All About That Brow

Hello lovelies, today we're going to discuss eyebrows! When I first started looking into filling my brows in I had a difficult time finding a brow pencil that would match my hair colour. I have dark brown to black hair (depending on the lighting), so anything that was deemed "dark brown" was too warm toned and would look noticeably fake, and nobody wants to look like they have drawn on eyebrows especially with a colour that doesn't even match their eyebrow hair! I began using eyeshadows that were passable as eyebrow colours, however in the past couple of years I noticed more and more products geared towards getting that perfect brow look. Needless to say, I struggled to find brow products that work for me so here are a few products that I have in rotation at the moment, enjoy!

My first brow love was Anastasia Brow Wiz ($27) in the colour 'Ebony'! This pencil was a game changer for me. It has a fine pointed  tip and comes with a small spooly on the other end . It is really well pigmented and gives you so much control over the application that you don't need to press hard at all. You can create more dramatic eyebrows or more natural looking ones with this product. It lasts about 7-8 hours on me, a couple of hours less on humid and hot days but it's small and portable so I carry mine with me at all times just in case I want create a more full look or I need a touch up.

Anastasia Brow Wiz in the colour Ebony

This past fall, I wanted to go back to using a powder to give me a more lighter, natural looking eyebrow for day-to-day and something that would be a bit more "fool proof", in the sense that my brows didn't have to be perfect on days when I only had 5 minutes to get ready! I did a bit of research and finally decided to purchase the Anastasia Brow-Duo ($30) in the colour 'Ash Brown' which is a more cool tone brown (as the name suggests). I apply it with the MAC 263 brush and while it's not the best brow product I've used and could be a little bit more pigmented it gets the job the done for the days I need it. I think if you want to fill in your brow lightly or want a powder to fill in the middle/beginning part of the brow then I'd say give this one a go, otherwise I'd pass on this one.

Anastasia Brow Wiz in the colour Ebony and Brow Duo in the colour Ash Brown

My current favourite is the Anastasia DipBrow Pomade ($23) in the colour 'Ebony". I had read so many reviews for this product but thought it would be way too heavy looking for me. Luckily I was wrong, it's a heavy pigmented cream that dries as a powder, has major staying power, and gives a very clean cut look. Be warned, you need to use a light hand with this product otherwise your brows may look overdrawn. It lasts me the whole day and is waterproof, and only comes off with make remover. I apply mine with the MAC 263 (again) and I really do love this product, it give a very clean looking brow with minimal effort, I would recommend this for girls who want to have an almost too perfect brow (is there really such a thing?).

Anastasia Dip Brow in the colour Ebony

A quick tip for those who struggle drawing clean looking brows, you can clean up any mess with a bit of concealer; just apply concealer around the edges to tidy things up! So those are my current picks at the moment, let me know what you use as I'm always on the hunt for a better product - xo.

IMATS Toronto 2014

Hello lovelies, it was that time of year again for IMATS! This was my second time attending the show in Toronto and it was definitely a lot busier than last. I got to the convention centre at 9am and there was already a long line up to get in. Advice for those of you planning on attending next year, come prepared. I can not stress that enough, it's very chaotic inside the hall so having a list handy will save you time and money. Also, if you're able to stick to your budget, bringing cash with you is good idea as all vendors except MAC accept cash (debit or credit only).

Once I got in I went straight to the MAC booth, from last year experience I learned that the MAC line can get a bit ridiculous, even at at 9am the line was over an hour long however it was  probably because they only have two cashiers! I didn't end up getting everything I wanted as they had already sold out of a few things and it's mainly the Pro products they bring so keep that in mind when composing your lists. I snagged Fix Plus, 224 Tapered Blending brush and Soft Brown eyeshadow with a 20% discount, so not too bad.

After MAC we headed to MUFE which was having 40% off, however they didn't have much in stock and didn't bring all of their line either, so I only ended up buying the lipliner 2C, which is a dusty pink that's very neutral and the formulation on these lip liners are amazing, they're very creamy and pigmented but don't budge once applied to the lips.

