fun size beauty

Quo has updated its brow palette for Fall 2015 with stunning printed packaging. In fact, all of the face and eye palettes for Fall 2015 feature the blue/peach/teal/white pattern. Can I please get this in the form of a nail art sticker?

The Quo Brow Wow ($12) is similar to its predecessors of Fall 2014 and Spring 2015 in size and price. The bad? The product is housed in cardboard instead of plastic and the packaging lacks a mirror. The good? There's one more brow colour and all of the powders appear slightly cooler toned.

If you haven't read my previous reviews of Quo brow palettes, the powders are soft and easy to work into the eyebrows, which is perfect for creating natural definition.

I used to be a total brow noob and now that I've become more accustomed to filling them in, I've got a go-to gel, pencil and powder (this on from Quo!).

Have you tried the Quo Brow Wow?

Press samples featured. Quo is exclusively available at Shoppers Drug Mart. The Fall 2015 Collection will be available September 2015.

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ANOTHER nude eyeshadow palette from essence. This time it's the How To Make Nude Eyes Make-Up Box ($9.99).

The packaging is extremely reminiscent of Benefit's boxed sets but at a more affordable price point. I'm not a huge fan of boxed packaging because typically the boxes take up way more space than the actual size of the shadows. On the bright side, there's a mirror and an applicator with a sponge tip AND a brush. The box also comes with two step-by-step instruction cards for two different looks (which I won't reveal, you'll need to check the Essence How to Make Nude Eyes Palette out for yourself!).

The palette contains six shades:

Eye Light Beige (white)
Go For Gold (bronzed gold)
An Eye on Apricot (light gold)
All About Nude (purple-grey)
Nude Night Out (cool dark brown)
Team Nude (warm dark brown)

Each of the shadows have a slight sheen. The shimmers are very fine, so they reflect the light nicely off the eye for a natural hit of dimension. The downside is that none of the shades are truly matte...and for neutral/nude palettes I like to have at least one matte highlight for the brow bone and one matte medium brown for blending. This palette has neither. However, if you don't deem mattes necessary in your eyeshadow routine, then it's all good. Furthermore, the shadows are so-so quality but Essence has definitely put out softer, less chalky eyeshadows in the past (see the Essence All About Chocolates Palette).

Below is a simple look that I came up with using An Eye on Apricot all over the lid and into the inner corners, Team Nude on the mobile lid and Nude Night Out on the outer third of the eye. The shadows are sheer yet noticeable and add a slight glimmer to the eyes without looking overdone.

Overall, the Essence How to Make Nude Eyes Palette is a really great no eyeshadow eyeshadow palette that's perfect looking pretty in a conservative office environment or on first date (or even at the gym... shhhhh... no one will ever know!).

Do you like your eyeshadows sheer/neutral/natural?

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Despite having oily/combo skin, I've never been afraid of using oils. Throughout my time as an oil-user, I've found that most oil-based skincare products are on the pricier side ($15-$100+), so I was happy to hear that a range of oils under $10 each had launched in Canada.

From the makers of Bio-Oil comes a brand new range of six affordable oil-based skincare products dubbed as Lipidol. Typically, daily washing with hot water and soap may strip the skin of it's natural oils and reduces the effectiveness of the skin's moisture barrier, which helps the skin to hold moisture and protects the skin from the environment.

Let's talk packaging. The clear plastic is surprisingly... chic! I love that the colours in the bottles reflect the types of natural plant extract and essential oil ingredients used in the products.

I received three of the 6. Missing from this review are the After Shower Oil, After Shave Oil, and the soon to be released Sun-Tan Oil.

Lipidol Cleansing Face Oil ($8.97)

> what it does: "removes dirt and make-up without stripping the skin's natural oily layer"

> when to use it: when removing makeup

> smells like: Rosemary and Neroli

> the verdict: It's a straightforward facial cleansing oil that turns into a milky consistency when it comes into contact with water. It does a great job at removing makeup including waterproof mascara. Upon rinsing, my skin felt moisturized but not greasy, however I'm still not comfortable with only using an oil to remove product off my face, so I still double cleanse.

Lipidol Cleansing Body Oil ($8.97)

> what it does: "washes away dirt without stripping the skin's natural oily layer, leaving skin smooth and soft"

> when to use it: in the shower

> smells like: Lime

> the verdict: Cleansing BODY oils are a new concept for me. I love facial cleansing oils, so I suspected that a body oil would be similar. I was surprised that this oil actually lathers when it comes into contact with water. It's not a soapy lather, just light, sudsy bubbles. After rinsing the oil off, my skin felt smooth and again, not at all greasy just hydrated. On a side note, I'm usually fond of citrusy scents but the lime essential oil is a little strange for me.

