Here's for a Great 2013!

Clara Bow & Larry Taylor - New Year's 1925

Oh my! Another year over!

Every year seems to go by faster and faster! *sigh* This year, no special plans. New Year's Eve will be spent at home with hubby, daughter, Fifi the cat and Julius the dog. A movie maybe and possibly a few year recap news show on television. This has always been our way of spending the last night of December. No glitter makeup and no sequin dress. If hubby goes to bed early (he's been sick) my daughter and I may decide to do our nails or some other girly thing. We'll see.

Resolutions? I honestly can't remember the last time I've made any. I'm one of those people who used to make them but come February every single one ended up being forgotten. This year I do have a few that I will keep for myself. I can only hope that they will hold more than a month!

I want to take this opportunity to thank you all. Thank you for stopping by and for reading my words. In the past two months you've been more and more to do so and this is what encourages me to get better. I will do my best to continue to bring you interesting articles and who knows, I may even do nails! 

I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year! 

Happiness and Health! 

If you do have special plans, please be safe!

Hopefully you won't wake up on New Year's day looking like this...

New Year card, 1912

But then again, it only happens once a year... :D

Notable Reads of the Week, vol. 4

For a great cause...

Raising the Roof
Long-term Solutions for Canada's Homeless

The 2013 Toque campaign is underway!

2013 marks the 16th Annual Toque Campaign!  That’s a lot of individuals, community groups, agencies, businesses and the media who have supported this signature, national campaign which has raised over $3.5 million for local, Partner Agencies working towards long-term solutions to homelessness.  Canadians just like you who believe that together we can make a difference, one toque at a time.

What caught my attention this week...

Rise in use of dangerous' tanning injections
"The perfect tan in a bottle, but at what cost? The increasingly popular self-injecting "Barbie doll drug" Melanotan II is unregulated and, say doctors, could be dangerous."
I didn't even know this existed!

17 Bad Skin Habits: The skin sins to leave behind.
By Allure Magazine. We should all know this!

Traits to look for in a Doctor
By Women's Health. Such great information. Many people are intimidated by health professionals when they should not.

Balmain Miami Vice look
For those of you who are too young to remember this pop culture phenomenon, well, have fun! I think I will pass on the bold prints myself.

Lanvin's scented hommage
One word, Arpège.

12 Best (& worst)...
By The Man Repeller. A fun look back at some of the years events.

Art & makeup???
Vincent Beaurin pour Dior
I have no words for this. I understand the reputations of both the artist and Dior but the price for this is, well, a little over the top. I see no justifications for it.

Non beauty related but still enjoyable...

In light of last week's milestone could this be the next youtube record holder? Move over Gangnam Style... The One Pound Fish Man is here!

£1 Fish Man - One Pound Fish - O-Fish-Al Video, 6,242,213 hits on youtube

Original cell phone video taken by a passer by of Muhammad Shahid Nazir the One Pound Fish Man, 6,008,518 hits on youtube

Have a great week everyone!

Again formating problems, sorry! *sigh*

Favorite posts of 2012

A few years ago, after reading something I had written, my friend Nicole suggested I should write. Coming from her it was more than a compliment. Although I felt inspired, at the time I just couldn't figure out what I would write about and what platform I would choose. Then, last January, a new friend, Leanne, pushed me in the right direction. Her perky enthusiastic self encouraged me to start a beauty blog.

A beauty blog? Me?

I thought about it a week or so and then it hit me! Perfect! I do after all, have the experience and since I was and always will be on a learning curve, why not share this process and new acquired knowledge with others. That's when I decided to adress this blog as my own personal notepad.

At first, I must admit, I had a hard time to get back into writing. It's one thing to get a conversation going with people but it's quite another to put words together on paper or in this case, on the computer. To be relevant and interesting, to make people want to come back and read your words is what it's all about and it can be quite intimidating, at least it was for me. Looking back today at some of the entries, there are some that aren't so great but I don't plan to remove them for they are a reminder of my first steps. Then there are the ones that I'm very pleased with...