I ended up picking up two beauty blenders as they're significantly cheaper at the show (two for $28). I love using them to blend my foundation, concealer and cream contour. I also bought the Real Techniques duo fiber brush set ($30). I think that the Real Techniques brushes are comparable to higher end brushes, they're very dense and well made, and I use them quite a bit so I thought I would give the duo fiber brushes a shot too. I also bought two Bdellium brushes. I had heard so much about Bdellium but passed on them last year in favour of Morphe and Crown brushes but decided to check them out this year. I also love the fact that all the brushes are vegan and synthetic but are such high quality brushes. I got the 974 Tapered Face brush ($10) and the 957 Precision Kabuki ($12). Additionally, I picked up one Sigma brush, the P80. This brush is amazing for applying and blending small areas such as under the eyes. It's also great for blending out a cream contour. If you love the Sigma F80, you'll absolutely love this!

I also ended up buying 5 stacks of individual lashes! I absolutely hate wearing lashes or lash strips. I've only tried lash strips twice in my life and both times I've taken them off within 10 minutes. I really dislike the look and feel of them. Even when I had mink lashes permanently attached to my lashes, I couldn't stand them and within a month I went back to the spa and asked them to be removed. So why did I buy the lashes? Well I tried some individuals on for a night and I totally forgot that I had them on and loved the look of them so I thought I might give lases another try. I also picked up 3 sets of lash strips, just to give them another fair go although not too sure how soon I'll be wearing them!

In addition to make up I ended up purchasing some nail polishes too. Similar to last year there were plenty of great deals for nail polish. I decided to get 6 CND Vinylux polishes, although Essie and OPI polishes were available for a cheaper price point. I used the CND brand when I went to the Four Season's Spa and it lasted me two whole weeks! I also got a China Glaze Fast Freeze Quick Dry which reduces drying  time and doubles as a top coat!

Let me know if you went to IMATs this year what you got!

The Bronzers

Hello lovelies, let’s discuss bronzer, shall we? When I first started wearing makeup, I refused to wear bronzer! I thought bronzer was only for people who were trying to achieve a “tan” look and I didn't fit into that category! While this is still the case for some, I realized quickly how amazing and versatile bronzer can actually be, so let’s begin with my favourite bronzers.

The first bronzer that I bought and still use up until this day is MAC’s Give Me Sun. Before I begin, let me forewarn you that this bronzer is not for everybody, for reference I wear Nars Sheer Glow in the colour Stromboli. If you have olive/tan skin with yellow/golden undertones then you will love this bronzer. It has a warm terracotta base. The warmth in this bronzer really give a radiant look to the skin and as an added feature I use this on my eye crease and it really opens up my eyes. It is a skinfinish, therefore it’s a bit pricier but it last for years and is mineral based, which means no clogged pores!

I also love Benefit’s Hoola ($36 CAD), I had heard so many raving reviews for this product but I would always walk past it thinking it wouldn't show up on my skin even after swatching it on the back of my hand I wasn't convinced. Eventually I caved and bought it and it did show up on my skin and is perfect for a daytime contour because of it’s true matte finish with a neutral undertone. It looks so natural and it’s comes with a brush perfect for contouring. I really love that it’s also buildable, so if you require a bit more colour, say for the summer months, you can intensify the colour and it won't look muddy. 

I only have one cream bronzer to mention. Cream bronzera are not too common and honestly I don’t know why. The Chanel Soleil De Tan – Universal ($48 CAD) is my favourite and for good reason. This one is a terracotta base and is absolutely perfect for medium/tan complexions. I absolutely love this product in the summer, it gives such a natural and smooth finish and is easy to blend. I also like it to really define my contour, so I’ll use it under a powder contour. If you live somewhere hot or are going on vacation this is the bronzer for you as it’s really radiant and glowy.

I can’t have a bronzer list without mentioning Nars Laguna ($45 CAD). This is another cult product from my favourite brand. Like Hoola, I had heard so much rave about this bronzer but thought it would be too light to use as a contour. It’s a warm brown with very fine flecks of glitter that are not apparent once applied to the face. I was at a duty free store at JFK airport and they had a Nars counter where they were selling this for I think $34 and I had some extra USD cash on me so I thought I might as well give it a shot. I really like this bronzer for an everyday contour, it’s got the perfect amount of warmth and hue to it for an easy application. I also like that it can be buildable to provide a stronger contour should you desire it. Additionally, I really like to use it as an eyeshadow for a brown smoky eye. I think if Hoola is too light for you, this might be more to your liking!