Lipidol Overnight Face Oil ($8.97)

> what it does: "supplements the skin's natural oily layer, increasing moisture retention and enhancing overnight rejuvenation"

> when to use it: before bedtime

> smells like: Ylang-Ylang and Black Pepper

> the verdict: THIS is the one that feels oily on my skin, rather than hydrating. I even wake up feeling a bit slimy, perhaps because my skin is naturally an oil slick. The Overnight Face Oil feels like it'd be great for the winter time or pasty legs but it's definitely not great for oily skin in the summer. I'll be putting this one on the back burner until later in the year and I'll keep y'all updated if my thoughts on this change.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend both the Lipidol Cleansing Body Oil and the Cleansing Face Oil if you're looking to get into using oil-based skincare but you're on a tight budget.

What's your favourite affordable oil-based skincare product?

Press samples featured. Lipidol is available exclusively at Walmart.

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Last year, I attempted to dye a portion of my hair purple. It didn't work (see here) I tried again using the Splat Rebellious Hair Colour Kit in Lusty Lavender (~$13) and this time it worked...kind of.

I used the "business in the front, party in the back" mentality from my last post that I got from the Beauty Department. The SPLAT Hair Colour Kit turned out to be quite a vibrant colour but much more red-purple than lavender-purple, likely because I hadn't bleached my hair to a pale blonde.

The SPLAT Rebellious Hair Colour Kit came with a powder bleach, oxide (to mix with the bleach), the hair color and instructions + gloves. The instructions were pretty straightforward. In a nutshell...

1. BLEACH - I mixed the bleach powder into the oxide and apply to hair for up to 60 minutes. My hair was NOT a pale blonde, which usually is the case with most bleaching products. SPLAT recommends double bleaching, which I didn't end up doing because I didn't want to suck the life out of my hair, so my hair was a brassy medium brown. Obviously, if my hair was fully bleached, the colour would have been more vibrant

2. DYE - To avoid staining my skin, I smothered vaseline all over my neck and around my ears. Then, on dry hair, my Mom helped me to squeeze the dye onto my hair and smooth it into the length of my hair. I waited a another hour and a bit for the die to sink in. Then, I washed the dye out until the water ran clear.

SPLAT is known to not wash out completely after 6 weeks, leaving a slight tint on the hair. Since the part of my hair that I dyed isn't really noticeable unless I tie my hair up.

While the colour result wasn't totally purple (because my hair wasn't totally bleached), I'm happy with how it turned out. I still got a purple(ish) dye job that's a pretty different colour from my jet black hair.

Have you ever dyed your hair a crazy colour?

Press sample featured. SPLAT Hair Colour Kits are available at Jean Coutu, London Drugs, as wells some Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharama Save, Walmart, IDA, Guardian, Familiprix, Lawtons Drugs, Save On, Value Drug Mart and Peoples Drug Mart Stores. For more information, visit www.farleyco.ca/Splat/Products.html

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I went to IMATS for my second time! This year, IMATS Toronto was held in September (as opposed to November) and on a different floor of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. But the same kind of makeup demos and workshops + beauty buying deals as 2014. See last year's experience here.

The IMATS calm before the storm.

A new sighting, Benefit at IMATS Toronto! Everything was 35% off and buy 3 items and get a free gift.

SPOTTED: The Real Techniques new Bold Metals Collection are through FarleyCo.ca. Prices range from $23-34.

ZOELLA BEAUTY is now available in Canada also through FarleyCo.ca. Prices range from $7-15. Also, there's a new scent of the Co:Lab Dry Shampoo - Paris!

LIP BAR wins the award for prettiest booth at IMATS Toronto 2015

The MAC Cosmetics booth looking as cool as ever.

WOOO floral body paint!

ALL the MAC lipsticks.

> Where I had intended to go : Bdellium Tools (for the 776 eye brush), NYX, Face Atelier, Ingot, MAC, MUFE, Hakuhodo (for the G5555), Saint Cosmetics

> What I told myself NOT to buy: shadows, polishes, liners, blushes, lipsticks

> What I actually bought:

Beauty Blender Pro (~$11) - split a 6 pack beauty blenders for $65 with Steph from theFantasia and Zubie of Living the Grey
Cinema Secrets Make Up Brush Cleanser ($7+ tax from Blur Makeup Room) - it's a rinse-free cleanser and I'm too lazy to wash my brushes with water
OCC Ready to Wear (RTW) Lip Tar in Black Dahlia ($15+ tax from Blur Makeup Room) - the colour is SO FALL... now the weather just has to follow suit
MAC Face and Body Foundation in C3 ($40, 20% off) - I've been lusting over Face & Body since 2013 (see here) and finally took the plunge
MAC Cream Colour Base in Improper Copper (~$10, 40% off with the help of a MAC Pro Card at the Eaton Centre) - I broke my blush/eyeshadow rule but I'm just going to douse my whole face in this stuff because it's SO PRETTY - kinda like NARS Orgasm in cream form

In total I spent $86, just slightly less than the $99 worth of things I picked up at IMATS 2014. No regrets yet and I hope to update y'all with my thoughts in the next few months.