Here is my top 10

Memories, a bit of history & sunscreen
This one remains to this day the most viewed.

Manic Panic!
Stop the insanity.

Gingy's Post

Talia Joy Caltellano a beautiful source of inspiration.

Interesting discovery about acne? Face Mapping?
What will they think of next?

Let's be wise about aging.
Guess what this one is about?

Chanel No 5 & Brad Pitt
This was not a good idea!

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful!
Makeup Alley related.

My friend K in New York
Yes you can make friends on the web. During the past 2 years I'm very thankful to have made a few good ones. K is one of them and she was gracious enough to send me these wonderful pictures.

What should not be on any one's list.
Let's stop obsessing about the way we look.

Your Skin... The Day After!
Tips for not only "the day after" but anytime you need a little extra a little Coup d'éclat!


Here is my top moment, when K sent me this picture. I know it's probably not what one would expect from a "beauty blog" but when I clicked on this picture I flipped! If not for this blog I probably would have never had the chance to see this picture. From one collection to the next, it was briefly put on display for everyone to enjoy.

Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) 

Nude with Red Shirt 

Thank you K for this beautiful picture!

Thank you Leanne for the push and the encouragment.

Merci Nico pour avoir été la première a suggérer cette possibilité.

Estée Lauder Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara / Review

I'm not sure but I think the very first time I ever wore mascara it was probably one from Estée Lauder. It was my mom's and it was a beautiful gold tube with an applicator that looked like a metal screw not a brush. Brown was the color. It was quite a revelation and when I discovered what an eye lash curler could do... Boom! I was all set!

Avon's Smooth Minerals Pressed Foundation / Review

For a little while there I sold Avon. I did it for close to 2 years as a past-time. What I find sad about this company is that they have such a huge turnover that it's hard to keep track. Every year they bring out truck loads of new products and discontinue the same amount. This means that if you "fall in love" with one of their offerings, it doesn't mean you'll be able to repurchase it. This is the main reason why I've almost given up on the brand. Almost.

Christmas Day!

One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day.  Don't clean it up too quickly.  ~Andy Rooney

Azature, The World's Most Expensive Nail Polish!!!

I have no words except, I hope that whoever gets this has an extreeeeemly durable top coat!!!

Available at Selfridge

In case you're wondering about the price, it comes up at $250,000 USD.

Screen capture Selfridge website

Christmas Eve!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

Just like the ones I used to know

Where the treetops glisten,

and children listen

Tor hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

With every Christmas card I write

May your days be merry and bright

And may all your Christmases be White

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

With every Christmas card I write

May your days be merry and bright

And may all your Christmases be white

                                                     White Christmas, Irving Berlin, 1942

To all of you, I wish you a beautiful & peaceful Christmas!

This is a repost of some free fun stuff you can find on the internet.

Elf Yourself

Want to send your loved ones a funny, well I should say, hilarious e-card for the holidays? Elf Yourself by Office Max. This enables you to create up to 5 elves and you get to chose the type of dance, Charleston, Hip Hop, Soul and 80's. You can send it as many times as you like but if you want to keep it you have to pay $1.00 USD for it. Super cheap.

Click here to see what I did to Fifi the cat and Julius the dog. I was able to put the link on Twitter.
You can also broadcast live messages as an....Elf! Office Max website

Magic Santa from Sympatico

This one will seem magical to your little ones! Simply amazing. You have to answer a few questions, upload a picture if you have one and the Magic Santa takes care of the rest to personalise the experience. It can also be sent to grown ups. For them you can enter a humorous location like Alcatraz or Mars. They've really improved on it since I used it for my daughter.

Magic Santa from Sympatico

NORAD Tracks Santa 

This is the coolest thing ever! My daughter and I had so much fun with this when she was little. We would go check every hour on Christmas Eve to see where Santa was at. The closer he got the more excited we would be. It was reassuring to know that by Christmas morning our gifts would be under the tree. One never knows with December weather but the NORAD special updates are so informative and reassuring. 

