropriately wearable. I'm getting these on my face ASAP.
Kinx Wear
Oddly enough, I contributed to the Knix Wear Kickstarter a couple years ago so I already own a pair of their athletic undies! I feel a little weird about sharing my underpants on the blog but they're the sexy yet comfortable Lace Moisture Wicking Boyshort. You can check them out here.
Kosmea Australia
I'm always open to trying skincare and the Rescue Body Cream, Hydrating Rosewater Mist and Facial Cleansing Wipes fit right into my face and body routine. The Facial Cleansing Wipes will be especially handy when I'm sweating buckets from the infamous Toronto humidity.
What kind of idiot would say no to Krispy Kremes? The original ones are my go-to when I'm feeling like treating myself (basically all the time). The Salted Caramel filled with Latte Creme and the Pumpkin Spice doughnuts are also stellar. Sadly, I don't have any pictures of the ones I ate because they kind of got squished by everything else in my Survival Kit. The 6-pack-to-go of Krispy Kreme Original Glazed® doughnutsdisappeared in an instant and I'm not a coffee gal but I'm sure my parents will appreciate a bag ofsignature, locally roasted ground coffee.
I was already familiar with the Me.N.U Food Truck's Smokin' Peking Duck Poutine and could not be happier to test out the rice balls. Me.N.U is food truck that travels to Asia to eat and get inspired in the Winter and comes back to Toronto to bring the latest and greatest in Asian fusion street cuisine. The rice balls are the bomb.com, like the Italian arancini with an oriental flare.
Oats & Ivy
While I'm not a huge fan of green juice, balance is kind of important when you're pigging out on Krispy Kremes and deep fried rice and cheese. Enter Oats & Ivy's Green River cold pressed juice and Almond Spice nut milk.
Polysporin
Sometimes, pretty shoes comes before comfort and blisters are the result. The Polysporin Blister Treatment is my feet's BFF.
Saucony
I got hooked up with a new pair of Jazz Originals. To be honest, I wasn't previously familiar with the brand but they're super comfy.
Skinceuticals
You'll probably have nightmares of this photo of me getting my skin analyzed under a UV light. The brand rep told me that I'm super oily (I'm aware) but my under eyes are dehydrated and I have quite a bit of hyper pigmentation in my cheek area. So, the she "prescribed" me the Metacell B3, a newly launched emulsion (serum/moisturizer) containing glycerin and a tri-peptide concentrate catered towards younger skin. I also went home with the Sheer Physical UV Defense which is SPF 50 and protects the skin from both UVA and UVB, as well as a sample of the Skinceuticals Phloretin CF which contains antioxidants and Vitamin C to diminish dark spots and protect the skin from harsh environments.
Hangover Tea
Thank goodness I haven't had a hangover in years but I'll be saving this tea for a day when I'm feeling like poop.
Glaceau Smart Water and Vitamin Water
Hydration is an essential to staying alive during TIFF or otherwise.
Special thanks to EGPR and their brand partners for spoiling me. I'm more than ready to take on TIFF 2015!
Have you ever been to a film festival or a gifting lounge?
For the days when you forget your phone or it runs out of battery, there's this thing called a watch. Lately, the battery power on ye old iPhone 4 hasn't been cutting it, so I've been turning to the JORD Ely Maple ($129 USD with free shipping worldwide) to keep me on track with life.
Yes, it's a watch that comes with a box and it's own pillow...
It took me forever and a day to put out this review because the size I received was way too big and clunky. I couldn't really wear it and had made many failed attempts at resizing it myself. The problem is that the watch's screws don't have slotted heads, so you can't use a screw driver to pull them out. THIS is why JORD's website recommends that you go to a professional to have your watch resized or...
JORD will size your watch for you at an additional $10. I didn't know this before receiving it in the mail. Weeks later, when I finally had a little spare time (no pun intended), I went to my local Chinese watch man (if you're from Scarborough/Markham, it's Accurate Time in Market Village) , who did it for a measly $5.
Resizing issues aside, I love the organic/natural, casual look of wood as opposed to the harshness of metal against the skin. The watch pairs well with both silver or gold jewelry, as the wood is slightly warm but the accents are silver. The JORD Ely watch is super lightweight and easy to wear, so much so that I oftentimes forget it's even on my wrist. OH. And bonus. It has a little date window, which helps because I NEVER know what day it is.