> Noteworthy deals that I'm FOMO-ing about:

$40 for the Too Faced Chocolate Bar and Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar Palettes
$80 for Viseart Palettes
More MAC stuffs
Hakuhodo brushes

The obligatory #BBLOGGERSCA IMATS photo!

...AND last but not least, a huge lunch to finish the morning off (followed by a brisk walk to the Bloor St. MAC Store for more makeups)

> Other IMATS thoughts...

I didn't end up buying the Bdellium 776 Eye Brush because I hardly even wear eyeshadow on the daily and when I do the Hakuhodo J5523 is sufficient for me. Also, I didn't end up picking up the Hakuhodo G5555 brush, a small, synthetic/goat hair combo for face makeup because it was a little outside of my price tolerance (for the time being.
I avoided the NYX booth (and Morphe and MUFE) because the lineup(s) were ridiculous.
Saint Cosmetics had some really cool, good-ingredient, Canadian-made, buttery soft shadows
Zubie had a grey fanny pack from ASOS that looked surprisingly chic...
Rachelle's eyeshadow was ON FLEEK.
Lines-ups of people make me a bit claustrophobic and I'm not particularly fond of breathing recycled air... but all the makeup deals were worth it

Did you go to IMATS Toronto this year? :)

I attended IMATS Toronto free of charge via a press pass, but all the purchases were made by me!

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DX3Empower - a 1-day conference that connects beauty, fashion and lifestyle influencers with brands for face-to-face discussion about the industry and authentic partnerships. What first drew me to the conference was news that Wendy Nguyen of Wendy's Lookbook was going to be the opening key note speaker. Wendy's keynote was superb but the conference was that and so much more...

In addition to the opening keynote, Kevin Keane of Brainsights discussed the outcomes of a brain scan done on millennials, there were curated conversations with brands on the topics of monetization, time management, partnership programs, rebranding, social media management and content disclosure and a closing keynote from none other than RachhLoves, who talked about the business of Youtube.

the secret to being a top social media influencer like @rachhloves ... (stand on a chair) #dx3empower 😂🙋#fromwhereistand
A photo posted by stephanie lau (@stephh_lau) on Sep 19, 2015 at 5:50pm PDT

A few key takeaways...

Wendy Nguyen of Wendy's Lookbook spoke of her childhood, teenage years and how she quit her corporate bank job, went viral, become a storyteller on Youtube, and how she pitched and landed brand collaborations with the likes of brands such as Bauble Bar and Tacori. Don't be fooled by her petite, delicate appearance, she worked hard to get where she is now. She had THREE jobs in high school and gave the audience the most adorable takeaway ever - to maximize your value-for-money at Jamba Juice (one of her part-time jobs), order the largest size, which is 30oz and tell them you want it "extra thick"... apparently this means that Jamba Juice will have to fill your smoothie cup more than the usual. Best tip EVER.
According to Kevin Keane of Brainsights...the millennial audience wants an honest, personal experience. To provide this, influencers must know their brand, minimize statistics/science (unless you're an expert), know their audience, and choose brand partners wisely
If you want your blog/brand to be treated like a serious business, act like it is. Realistically, if you want to be a full-time (or even part-time) blogger, a press sample of the latest and greatest lipstick will NOT put food on the table. In some ways, being a blogger is quite similar to the role of a journalist. Journalists get paid. So should bloggers. Ask and you shall receive. If you want a brand/PR agency to pay you for your time and effort, don't take anything less than you deserve.

During the breaks there was also a bunch of booths set up by sponsors - one of the highlights... an Annabelle My Lab custom lip gloss mixing station (I made mine purple!). Other sponsors included So...? Fragrances, League, Convey, Tresemme, Cision, Izea, L'Occitane, Nine West, Greenhouse Juice Co, Giftagram, The Kit, Zipcar, The Wild North, Daniel Christian Tang, and #paid. Thanks for all the swag bag goodies, can't wait to dig in!

Anyways, there was a lot to take in at the conference and I'm excited to apply what I learned at DX3Empower to take my blog to the next level!

What do you think of brand partnerships, social media marketing and paid posts?