For the ladies that like a little more shimmer in their bronzer I would recommend MAC’s Delphic (limited edition) if you can get your hands on it. It’s a neutral tone bronzer that’s an Extra Dimension finish, which means it provides a beautiful sheen. If you’re unable to find it another bronzer I love is the Illamasqua duo in Glint and Solar. Glint is a highlighter with a champagne sheen and Solar is a warm bronzer with a red-bronze sheen. I like to mix the two together and it give my cheeks the most luminous glow, I always get compliments when I wear this and sometimes when I’m wearing minimal makeup I just add this to my cheeks without anything else and it provides a nice hint of colour and glow!

  

Last but certainly not least is my main contour the Balm’s Bahama Mama ($22 CAD). This is the bronzer I use when I want to really sculpt out my face. This is definitely not a bronzer I use all over my face as it’s a straight up deep brown. The pigmentation, like with all other the Balm products is insane, I just use the smallest amount and it gives me enough pigmentation. I use a contour brush from Morphe that I picked up at IMATS to apply the two lines in the hollow of my cheeks and then use my MAC 109 contour brush to blend it out and that’s it, I’m done. It blends well and give a very defined contour.

I should mention that I use a Real Techniques blush brush for all over bronzer application and my MAC 109 brush to contour. Let me know some of your favourite bronzers! xo.

Real Techniques Blush Brush

MAC 109 Samll Contour Brush

Sephora VIB Sale

Hello lovelies, it’s that time of year again where make up junkies like myself are able to binge shop a little less guiltily with the Sephora VIB 20% sale. This year it caused quite a ruckus in Canada as the website was down for the first couple of days of the sale! Fortunately for me I have a handful of Sephora stores at my disposable so needless to say I did a bit of damage. This year I only wanted blushes and lipsticks since I just came back from NYC in September and had stocked up on my essentials (foundation, concealer ect.). This is a great time to start any holiday shopping as the holiday sets are available and great for presents, I did not pick up any sets this year as I find when I have mini items I don’t tend to use them and they end up in a big Sephora Ziploc bag I have that I rarely divulge into. So without further ado let’s begin!

First of all, I picked up NARS Lovejoy ($35 CAD), which I would describe as a warm bronzy colour with a hint of rose and very fine flecks of glitter, that are not noticeable once applied to the cheeks. This blush, like all the other NARS blushes I have tried is amazing. It’s well pigmented and blendable with minimal fall out. Lovejoy is perfect for a bronzy look and I would describe it as one shade away from a bronzer. It provides the perfect gradient when applied on top of a contoured cheek giving an overall warm, glowy look. I think this would be perfect for tan, medium and olive skin tones as it can give a natural glow, but otherwise might be too muddy for fairer skin tones and probably won’t show up on darker skin tones. Overall the longevity of the blush is about 6-7 hours on my normal skin. I love this blush and will probably use this a lot during the summer months!

I also picked up NARS Deep Throat ($35 CAD). Excuse the inappropriate name, but that’s what NARS is known for. I actually already have this shade, it was in the Guy Bourdin blush set that I bought last year, however that palette, while it’s traveler friendly on overnight stays it’s not convenient to throw in my make up if I’m going out after work or require a touch up on a very long day. I also received it in the 500 points peek at Sephora over the summer but my lovely mother loved it as much as I did so needless to say I no longer have that one. I absolutely love this blush; it is such a flattering, universal blush that compliments numerous make up looks. It’s a pinky-peach blush with more pink than peach. Similar to Lovejoy it has fine flecks of glitter that are not noticeable once transferred to the skin. It provides the perfect amount of pink and peach to give the cheeks a very radiant look. If you are in the market for a phenomenal blush this is the one I highly recommend, I actually prefer this to NARS O! Personally, if I could only use one blush for the rest of my life this would be the one! It has such a beautiful sheen to it that you don’t even need to apply a highlighter but if you choose to it wouldn’t be overwhelming. Seriously I cannot say enough good things about this blush.