In terms of specs and mechanics stuff, I could really care less. Functionality, wearability, aesthetics are all I really look for in terms of a watch. If it works and looks good on my wrist, I'm happy.
The JORD Ely Maple watch is truly a unique piece in my accessories collection (that being said, I only own one other watch which is a silver Seiko bracelet watch). Now I'm just thinking how tacky/cool this watch will look paired with a pair of wood sunglasses.
Julie (Swatch and Review) hosted a BBQ of bloggers and was also trying to unload a few things, so I gladly accepted her unwanted beauty goodies. Thanks Julie!
Pacifica Underarm Deoderant Wipes - I don't normally use deodorant (shhh..) but sometimes I can get stinky on the rare occasion I decide to do exercise
Nest Fragrances Moss & Mint Body Cream - smells nice, do I need another reason?
The Face Shop Paraffin Nutrition Nail Pack - because my nails need love too
My Beauty Diary Q10 Hydrating and Firming Face Mask
Butter London Gobsmacked - sparkles and charcoal
Dior Pro Liner in Pro Black - because every girl needs 1239120312 black eyeliners
Essie White Page, Muse Myself, Art New-Beau, Blush Stroke & No Shrinking Violet - all of the colours are from the watercolour collection. Looking forward to making my nails look like Monet paintings!
Deciem (an umbrella for many cool, science-y beauty things) also had a goodie bag for each of the BBQ attendees (even the guys!).
Hylamide Low Molecular HA - a hydrating facial serum with 5 forms of hyaluronic compounds with different weights to target visible skin rehydration
Hylamide Photography Foundation (Transparent) - a clear foundation that is meant to blur imperfections in real life and for the camera. I'm excited to try this one, in hopes of it being the perfect no-makeup makeup!
Fountain Phyto-Collagen Molecule - a beauty supplement with sweetener containing collagen cx and hyaluronic acid. While I'm a bit wary of beauty supplements, what the heck, I'm going to give this one a go (granted it tastes okay).
If you're in downtown Toronto and got a few hours to spare, consider checking out the Toronto International Film Festival (September 10th to 20th). The city is hustling and bustling, given all the filmmakers, actors, media, and movie goers that saturate the areas near movie screenings. For the first time, I dived right into the action...
I didn't spot an celebrity actors/actresses but I did walk by Susur Lee... and maybe Matt Damon. Optionally, you can hang out near the red carpet and be a member of the paparazzi.
4. Try the McDonalds McCafe Premium Roast Coffee or Tea
Especially useful if you work early mornings near King & University.
5. Refresh yourself with a cold cup of Pure Leaf Tea
Because coffee is WAY too warm for Toronto's humidity.
6. Make a cheese movie pun to win tickets to the TIFF Closing Night Party by tweeting it to @100canadianmilk with the hashtag #starring cheese
Free food WOOOO.
7. Try the L'Oreal Genius App and get a free gilded Color Riche Lipstick. Share a selfie wearing the lipstick using the hashtag #LOrealTIFF to win tickets to Closing Night festivities
Free lipstick WOOOO.
8. Get a free tote bag with an iron on movie ticket motif from EXPRESS
9. Take selfies in the Andy Warhol Stars of the Silver Screens Photo Booth
Or group photos if you have friends.
10. Win a $5 McDonalds Card from Avion
Excuse me while I order 3 Junior McChickens.
OKAY. So there's a lot to do at TIFF 2015.. and I haven't even done it all. Oh. And congrats to TIFF for 40 years and many more!
Have you ever been to the Toronto International Film Festival? Do you plan on seeing a movie this year?
9/10 of the things are free to the public on King Street from University to Peter! I paid for the movie ticket with my own hard earned $$$.
Fall is here and I'm attempting to get back into the habit of having deep, bold, matte colours on my face. If you're looking to skip "transitioning" into Fall, the Gosh Velvet Touch Matte Lipsticks ($14) are the perfect way to do so.
The Gosh Velvet Touch Matte Lipsticks are available in 8 shades - baby lips, rose, antique, coral, classic red, raspberry, cherry and plum. Above are 006 Raspberry and 005 Classic Red, both standard autumnal hues.
The Velvet Touch formulation is hella pigmented. Since it's matte, it comes with all the blehs of wearing matte lipstick. It drags slightly during application and catches onto dry areas of the lips if you haven't exfoliated prior. Luckily, it's got carnauba, candelilla and bees wax for moisture, which gives the lipstick a slight velvet sheen and plumpness and doesn't feel totally drying. It also comes with the benefits of a matte - long wear time (5-7 hours) and clean lip lines/no bleeding.