Good matte eyeshadows are the one thing that most drugstore eyeshadow palettes lack. The solution? The Sonia Kashuk Eye Couture Eye On Neutral Matte 02 ($19.99 at Target). Whenever my I need a neutral matte shadow, the Eye on Neutral palette is my go-to.

The packaging is sleek and minimal (which I like). The only thing it's missing is a mirror.

The Sonia Kashuk Eye On Neutral Palette could very well be a semi-dupe of the Tarte Tartlette Amazonian Clay Matte Eyeshadow Palette that's less than half the price. I say "semi-dupe" because (1) I don't own the Tartlette Palette, so I can't compare (2) the colours aren't exactly the same. Regardless, the Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral Matte Palette is an amazing set of drugstore mattes. There's minimal powder kick-up and fallout, the shadows are easy to blend, and there's a good variety of eyeshadow colours.

By my estimation/description, the 12 colours included in the palette are:

- bone

- tan skintone

- peach skintone

- orange-leaning light brown

- mauve

- light brown

- warm medium brown

- cool medium brown

- dark brown

- grey brown

- grey

- black

The palette is a phenomenal combo light, medium and dark shades, easily used alone or combined with shadows from other palettes. My favourites are the warm brown and the dark brown, which I used in the look below:

I don't reach for this palette as much as I should (I don't wear eyeshadow as much as I should). But it's really, really nice to have on-hand.

What's your favourite matte palette?

Featured product received at a swap

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Once upon a time my skin was riddled with acne. Those days are gone (hopefully) but I can't really shake off the feeling of the stripping skincare products I used to draw out oils from my face, leaving me dry. Holistic Vanity's Acne Care organic line is targeted towards breakout-prone skin. Ingredients in the range are meant to detoxify and purify, with the added benefit of gently hydrating the skin.

Holistic Vanity Purifying Black Mud Cleanser ($28) - Holistic Vanity says this cleanser is non-stripping, strong yet gentle due to the detoxifying and balancing Black Mud. I do find the cleanser very gentle. It's effective but not effective enough. That waterproof mascara? Liquid lipstick? Those babies need something heavy duty. I prefer the Black Mud Cleanser for mornings and find it necessary to pair it up with an oil-based remover in the evenings.

Holistic Vanity Anti-Bac Pine Mint Skin Tonic ($26) - Smells like a forest. This is my FAVE product of the Acne-fighting line. It's in a pump bottle which is inconvenient but pouring the product into a spray bottle makes this skin tonic a mist a dream come true. The pine needles and mint leaves skin feeling refreshed.

Holistic Vanity Clarifying Black Cumin Oil ($43) - Sometimes I like oils. Sometimes I don't. The Black Cumin Oil features cumin oil for its antibacterial qualities and babassu oil for its anti-inflammatory qualities. But this one wasn't for me. Despite being targeted for oily/acne-prone people, I found this oil too heavy for my face.

Holistic Vanity Balancing Black Mud Turmeric Lotion ($50) - Last but not least, the turmeric lotion - a lightweight moisturizer that includes many of the ingredients aforementioned... black mud, babassu oil, etc. It leaves skin feeling hydrated but not to the point of oiliness and absorbs immediately into the skin.

If anything, the tonic and lotion are the star products - both great for balancing the skin. The cleanser and oil fell a little short of my expectations so as a total range, I can't really speak for its ability to combat acne-prone skin.

Pure + Simple is an all-natural, holistic skincare company with spas in the GTA and Waterloo. Funnily enough, I have an appointment at the Waterloo location this morning and I'll be posting about that experience soon! Holistic Vanity is available at Pure + Simple spas and www.pureandsimple.ca

Have you tried Holistic Vanity? What's your favourite anti-acne skincare product?

Press samples featured

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I spend a lot of time talking about makeups and and other pretty things but time has not been on my side. So, I'll be supplementing my posts with weekly updates. Enjoy!

I've moved back to school (aka Waterloo). I'm now in my fourth year and last (and most stressful) term of university. For some reason, I have 5 assignments due next week. 4 are with groups. One of my courses has 10 weekly group assignments with 10 DIFFERENT groups... ew.
As you may have noticed, the daily blog post thing is no longer ... a thing. It'll be a little slower, so expect maybe 3-4 posts per a week instead of 5-7.
I've also taken up a position as a Teaching Assistant and I'm helping to plan Grad Ball. Ya know, just keeping my already busy self... well... more busy.
FOOD, lots of food! One of my roommates is really, really good at cooking and he made chicken parmesan (#BLESSED). OH and the same night there was cauliflower pizza by a different roommate but equally as yum.
This week, I also made chocolate chia seed pudding using coconut milk and whack load of banana chocolate chip oatmeal muffins. Follow me on instagram for food updates @stephh_lau :D
On the bright side, I'm spending more time around people (yay!) than on the internet.