Lastly for the NARS blushes I picked up Almeria ($35 CAD), which is from the Laced With Edge holiday collection. I was debating between Taos and Amour but then I spotted this and instantly knew this was the winner. It’s a bit different from the other NARS blushes I have in my collection as it’s what I would consider a NARS matte; matte with very very fine flecks of gold glitter but very few and far between. Also the consistency is different too, while still a powder it’s creamier and very blendable, which it needs to be as it’s highly pigmented. It’s a deep brick red shade with a warm undertone. This colour is universal but obviously depending on your skin tone you can apply either more or less. I personally use the MAC 116 blush brush and gently pick up a small amount which is enough pigment for both my cheeks, so this one is going to last me forever. I realize that deep/bright colours like Almeria can be extremely intimidating in the pan, but trust me if applied with a light hand it can give the most naturally flushed look. I think Almeria is perfect for the colder months ahead and will look amazing paired with a plum lipstick, I personally applied mine with Becca Topaz and it looked so festive.

(from top to bottom: Lovejoy, Deep Throat, Almeria)

Before the sale started I had done a bit of research for a new highlighter. NARS Albatross has been my one and only for a strong 4 years and while I have tried to wander, nothing has really has been better, although some have come close. This time I was really determined. Recently Becca Opal has been all the rage when it comes to highlighters and although I really tried to buy it in NYC (went to 5 different Sephora stores that were all sold out!!) once I got my hands on a tester I realized it wasn’t the one for me. I find it’s not yellow/gold/bronzy enough so it ends up leaving a white-ish cast, which makes it look really artificial and defeats the purpose of a highlighter. I also wanted to get my hands on Becca Champagne (limited edition), but once again that was sold out everywhere! So my second option was Topaz ($46 CAD); a bronze-golden highlight. I was a bit reluctant at first because while it’s beautiful colour (even as an eyeshadow) I was skeptical because I thought it would be perfect for the summer months but not the winter. Well thankfully I was completely wrong. Once applied it gives a very warm golden highlight, which I think is so flattering on tan, medium and dark skin tones. It looks so luminous and has the right amount of gold pigment that when it hits the light it looks so golden, think J.Lo glow. It’s very blendable and highly pigmented so use a light hand, I use mine with a fan brush which give me leverage to pick up the right amount of product and distribute it well.

Additionally I desperately wanted to buy a Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick, as I had heard SO much praise for them but hadn’t really thought I would utilize the product enough. Well, with the sale I thought, why not? So I ended up purchasing the colour Bronze ($51 CAD). I now know what all the hype was about. This product is beautiful and so versatile. It comes with five different strips of colour which can be used individually on in conjunction with one another and can be used as eye shadows as well! I personally swirl all the colours together and apply on top of my cheeks/blush to give the most luminous, healthy glow to the face. It can also just be used on the high points of the cheek. This product does have a bit of fall out so make sure to tap your brush before application, otherwise it’s well pigmented and lasts about 6 hours. I also use a fan brush to sweep this on as it can be a bit over the top if applied with a heavy hand. I think I would only buy one more, something a bit more champagne coloured, but for the most part I find the other Shimmer Bricks too pinky and unfortunately that does not compliment my skin tone, however they do look really beautiful in the pan, so if that’s what works for you by all means go ahead, you won’t regret it!

(From left to right: Bobbi Brown Bronze and Becca Topaz, pressed)

As mentioned above, Sephora online is still encountering problems with international shipping, as per their twitter account so unfortunately for me I will be waiting a little bit longer for my online purchases. I will just add them to my IMATS Toronto haul. Luckily for me it was only two lipsticks that were sold out in store that I’m still waiting for. I did manage to nab a couple while in store. The first one I purchased it NARS Pigalle (anybody see a reoccurring trend with my obsession for NARS?). I was initially debating on buying this one or Tolede, which is a tad more red under toned and has a glossy finish. In the end I wound up choosing Pigalle ($32 CAD) as I prefer to wear matte shades more. Pigalle is a matte red-brown that is not drying at all and is quite easy to apply. This is what I consider a perfect work lipstick. It looks minimal and flattering, and is comfortable to wear. I wouldn’t consider this to be a sheer colour more semi-sheer, with two coats you can get an opaque colour. It reminds me of the Kylie Jenner look. I really love the NARS lipstick formulation, while not the most long wearing they definitely will hold up for 4 hours, and as they fade it’s an even fade, not one that is flaky.