Matte Raspberry
Matte Classic Red
Overall, stunning fall shades in what you'd expect out of a matte lipstick formulation. I'm not really ready for Fall but at least wearing the Gosh Velvet Touch Matte Lipsticks make me feel otherwise. The Gosh Velvet Touch Lipsticks are available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart, as are products from Soap and Glory and Life Brand.
Have you ever tried the Gosh Velvet Touch Lipsticks?
No, no. They're not coloured pencils for back to school. They're the Shu Uemura Haute Street Eye Color Pencils ($30) featuring dual-ended wild colour.
I'm obsessed with photographing the Haute Street Eye Color Pencils. They're playful and almost child-like with the pencil crayon style packaging. Yet it's not just a gimmick. It's a stellar product. The neon blue, green, yellow and pink are fun and true to colour.
The texture is excellent, as is the staying power when set with a powder product (i.e. the Shu Uemura Haute Street Eyeshadow Palettes). They're highly pigmented and smooth but hard enough that they don't mush when you attempt to sharpen them or draw a sharp line applying some pressure to the pencil. They're also quite versatile as either an eyeliner to accent the frame of the eye or as a cream eyeshadow by colouring the lid and blending for a gradated effect.
Rest assured, I'll be using these for some Halloween looks.
Have you ever come across colours like this?
Press samples featured. The Haute Street Collection is available as of September 2015 at select Hudson's Bay and Sephora locations as well as www.shuuemura.ca
To get glammed up for the event that is the Toronto International Film Festival, I attended the #RevTheRedCarpet2015 Beauty Lounge presented by Revlon Professional Brands, which included a CND Nail Bar, Revlon Professional Hair Bar and American Crew Grooming Station.
First, I got my nails did. Liliya (instagram: @liliyalehetacnd) spent a solid hour on the beautiful nail art design pictured below. She used a combination of polishes from the CND Fall 2015 Contradictions Collection and the CND Holiday 2015 Aurora Collection.
Products Used: Naked Naïveté, a nude pink (Fall 2015); Peacock Plume, a deep navy blue with a subtle shimmer (Fall 2015); and Glacial Mist, an icy blue with shimmer and glitter (Holiday 2015).
Then, I got my hair done. Tim of Revlon Professional gave me a soft, wavy daytime curl. Can I get someone to do my hair like this every day?
And... I went home with a generous bag of Revlon Professional, CND, and American Crew swag.
From Revlon Professional - Style Masters Volume Elevator Spray, Style Masters Hairspray Modular, Style Masters Volume Shampoo and Conditioner, Revlon Professional Uniq One Coconut, Revlon Professional Nutri Color Creme, Revlon Professional Equave, Orofluido Asia Hair Treatment
From American Crew - Post cards for 20 years of American Crew, a book of The Winning Classics (American Crew Hairstyles) and American Crew Shampoo and Firm Hold Styling Gel
From CND - a few of the polishes from the Holiday 2015 Collection
Someone please tell me what to do with multiple post cards of men with very coif hair. Anyways, a rad event, perfect to get me all prettied up for a movie date with myself. Thanks for having me Revlon Professional/CND/American Crew!
Ever tried CND, Revlon Professional or American Crew? What do you think of the brands?
Ho ho ho. I know It's mid-September...but it's never too early to start looking forward to Christmas, right? I previewed the Lush Holiday 2015 Collection in late July (with the Oxford Street Collection) and had to keep it a secret until now! By no means are these photos all encompassing. There's 12 bath bombs, 7 bubble bars, 4 holiday-themed bars of FUN, 4 shower gels and jellies, 5 soaps and more!
Holly Golightly Bubble Bar ($10.95) // infused with clove and cinnamon leaf oils and especially shimmery for the holiday season
Five Gold Rings ($7.45) // if you're not into silver shimmer, how bout some gold shimmer?
Peeping Santa Bubble Bar ($7.45) // SANTA SANDWICH TOO CUTE
Magic Wand Reusable Bubble Bar ($9.95)
Butter Bear Bath Bomb ($4.95) // smells like a great big hug of vanilla
Golden Wonder Bath Bomb ($6.95) // with sweet orange, lime and cognac oils
Shoot for the Stars Bath Bomb ($6.95) // blue shimmery water that smells like Honey I Washed the Kids soap!