Imagine if Santa was stuck in a snow storm wouldn't you like to know?

Official 2012 NORAD Tracks Santa Promo Video

To all of you, I wish you a great time with your loved ones and do take the time to appreciate them.

Merry Christmas!!! xoxoxo

Santa and Rudolph

Notable Reads of the Week, vol. 3

In light of the events of last week I wasn't much inspired. Watching the news and seeing the pictures of the beautiful children and grown ups who lost their lives pointlessly was more than heartbreaking. I still can't wrap my head around it. My heart goes out to all those affected by this horrible tragedy.

A moment to think

50 Celebrities Demand a Plan

By Mike Bloomberg, Mayor or New York. No descriptions needed. 

What caught my attention this week...

A Lazy Post About Exfoliation: The Joys of Facecloths
By Gingerama. The only type of "manual" exfoliation anyone should consider.

Goody Quick Style - The Magic Comb
By Daily Beauty. A comb that actually helps dry your hair faster!

Trying on a Look? You Can Ask an App For Help
Tweeted by The Beauty Brains. A list of beauty related apps, skin care and makeup.

Walmart Beauty Magazine
By the Huff Post Style Canada. I bet you didn't know they had one and amazingly it's made by... Condé Nast!


Non beauty related but still enjoyable...

Laduree Charms
By British Beauty Blogger. The tradition of la Galette des Rois, do you know of it?

Incredible milestone!

PSY Gangnam Style Video Hits 1 Billion Views Unprecedented Milestone!

L'Oréal Infallible Lacker Liner 24h in Dark Slate 175 / Review

Again, in my quest for THE eyeliner, I decided to try L'Oréal's latest based on Linda's recommendation. She left a comment on my Maybelline review, stating that it was pretty amazing.

So, last night at the drugstore I found it in Dark Slate 175. A dark charcoal grey, no shimmer...

Perfect!!!

The gel texture is soft and very easy to apply. I tried the brush that comes with it but found it a little too stiff. I preferred using my own slanted brush. At first it reminded me of Clinique's liner in Smoke Grey meaning, it's not a perfect line on the first stroke but that's where the similarities ended.

What a surprise, contrary to Clinique, it's not dry, it glides easily and is buildable. It doesn't dry right away so you do have time to perfect the line. You can even smudge it which is nice to do once in a while.

If you've never used a gel eyeliner before this is a great one to start with. Not as harsh as black, this shade is quite forgiving and so easy to work with.

L'Oréal Infallible Lacker Liner 24h in Dark Slate 175

It stayed perfect for a good 3 hours!!! For me that's quite amazing believe me. Do note that during that time I had to do some shoveling (again...) and the snow was coming down pretty hard. Since the color is so forgiving, it's easy to reapply if need be.

Do I recommend L'Oréal Infallible Lacker Liner? A big resounding YES!

It's still not THE perfect liner but it's pretty close. If you don't have deep set eyes, no droopiness, this liner will surprise you believe me. The regular price is I around $16.00 and it's worth every penny. I was lucky to find it at $12.00 on sale. In Canada it's available in Blackest Black and Dark Slate.

Did I tell you it had NO SHIMMER! Yay! *does a little dance* :D

Reviews:

MakeupAlley: 5 / 5 lippies for 7 reviews for Dark Slate. They are also outstanding for Blackest Black.
There are no reviews for this product on Beauté-test.

Screan capture from L'Oréal Paris

Cover Girl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm / Review

Bran new display, the drugstore where I went today had just received these yesterday. I can't remember the last time I bought something from Cover Girl. In fact I think it was a foundation way back when they where promoting "clean makeup". I purchased this in the shade Mauve Twist 275. I'm not much of a fan of big crayons but at $7.49 I figured why not give it a try.

I'm so sorry I haven't swatched anything for you yet but I can't figure out where to do it other than outside and these days it's pretty cold. I tried with the brightest light I have in the house but it truly doesn't give a clear picture. I'll do a bit of research in the new year to figure out a set up for this.