How was your week?

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Good news - my CND Shellac manicure lasted more than two weeks! My nails look almost exactly the same as they did a couple weeks ago - minus the regrowth and some minor wear-down on my thumbs. I would have worn the Shellac for another week, without a doubt that it wouldn't chip, but the design (despite looking amazing) was getting a little boring for me.

Then came the removal...

After a little googling, removing CND's Shellac is no different from removing a gel polish like Bio Seaweed Gel. A 10 minute acetone soak (aka wrapping your finger nails in cotton pads spritzed with 100% acetone and covered with aluminum foil) is all you need. After the 10 minutes, the Shellac will start to peel. Then, with an orange stick, you can scrape off the polish.

I found that the glitter polishes took a little extra acetone to remove any excess. My nails were looking a little famished but a little buffing and some nail oil fixed it all.

Would I get CND Shellac again? Definitely. Looks shiny, lasts long and with a little patience, it's easy to remove. The only problem is that I can't switch up my nail art often. So, if I'm going somewhere and have zero time to do my nails, a Shellac mani would be my go-to.

Have you ever tried CND Shellac?

I got my CND Shellac manicure done at an event!

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The scent of waffles reminds me of home.

Warm, enveloping, sweet. Since my parents bought a waffle maker at least 10 years ago, Sunday mornings (and sometimes nights) would be waffle day - sometimes sweet waffles with chocolate chips and occasionally savoury waffles with green onions... I'd take waffles over pancakes any day.

Even after I moved out to university 5 years ago, my Dad took the time to make waffles for the family every time I was home.

According to Demeter Fragrance Library, our strongest emotional response is to that of our sense of smell, especially the scents of everyday objects and life experiences. I chose waffles because they evoke feelings of home and family and childhood.

That being said, WAFFLES is one of the most absurd scents that I've ever heard of. And the icing on the cake (or should I say maple syrup on the waffles?) was that the Demeter Fragrance Library team was kind enough to pair my choice of Waffles with Vanilla Cake Batter and Cinnamon Bun. Though I was hoping to get a pairing like Waffles with Orange Juice and Bacon, I guess the former set works better together.

Demeter's Waffles scent wasn't what I expected. After the slight alcohol scent wafts away, you're left with something warm and subtly spicy. It wasn't waffles for me. But after layering Vanilla Cake Batter on top - spot on. The Vanilla Cake Batter adds the sweetness that the Waffles scent on its own was missing. I don't usually put Cinnamon in my Waffles but I do also love Cinnamon buns. I prefer not to layer all three scents together as it makes my waffles to cinnamon scented and less vanilla-y.

Cinnamon Buns are also one of my favourite treats. I found the scent on its own was much spicier than that of Waffles, so again, adding Vanilla Cake Batter on top reminded me of the aroma that is passing by a Cinnabon at the mall... and made me want to lick my arm.

Overall, the Demeter Fragrance Library Scent Blending experience was an interesting one. I definitely prefer blended scents rather than a single scent, as the only one I found that matched my expectations was Vanilla Cake Batter but in general I'm super happy with my blends.

To profess my love for waffles.. I've curated a few waffle photos from my instagram feed:

Family day is...belgian waffle mountain.
A photo posted by stephanie lau (@stephh_lau) on Feb 17, 2014 at 5:32am PST

MOAR FOOD. breakfast for dinner 🍳🍴 #putaneggonit #gastropost
A photo posted by stephanie lau (@stephh_lau) on Apr 5, 2015 at 6:11pm PDT

Sunday Brunch #vscocam
A photo posted by stephanie lau (@stephh_lau) on Mar 9, 2014 at 10:26am PDT

Waffles or pancakes? Have you tried Demeter?

Press samples featured. Demeter Fragrances are available online at www.DemeterFragrance.com (1 oz for $20USD) and at the Real Canadian Super Store (30 mL for $15CAD)

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While packing my things away to move back to school, I came to the realization that anything that I don't bring with me is probably something I don't need.