Father Christmas Bath Bomb ($6.40) // Santa's face on your bubble bar, anyone?
Yog Nog Bath Bomb ($6.95) // with a luxury bath oil in the centre
Star Dust Bath Bomb ($5.95)
Luxury Lush Pud Bath Bomb ($6.95) // has an edible piece of holly at the top (but don't eat it!)
Snow Fairy and Rose Jam Shower Gels ($9.95 for 100mL each) // the classics
Icing on the Cake Roulade ($9.95 per 100g) // a self-preserving shower smoothie!
Reindeer Rock Soap ($6.95 per 100g) inspired by Scandinavian ancient paintings + Snowcake Soap ($7.95 per 100g)
Baked Alaska Soap ($7.95 per 100g) is inspired by the dessert (on the left)
PRESENTS!
Even with the cold weather coming, at least there's something warm to look forward to (aka a nice hot bath with a warm smelling bath bomb).
What holiday collections are you looking forward to?
Regardless of the seasons, colour and creativity is always in. This fall, there's the limited edition Haute Street Eye Shadow Palettes ($90), which each contain six eyeshadows featuring wearable neutrals to pearly vibrant shades.
With the exception of the graffiti motif, the packaging is standard for Shu Uemura. You can easily depot the shadows into a bigger pan or mix and match the shadows in different palettes to customize the shades.
According to Shu Uemura, there are three types of shades in both of the palettes:
> definition shades - matte black or matte brown
> wall canvas shades - grey toned shades to mimic concrete city walls to be used as a base for brighter colours and
> accent shades - vivid colours in a pearl texture to accent or add a statement
Generally, the "definition" and "wall canvas" shades are easy to blend, smooth and soft in texture. To be honest, several of the accent shades were a little disappointing and sheer when I applied them on the lids. If you want stand out colour with the pink, orange, yellow, blue and green, you'll need to use either a primer or a cream base. Luckily, there's the Shu Uemura Haute Street Eye Color Pencils in cool x chic and warm x vibrant which are excellent pairings to the palettes.
cool x chic
From the cool x chic palette, the first four colours are excellent, especially the matte purple-grey and the brown-purple satin shadows.
warm x vibrant
From the warm x vibrant palette, the first three appear on the lids as they do in swatches. The three on the right are quite sheer on the lids.
For the most part, the shadows are excellent, however there are some that need a little help. What strikes me as impressive is the conceputalization of the palettes. I love the idea of using the eyes as a blank canvas, building with a concrete-esque shade and then accenting and defining with colour and depth.
Which palette do you prefer - cool x chic or warm x vibrant?
Press samples featured. The Haute Street Collection is available as of September 2015 at select Hudson's Bay and Sephora locations as well as www.shuuemura.ca
Summer is soon to be over. Not looking forward to saying goodbye to my tan. Good thing there's bronzer to tie my bronze-y glow over through the winter until next year. Essence just launched the Sun Club Shimmering Bronzing Powders ($3.99), which for one, smell AMAZING (like the beach or a really nice sunscreen) and two, have a 3D provocative beach babe embossed into them.
There are two shades of the Essence Sun Club Shimmering Bronzing Powders available - 30 sunloved, which is geared towards lighter skin and 20 suntanned, which is meant to be for brunettes/darker skin types. Both shades were surprisingly finely milled, something I don't usually expect from a drugstore bronzing product (the texture of the Essence bronzer gives the Rimmel and NYC bronzers a run for their money). suntanned is slightly warmer than sunloved and both have a very soft golden shimmer, which is undetectable when applied to the face.
The blends so effortlessly into the skin (*like a dream*) and lasts on my skin for 5-6 hours.
Above, I'm wearing 30 sunloved, which is a good shade match for my particular colouring. However, if you're super pale, this will definitely be too orangey for you. I find 20 suntanned (for darker skin) too orange for me, but you'll like this if you're a little more tan.
Do you like to stay bronze-y come fall? Or do you embrace the lack of sunshine in the fall/winter?
Press samples featured. The essence Sun Club Shimmering Bronzing Powders are available as of August 2015, exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart.
I'm a little upset at Shu Uemura for not launching their Haute Street Rouge Unlimited Lipsticks in City Neon and Avenue Sunset ($36) sooner. The colours are appropriately vibrant yet semi-opaque for the summer weather and the formula is comfortable and ultra-moisturizing.