So, about this color Mauve Twist. First if you're expecting a lilac'ish or mauv'ish kind of color you'll be disappointed. It's much warmer than the picture shows. Actually I can hardly see any cool undertones in it. Second, if you're expecting good color payoff, you'll be disappointed. It's sheer, very sheer. You really must go over and over and over again to get any color on your lips. Finally, if you're expecting a glossy color, again, you'll be disappointed. It is not glossy at all.

It's got "Balm" in the name. Huh? No balm feel at all. It's actually almost kind of dry. Not at all what I was expecting. The feel is almost sticky and the color disappears rather quickly. No color payoff with this shade.

If you want to try this product, go for bolder shades like Scarlet Twist 250 or Ruby Twist 245 you may get better results. Still, I'm doubtful about the staying power. I think you'd be better off with a tinted lip balm like Burt's Bees or even better, Clinique's Almost Lipstick.

Sorry Cover Girl but it's a no no for me. :(

Update (2013-01-06)

As I was thinking, bolder colors give better results. Have a look at Michelle's review for the color 250, a beautiful sheer red. Plus, it looks smashing on her. See it on her blog, Lipstick Rules.

Cover Girl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm no 250

From Lipstick Rules

Screen capture of no 275 from drugstore.com

My Wish List

Going from blog to blog, looking at all the amazing gifts suggestions it was really hard this year to come up with my own Christmas list. Contrary to others, these are the items I want. If they inspire you than it makes me very happy.

Chanel No 5, le parfum. The reason, the formula will likely be changed due to the EU ingredient restriction regulation so I figured it would be nice to give it a go one last time.

Bobbi Brown Caviar & Oyster Travel Brush Set, I need new brushes!

Dior manicure essentials

Shu Uemura gold lash curler. I know this seems a little over the top but I figure I may not be allergic to this one. I have to apply nail polish to the one I use so I won't have a reaction.

Chanel powder compact

Guerlain Météorites, if Perles du Dragon (Black case) is available, even better!

iTunes card for a few magazine subscriptions iPad edition

Hermès Carré de soie / silk scarf

Any of these would make me happy!

This is what I have so far, what special item to you have on your list?

Pictures are screen captures from The Bay, Shu Uemura, Neiman Marcus, Hermès & Chanel

Your Skin... The Day After!

So last night you had to work extra late (on your blog maybe...), had to go to that cocktail party or received a last minute invite to go see a movie. Whatever the reason you ended up getting home super late and were way to tired to do anything other than get undressed and go to bed and...

You did so without removing your makeup!

My First Free Goodies!

This is a little thank you note!

Recently I wrote an article about Puffy Eyes and the very same evening, wrote about a product I had just seen at the drugstore called Thera Pearl.

I thought it was brilliant! Well, this morning I received a box from Thera Pearl with 3 of their products. Yay!

M.A.C. Fluidline Eyeliner Gel in Dipdown / Review

After reading so much about M.A.C.'s Fluidline Eyeliner Gel I just had to try one. According to the reviews the creamy texture makes it easy to apply and most importantly, it has staying power.

I was hopeful!

Notable Reads of the Week, vol. 2

To discover...

Have you been to the museum lately? This is something you may want to consider doing during the holidays. A feast for the eyes as well as a learning experience, most major museums hold special events during this period. It could be a good idea to have a look at what is showing in your area and don't overlook smaller museums for they often have great little treasures for one to discover.

If you have the opportunity to take in a major exhibit, make sure to take advantage of the audio-guide service. It's like having your very own personal guide. Usually loaded with information this makes the experience quite enjoyable. Even with an art history background I always end up learning something new. It often makes us look twice at a work that we would otherwise not notice.

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

Montreal was the first Canadian city to have a building specifically destined to host an art collection. Now demolished, in 1879 it was located in Phillips Square. In 1912, the Art Gallery moved to it's brand new building designed by Canadian architects Edward and William S. Maxwell on Sherbrooke Street. It has grown a lot since then and through the years, has hosted some fabulous exhibits. This is where I was able to discover Pop Art, Salvadore Dalí, Alexander Calder and the fabulous human like sculptures of Duane Hanson.