/// THE STEPS + RULES

- sort everything by colour (purples/darks, nudes, oranges, reds, pinks)

- swatch

- keep three lipsticks, liners and glosses in each shade category and give away/throw away the rest

/// THE EXCEPTIONS

- minis

- unique colours

/// REDS (keep 4/toss 2)

- shu uemura rouge unlimited lipstick in maroon (keep)

- Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker in Plum Jam (keep)

- Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipstick in Cherry Picking (toss)

- Clinique Color Pop Lipstick in Poppy Pop (toss)

- Make Up For Ever Artist Plexigloss in 304 (keep)

- Rimmel Provocalips in Kiss Me You Fool (keep)

/// ORANGES (keep 2/toss 1)

- shu uemura rouge unlimited matte lipstick in sunshine orange (keep)

- shu uemura rouge unlimited lipstick in orange (keep)

- the Body Shop Colour Crush Lipstick in 105 Coral Cutie (toss)

/// NUDES + other (keep 3/toss 1)

- shu uemura rouge unlimited lipstick in beige (keep)

- Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker in Nudist (keep)

- Revlon Moisture Stain in Stokholm Chic (keep)

- Mary Kay Lip Gloss in Create Change (toss)

/// PURPLES/DARK + other (keep 8, toss 2)

- Hard Candy Fierce Effects Lip Gloss in Skyfall (keep)

- Hard Candy Fierce Effects Lip Gloss in Plum Diva (keep)

- Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Como (keep)

- Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick (matte) in Stronger (keep)

- Wet n Wild MegaLast Lipstick in Vamp (keep)

- Revlon Black Cherry (toss, similar to Cherry Bomb)

- Wet n Wild MegaLast Lipstick in Sugar Plum Fairy (keep)

- Wet n Wild MegaLast Lipstick in Cherry Bomb (keep)

- Wet n Wild MegaLast Lipstick in Cinnamon Spice (keep)

- Rimmel Provocalips in 230 Kiss Fatal (toss)

/// PINKS (keep ALL 5)

- Annabelle Lip Gloss (custom) (keep)

- Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker in Fuchsia-ristic (keep)

- Quo Lipstick in #1(keep)

- Wet N Wild MegaLast Lipstick in Wine Room (keep)

- MAC Huggable Lip Color in Play it Soft (keep)

/// MINIS (keep ALL 8)

- OCC Stained Glosses in Hedonist, Jealous, New Wave and Little Black Dress

- Quo Lip Glosses x 2

- NARS Lip Pencil in Rikugien

- NARS Lip Pencil in Cruella

- Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

- Clinique Chubby Stick in Woppin Watermelon

- Tarte Lip Surgence in Lovely

- Inglot Lip Paint in #90

// CLEAR GLOSS + LINERS (keep ALL 6)

- Wet N Wild Clear Gloss

- Essence Lip Liner in Satin Mauve

- Annabelle Stay Sharp Lip Liner in Java

- CoverGirl Lip Liner in Passion

- Paul & Joe Lip Liner in Persian Peach

- Sephora Lip Artist Palette (keep 1)

/// NOT PICTURED (keep 3/toss 1)

- Rimmel Moisture Renew Lip Liner (clear) (toss)

- Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Lip Gloss in Currant (keep)

- Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Mother (keep)

- Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Lip Volumizer (keep)

/// TOTAL

- keep 40

- toss 7

I'll probably be decluttering some more... I'm finding that I've been gravitating towards a few lipsticks and keep a lot around just to look at, rather than to wear. I want to half my collection to 20 tubes much like Liz (the ReductionistaQueen)...maybe next term?

Have you ever decluttered your lip products? How did it go?

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About a year and a half ago, I did a very similar nail art design to this one. Through a LOT of trial and error, I think nail art has helped to improve my dexterity, attention to detail and precision. So I thought I'd recreate Piet Mondrian's Composition featuring black, white and primary colours on the tiny canvases that are my nails.

Products Used:Essence Wild White Ways*, KISS Black Nail Art Striper, Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art Striper in Yellow*, Essence Fame Fatal*, Sally Hansen Beatnik*

I started with a white base, added in some black lines and then filled everything in with red, yellow and blue, leaving some of the squares/rectangles blank for negative space.

How do you think I did? :)

Press samples featured

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SnapChat filters don't work for me. Either my old, reliable iPhone 4 is too old or my face is weird and the camera can't detect it. Regardless, I've taken matters into my own hands and re-created the SnapChat Barfing Rainbows Filter on my face as a (potential) Halloween costume.

Things you'll need:

> Your daily face and eye makeup (optional)

> A pink blush

> Highly pigmented products in the colours red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple

> A white liquid liner or pencil

> A reference photo

Start with a clean face.

Apply your regular face and eye makeup, leaving the chin area clear.

Apply blush to your heart's desire - even on your nose. The more the better here.

Begin drawing out the lines for your rainbow barf. Since I used six colours in my rainbow, I knew that the third colours on each side had to meet in the middle.

To make your lines straight, it helps to make a triple chin so you can see the skin underneath. SERIOUSLY.

Add white "plus" shapes for an animated sparkle on and around your rainbow... and voila! You'll be barfing rainbows before you know it.