I wish Shu Uemura had done something cool and graffiti (like these paint tubes) on the lipstick packaging. The sleek, silver casing is chic but for a limited edition I want more!
Packaging woes aside, the lipstick shades are WOW. Avenue Sunset is an orange with a slightly warm red lean and City Neon is a bright pink with a touch of blue tone.
The Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimted Lipsticks have just the right amount of pigmentation for those who want to experiment with colour but don't want to go all out. The finish is shiny in an almost dewy, wet way that reminds me a lot of the Etude House My Jelly Lips Talk. Since it's a more slippy and moist than a matte lipstick, it glides over the lips flawlessly but the staying power is about 3 hours.
Shu Uemura also released two Supreme Shine Rouge Unlimited Lipsticks with the Haute Street Collection (Brick Burgundy and Highway Pink). The Original Rouge Unlimited Lipsticks already have quite the glossy shine going on, so I can't even imagine how much shinier the Supreme Shines might be.
Anyways, there's a little more than a week left until we say goodbye to summer but without a doubt I'll still be wearing these colours.
Are you ready to let go of summer?
Press samples featured. The Haute Street Collection is available as of September 2015 at select Hudson's Bay and Sephora locations as well as www.shuuemura.ca
I'm unleashing my inner artist with the Essie Watercolor Silk Collection. Inspired by the thin yet visible brush strokes of 19th century Impressionism, I've created a Monet-esqe nail look using a few of the warm colours from the Essie Watercolor Silk Collection.
Sheer polishes aren't really a new thing but when they're marketed as an artistic take on polish... every brand seems to be coming out with a line (OPI's Sheer Paints Collection and Sephora Formula X's Infinite Ombre Nail Design Set).
Products used:
Essie White Page
Essie Muse Myself
Essie Art New-Beau
Essie Blush Stroke
Seche Vite Top Coat
To get the look, I used two coats of White Page and left it to dry. Then I made small, random dot-like brush strokes on each of the nails with all of the colours. The more random the better I guess. It took me a little bit of thinking to figure out that sheer polishes are best when there's as little polish on the brush as possible. Too much polish laid on the nail made the sheer polish actually appear more opaque, vibrant and less watercolor-like.
In general, I'm a huge fan of this sheer nail polish thing and I can't wait to play more!
Have you tried the Essie Watercolor Silks?
Featured products received from Julie's purge stash (see here).
"Awaken creativity to reveal undiscovered beauty" - Uchide, International Artistic Director for Shu Uemura. Inspired by the vibrancy and visual expression of street art and poetry comes a new Vision of Beauty Collection from Shu Uemura. The Haute Street Collection features youthful daily makeup pieces with the potential to awaken creativity and make a strong statement through colour.
Originally, I wanted to do a look that drew from the colours of the warm x vibrant eye palette and eye pencil. I wasn't quite happy with the pigmentation of the oranges and pinks from the eye palette, so the look ended up being more of a neutral eye and orange lip with an accented lower lash line using the bright pinks and yellows of the warm x vibrant Eye Color Pencils.
On the lips, I layered the Rouge Unlimited Lipstick in Avenue Sunset over the Tint in Gelato in Graffiti Orange. I also applied the Tint in Gelato in Graffiti Orange sparingly on the cheeks for a bit of an orange glow.
Despite my issues with the shadows, I'm happy with how things turned out - a simple look with a pop of wow.
In terms of the collection as a whole, as someone who is fond of graffiti and street culture I can appreciate Shu Uemura's youthful take on its new makeup collection. On the coolness scale, this collection ranks a 11 out of 10 for wearable yet vibrant colours and unique packaging. The packaging features a cool signature with the hidden letters S-H-U, created by Oyama Enrico Isamu, a German-Italian-Japanese contemporary artist living in New York.
I TOOK IT TO THE STREETS (aka my driveway) to snap photos of the collection.
In addition, there s a few more colours of the Tint in Gelato Lip Colors and the Rouge Unlimited Lipsticks, two drawing pencils in violet and brown ($28) and an artist edition collector's brush set ($500).
Which of the Haute Street products are popping out at you? How would you create a look using the Haute Street collection?
Press samples featured. The Haute Street Collection is available as of September 2015 at select Hudson's Bay and Sephora locations as well as www.shuuemura.ca