This holiday season I will take my daughter. The museum is hosting a major exhibit or should I say, telling us a beautiful story...

Once Upon a Time... Impressionism

Edgar Degas

Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, 1880-81, cast 1919-21

© The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA

Until January 20th at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts


What caught my attention this week...

Rodial Size Zero Body Cream
By British Beauty Blogger and tweeted by Beautiful With Brains. About "Rodial's relentless perfection message"  for products with empty claims and no scientific backup. A few days later, a Rodial Update. Seems this entry caused a bit of commotion.

New JINsoon Nail Lacquers
By The Beauty Look Book. Great swatches and comparisons of this line of nail polishes created by the famed manicurist Jin Soon Choi. $22.00 at Sephora

Food For Thoughts
A tweet by The Beauty Brains led me to this website. A dermatologist that states that you can "close" pores!!! Oh and caviar, I'd much rather eat it than smash it to put on my face.

When Being Skinny Wasn't Glamorous
By Beautiful With Brains. A good reality check, goes right along the lines of Size Zero cream written about by British Beauty Blogger.


Non beauty related but still enjoyable

10 Common Items That Where Invented by Accident
By Today I Found Out.


For your viewing enjoyment...

Harvey Nichold Christmas 2010 - The Fashionista's Must Have Accessory

This video really made me laugh. I hope you enjoy it too

Watch: This penguin loves being tickles

This was just too adorable to pass. Watching this, I think my cat Fifi thought... I was weird!

On a final note, if you haven't seen this, well, you where probably living under a rock or overseas.

The Ditto Sign!!!

Again a little formating problem for Dega's Little Dancer info, blogger didn't want to correct. Sorry!

Maybelline - Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Charcoal / Review

I keep looking for the perfect eye liner...

A gel eyeliner for $12.99, I just had to try it! After all it could have been the ONE!

The color, Charcoal 954. As you can see it comes in a little jar and you get a rather surprisingly good little eyeliner brush with it. I tried using it but didn't have the adequate dexterity for it. I prefer a thin slanted brush for this.

It goes on rather smoothly so application is pretty easy without any lid pulling. The color, well it has a bit of a shine to it's thumbs down for me. I want matte! Seems cosmetics companies have a hard time with this. As soon as you get away from black, shimmer has to be added. To most of them anyways and almost all greys have a it.

Available in 4 colors. They are in reality, darker than shown here.

It comes in 4 shades: Blackest Black 950, Brown 952, Charcoal 954 and Eggplant 956 

How did it perform?

Not good, not good at all! Forget 24 hours as advertised, it barely lasted one hour intact. It started to transfer to my upper lids in no time.

Smudge-proof and Water-proof? I don't think so.

Would I recommend it? Only is you have perfect eye lids. No deep set eyes and no droopiness.

Considering the rave reviews it gets you may be more than safe trying it. It does have a lovely texture and is easy to work with. Again for me, not good due to my deep set eyes and let's be frank, slightly droopy eye lids. If you have these issues you better skip but for everyone else, you may be very pleased with this product. To make it stay on longer you can set it with a dark grey eye shadow. For me this would not be an option due the reasons mentioned above.

One major selling point, it's super affordable!

Reviews:

MakeupAlley: 4 / 5 lippies for 1123 reviews.
Beauté-test: 4.2 / 5 stars for 11 reviews.


Pictures: Canadian Beauty and Maybelline

Winter Lips!

It's cold outside, dry and overheated inside! What this means is that my lips are getting dry, tend to crack and peel. Ouch!

Now that's if I don't do anything. It's not an option for me not to treat them. For years I was able to keep smooth lips without the use of lip balms due to lipstick. Whether the formulas I was wearing where more moisturizing or my lips got dryer with time I have no idea. These days I have to use lip balms period!