Products Used:

FACE

> CoverGirl Stay Luminous Foundation*

> Guerlain Meteorites Blush in Angelic Radiance*

EYES

> Dior Eye Reviver Eyeshadow Palette*

> CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara

> Sephora Eyelash Curler*

> YSL Brow Pencil

LIPS

> Essence Lip Liner in Satin Mauve*

RAINBOW

> Red - CoverGirl Lip Liner in 215 Passion*

> Orange - Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte Lipstick in Sunshine Orange*

> Yellow - Shu Uemura Eye Color Pencil in Warm x Vibrant*

> Green & Blue - Shu Uemura Eye Color Pencil in Cool x Chic*

> Purple - Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Como*

> White - NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk

I think the makeup was easier to apply than it was to remove...

What do you think of the new SnapChat filters? :)

Press samples featured.

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A couple months ago, I attended a Fall/Winter 2015 event featuring some of KISS's newest launches. Here they are in all their glory!

NAILS

> KISS Polish Pop ($4.97) - WHOOOO nail stickers. There's a tropical design and a geometric one. I've already featured some of these in my Instagram posts :)

> KISS Impress Press-On Manicure ($6.99) - I've talked about these several times on the blog. They're quick and easy to use but can never truly replace my natural nails. See my previous reviews here and here and here.

> KISS Gel Fantasy Nails ($10.99) - These are the step up from the press-ons. I prefer the shape of these ones, as they're rounded rather than squared off!

BROWS

> KISS Beautiful Brow Kit ($7.94) - includes 2 brow colours, 1 highlight, 1 wax, 4 brow stencils, and an little razor. Really, really good deal for the price.

EYES

> KISS Looks So Natural Lashes ($4.97) in Flirty, Shy and Sultry - basically the most affordable, natural-looking lashes in the world.

> KISS Singles One Time Lash Adhesive (~$3.50) - For those times that the corners of your lashes begin to fall off but you don't want to carry an entire pack of lash adhesive in your purse. These baby packs of lash glue are for those times.

> KISS Ever EZ Lashes Starter Kit (~$4.99) - lashes + glue... KISS needs to do this for all their lash offerings. So does every other false lash brand.

BEAUTY TOOLS

> KISS Power File To Go (~$17.99) - if you're into super cool tools for your manicures, try this! It runs on batteries instead of coming with a charger, which is a little annoying but it comes with six different variations of files and buffers.

> KISS 14-piece Manicure Set (~$11.99) - the perfect stater gift for someone who wants to do DIY manicures - files, buffers, cuticle pushers, cuticle nippers, nail scissors and more!

> KISS Instawave Automatic Curling Iron ($69.96) - I've already reviewed this... IT'S AMAZING. - ringlet curls to loose waves and it spins by itself. See my review + before/after photos here.

Lots of lovely things from KISS and at relatively affordable prices too! Interested in seeing a full review of something? Let me know down below :)

Press samples featured. Select KISS products are available at Walmart and Jean Coutu.

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. To acknowledge the cause, the world goes pink. eos (evolution of smooth) is taking part through the yearly eos Breast Cancer Awareness pack ($7.99) featuring the eos Smooth Sphere Lip Balms in two shades of pink - a bestseller Strawberry Sorbet and limited edition Wildberry.

I've talked about eos numerous times. The packaging is adorably shaped (but won't fit in a pant pocket). eos lip balms are 100% natural and USDA certified organic, paraben-free and gluten-free. eos isn't the most thick and hydrating of lip balms, but it's thin and waxy and smooth, which is perfect for wearing under lipsticks without making them patchy.

Both the Smooth Sphere Lip Balms in Wildberry and Strawberry Sorbet smell delectably sweet and fruity. Two great lip balms for a great cause. 100% of net profits will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Do you like eos? Will you be picking up the eos 2015 Breast Cancer Awareness Collection?

Press samples featured. The eos 2015 Breast Cancer Awareness Collection is available September 2015 through November 2015 at Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaws, Walmart, Recall and evolutionofsmooth.com.

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In my last post (about Waffles), I learned that Demeter Fragrances evoke memories. The aroma of waffles holds a special place in my heart. In addition to the Waffles and Cinnamon Buns and Vanilla Cake Batter, Demeter sent a trio of scents inspired by Demeter's CEO Mark Crames. Rice Paddies, Mountain Air, and Vanilla Cake Batter (a double).

Rice Paddy

What Demeter says it smells like: During a trip to a Taiwanese factory, Demeter CEO Mark Crames, found himself surrounded by Rice Paddies. This experience inspired this scent; reflecting the calm, Zen-like nature of the rice paddy itself.