And my last in-store purchase was a YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipstick in the colour 6 Rose Bergamasque ($39 CAD). I’m a big fan of YSL lipsticks, the formulation is unmatched. All their lipsticks are super creamy and highly pigmented and of course the packaging is very luxurious. However, I have a hard time finding shades that flatter my skin tone. This lipstick is such an effortless colour and looks so flattering for various occasions. It’s a light pink with a coral under tone that give a radiant look to my overall make up. A small subtlety that makes a big impact. My only complaint is the longevity of the product, it only last 2-3 hours maximum which is kind of a pain and also requires more product usage. But otherwise I absolutely love this colour and think it would be flattering on an array of different skin tones.

So that’s it for my little Sephora haul, hope the above information has been useful to you. Let me know what you ended up getting! I love watching/reading hauls. Xo.

MAC To The Future!

Hello lovers, as mentioned in my previous post I'm doing another review on a lipstick that I've fallen in love with. As the name of the post indicates, MAC's Pro Longwear Lipcreme To The Future (that was long) is the one I'll be reviewing. Let me first start out by saying that you can only purchase this product at the MAC Pro stores, high volume stores or online - there's only one MAC Pro store in Toronto located at 363 Queen St West. If you live south of the border I believe you can also purchase them at any major department stores i.e. Macy's (which is where I got mine from). It claims to be creamy, last for 12 hours and keep the lips hydrated. It definitely has a creamy finish however in terms of application I would classify it as a hybrid between a creamy lipstick and matte lipstick, in the sense that it doesn't glide on. It's very pigmented and has great lasting power. If anything, I would classify this lipstick just as a sister of the MAC matte lipsticks. The only major difference is that the Pro lipsticks aren't as drying (which I know most people dislike about the MAC matte lipsticks) & the Pro lipsticks have a sheen to them but ever so slightly. As far as the 12 hours go, I have yet to be successful at keeping any lipstick on for that long especially with eating and drinking. However, it definitely will hold up for about  6 hours including eating and drinking. With all that aside, it's an amazing lipstick. It's super pigmented (dare I say more then the Rouge Volupte) and has great staying power - there's nothing more annoying than having to constantly reapply your lipstick after every meal or drink. They come in a range of different colours and the packaging is very sleek, same matter finish as the other MAC lipsticks. All in all, it's perfect for wear throughout the day (especially during work) and even better for a night out. Let me know your favorite lipsticks - xo.

Y-S-L, I Ain't Gotta Spell It

Hello darlings, I recently received a couple of new lipsticks & I love both of them so much I just had to review them. The first one is Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte in #13 & I actually received it as an anniversary gift. First of all the packaging is to die for & so it should be with the steep price tag of $39! So I definitely would recommend trying the colours on before committing even though Sephora has an amazing return policy. Oddly enough I have been eyeing this lipstick for over a year and wasn't able to find the perfect shade until recently! The actual formula is just as amazing as one should expect from YSL, it's creamy, moisturizing and highly pigmented. It's also very shiny (no need for lipgloss - another bonus) & surprisingly holds up longer than I expected with such a creamy formula. Usually I'm disappointed in higher end make up but this was a pleasant surprise. If you can't tell already I'm obsessed with this lipstick & highly recommend it, the only set back is the price but in this case you really get what you're paying for. Xo

All Black Everything

As promised I'm uploading my few outfits from Niagara. We ended up going to the casino both nights - for the first night I just threw my hair up into a sock bun & went with a light smokey eye, which I created using Urban Decay's Naked palette. I wore my Steve Madden flats, a pair of leather leggings, a backless tank & my favourite, structured Zara blazer (that I have in two colours). I was a bit apprehensive of the dress code and after talking to a few people I ended up with this all black combo. xo.