Plus I do want to keep them looking as plump as possible for as long as I can. Lips don't have oil glands so we have to give them some. No collagen either so for anti aging an SPF lip balm of at least 15 reapplied several times during the day is a must if you spend a lot of time outdoors. For loss of volume nothing topical will make any difference. Lip plumpers will only work temporarily due to the irritants they include in their formulas like cinnamon, ginger, menthol and forms of capsacin (the spicy chemical found in chili peppers). For a more permanent solution only a surgical procedure will do.

The price range for good lip balms go from $1.00 to $100.00. You can get them at the Dollar store or you can go for brands like La Mer, Sisley or La Prairie. It's really up to you. Go for the ones you love. I'm just presenting you my own favorites.

Personally I don't go much for high end any more for skin care and that includes lip care. I've been able to find effective products that are more budget friendly.

My 2 favorite lip balms

Nuxe Rêve de Miel

New lips overnight! When I apply a good layer of this at night before bedtime I wake up with soft deeply moisturised lips. In fact by morning, I can still feel the balm on my lips. Most brands just disappear overnight but not Rêve de Miel. It contains among other ingredients, honey, plant oils, shea butter and grapefruit essence.

Although I use Rêve de Miel mainly at night, it's great to apply over certain colors of lipstick to make them appear more matte giving lips a more natural look. This works great with shades like Clinique's Tenderheart.

Caudalie Lip Conditioner

The one I use in daytime. Also quite matte it helps keep peelies at bay. Although it almost feels dry at first, in no time you feel the moisture. The stick form makes it easy to carry. I love this one under lipstick and keep one in my coat pocket. Grape-seed polyphenols (have anti oxidants properties), Shea butter, Castor oil and beeswax are it's main ingredients. Since I started using this balm I've rarely sensed the need to exfoliate my lips because I do feel it helps with the skin's renewal process.

For UV protection

Neutrogena, La Roche Posay, Avène, Bioderma as well as several other brands make good lip balms with an SPF of 15 or more. Simply chose the one you like. I find that Neutrogena is pretty good myself and wears well under lipstick.

Other options

Avène, A-Derma, Weleda (Everon), Estée Lauder, Clarins..... Every company makes one and yes, it's ok to have a few. I have several and my daughter has an extended collection. We have them all over the house and each have our favorites. My daughter's is eos for now while hubby goes for a homemade balm made of half unrefined Shea butter and half coconut oil flavored with vanilla extract. I myself sometime simply reach for the tub of Vaseline Cocoa Butter Petroleum Jelly which tastes so yummy. Not as effective as my 2 favorites I still enjoy using it to give my lips a bit of shine.

Along with petroleum jelly another good option to keep handy is Aquaphor in the tube. Many actually prefer it to Vaseline. It is a little thicker but I honestly don't see much difference between the two. They are both good versatile options to keep handy because they are not only for lips but also for skin that is exposed to the element. Great for protecting the skin of young children when the weather gets really cold.

Both petroleum jelly and Aquaphor are great for exfoliating lips. You can apply a little to lips and wait 10 min or so then gently rub away dead skin with either your fingers or a baby washcloth. You can also add a bit of sugar or brown sugar to make the process faster but just be careful not to rub too hard and avoid the skin around the lips. Sugar is a no no as a facial exfoliant. It can non only irritate the skin but cause micro tears.

Reviews for Nuxe Rêve de Miel Lip Balm:

Retails for about $15.00

MakeupAlley: 4.2 / 5 lippies for 273 reviews.
Beauté-test: 4 / 4 stars for 656 reviews.

Nuxe Rêve de Miel ingredients (from frenchcosmeticsforless)
INCI formula: Cera alba (beeswax), Olus oil (vegetable oil), lecithin, behenoxy dimethicone, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter) extract, mel (honey), Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), dimethicone, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, citrus grandis (grapefruit) peel oil, caprylic (capric triglycerides), hydrogenated vegetable oil, glycine soja (soybean) oil, rosa moschata seed oil, tocopheryl acetate, tocopherol, citrus merdica limonum (lemon) peel oil, candelilla cera (euphorbia cerifera) (candelilla) wax, allantoin, calendula officinalis flower extract, BHT, citric acid, citral, limonene, linalool. 