What I think it smells like: Rice pudding - like freshly cooked rice with a touch of sweetness

Mountain Air

What Demeter says it smells like: A personal attempt by Demeter's CEO to capture a recent trip to Alaska, which was one of the most amazing vacations of his life, this scent reflects the crisp, clean, cool mountain air, the endless evergreen and the crystal clear waters of Alaska.

What I think it smells like: An attractive man that just took a shower in mountain spring water - cool and crisp are the two best words to describe this one. I have climbed up a mountain before... but Mountain Air doesn't actually smell like anything.

Vanilla Cake Batter

What Demeter says it smells like: Another Demeter CEO inspired scent, this one reminded him of early childhood and of licking the spoon and bowl when Grandma baked. Is there any better memory? This scent is a simply irresistible blend of all the basics: creamy vanilla, sugar and butter.

What I think it smells like: Exactly what Demeter says it smells like. Except for the one detail about my Grandma baking. My Grandma is more of a MasterChef and my Mom is the Master Baker. In a nutshell, it's simply delicious. Potentially sickeningly sweet but quite yummy if that's the kind of fragrance you're into.

And... I'm a little obsessed with the look of the Demeter fragrance bottles. They look so aesthetically pleasing all lined up in a row.

Funnily enough, even though these are someone else's memories... the Vanilla Cake Batter and Rice Paddy scents are familiar to me. Rice Paddy is definitely my favourite of this set... rice is an a Chinese life staple... brings me back to my roots.

Demeter Fragrance Library hooked it up with the custom Scent Memory Blending Set. You can read my review on my Waffles + pairings here

Have you tried Demeter? Which one do you think you would enjoy most - Rice Paddy, Mountain Air or Vanilla Cake Batter?

Press samples featured. Demeter Fragrances are available online at www.DemeterFragrance.com (1 oz for $20USD) and at the Real Canadian Super Store (30 mL for $15CAD)

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Week notes are going to show up when something interesting (but not worthy of an entire post) pops into the blog life or the "real" life. Mid-term exams are coming... so life may be less interesting in the near future. Here's what's been going on the past few weeks:

EGPR + Hard Candy sent the most fabulous Halloween package. Twas filled with colour and I can't wait to feature some of the products in my Halloween looks!

Took a bike ride with my roommate to Laurel Creek in Waterloo, so I could teach him how to use his newly acquired DSLR (and for some much needed exercise on my part). The weather was 20C and the sunlight was dreamy.

so thankful for family + food🍂🌽🍴 • happy thanksgiving, friends! ☺️
A photo posted by stephanie lau (@stephh_lau) on Oct 11, 2015 at 2:28pm PDT

Before Thanksgiving, I had FIVE assignments due... school will be the death of me. After it was all over, I ditched my textbooks and chilled all weekend long. ALSO, Thanksgiving meals were delightful. My parents didn't cook this year, so I wasn't stuck eating turkey leftovers for the rest of the week.

Today is also my bae's 22nd birthday (@charcharb1nk). YAY 4 BAE!

How was your week?

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Skulls are yet another quintessential part of Halloween time, so I put some of those spooky little guys on my fingertips.

To get the look, paint 4 of your nails black or off-black (I used a deep purple) and one of your nails two coats of a white polish. On the white polish, carve out the cheekbones by painting short, downward-angled lines about halfway down the length of the nail. Fill in the angle to the tip of the nail to create the skull's "cheekbones". With a dotting tool create two dots for eyes and draw an upside down heart for the nose. Use the edge of the brush to create a straight line across the nail, then feather shorter lines perpendicular to make the mouth. To finish, you can paint black around the tips of the nail to shape the jaw.

Easy peasy lemon squeez-y. A skull is just white polish with a bunch of black lines and dots and blobs on top!

Products Used: ArtDeco 702 Couture Dark Queen*, Essie White Page, Born Pretty Store Nail Art Brushes*, The Body Shop Nail Art Pen (dotting tool)*

What do you think of the skull accent nail?

Press samples featured (*)

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If rainbows and unicorns ain't your thing, here's a Halloween tutorial that might make you creep yourself out.

A year ago, I saw a Michelle Phan tutorial for the White Nun in American Horror Story Asylum. This is basically that, with a few alterations given my limited makeup stash. I haven't actually watched American Horror Story Asylum but now that I've put the makeup on my face... I kind of want to!

Things you'll need:

> White face paint

> Setting powder

> Black cream eyeshadow

> Black liquid liner

> Black powder eyeshadow

> Black lash adhesive

> A reference photo

Start with a clean face :)

Paint yo' face white and set with a powder.

Pencil a black cream shadow around the eyes and set with a black eyeshadow for a more intense look.

Use a liquid liner to draw random squiggly lines under the eyes. Then, squeeze some strip lash adhesive over the lines for a watery effect. AND THAT'S IT.