Reviews for Caudalie's Lip Conditioner:

Retails for about $12.00

MakeupAlley: 3.8 / 5 lippies for 140 reviews.
Beauté-test: 4 / 5 stars for 478 reviews.

Caudalie Lip Conditioner ingredients (from Beauté-test)
Macadamia ternifolia seed oil*, ricinus communis (castor) seed oil*, caprylic/capric triglyceride*, cera alba (beeswax), copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax*, cetyl palmitate*, acetylated glycol stearate, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter) fruit*, euphorbia cerifera (candeulla) wax*, vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil*, cetearyl alcohol*, cetyl alcohol*, parmitic acid*, stearic acid*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, hydrogenated stearyl olive esters*; hydrogenated vegetable oil*, prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil*, jojoba esters*, isopropyl myristate, parfum (fragrance), tocopheryl acetate*, palmitoyl grape seed extract*, ammonium glycyrrhizate*, hypericum perforatumextract*, tocopherol*.
* origine végétale


If you want to read more on the subject there are a few good articles on Discovery Fit & Health, source of some of the information given in this entry.

One final note, when I started this blog my very fist post was about lip balms. I revisited it and it was fun to see how much I've grown into this blogging thing. You can have a look at it here. Warning, the writing is not that good but the list of products is. :D

Estée Lauder Ru Yi Compact / Object of Desire!

I went to The Bay the other day and fell in love!

I was going from counter to counter looking at holiday gifts sets and products when my eyes found this little beauty, Estée Lauder's Ru Yi compact!

It's a limited edition compact with light green semi-precious stone for wishes of a year of prosperity and maybe a little of "follow your heart's desire". Filled with Lucidity translucent pressed powder. Perfect! Even better, it's refillable with the small size refill of Lucidity powder which goes for $13.50.

This dreamy compact sells for $140.00.

I know it's a bit much but it's made of sturdy materials and comes in a nice little velvety pouch to protect it.

Years of luxurious enjoyment. This one is going on my wish list!


If you want to know more about the meaning of ruyi there is an extensive entry on the subject on Wikipedia.

Great find for puffy eyes, Thera Pearl!

On the tail of this morning's post about puffy eyes I bring you a super great find. If only I had known about this earlier. Tonight I was waiting, waiting and waiting at the drugstore for some prescriptions. In fact I was stuck there for a good hour because there was a lot of people. To kill time I walked through the store looking at various boring things. At the end on one isle some blue stuff caught my eye....

Little plastic boxes with some blue beads showing... The beads appeared to be floating in some sort of liquid... What on... OMGosh!!!

Puffy eyes, how to treat them

You had no choice last night, you just had to go to that party! You ended up eating too many salty hors d'oeuvres and drinking a little more alcohol than usual. On top of that, you where so tired by the time you got home that you committed one of skin's cardinal sins... You went to bed without removing your makeup!!!

The result, you woke up with puffy eyes!!! What to do?

Don't panic!

M.A.C. Select Moisturecover Concealer / Review

After using Estée Lauder's Double Wear Stay-in-Place Concealer for a while I noticed my eye area was becoming dryer. The finish wasn't what I was looking for meaning it was starting to look cakey, making lines more noticeable. I had to find another!

I chose M.A.C.'s Select Moisturecover. The shade, NW15. Light, is brought some illumination to the area which was exactly what I was looking for.

NYX Smokey Look Kit / Review

NYX is an interesting brand. Hard to find and when do you can only see some of the products it offers since I don't think you can find the whole line in one place. In Montreal I've seen it in only 2 places and one of the 2 was discontinuing it so everything was in cheapish looking bins for clearance. The other point of sale, a drugstore in Les Hâles d'Anjou, only has a little display which includes some eye shadows, blushes, lip glosses and crayons. The lipsticks are on on a shelf in another area of the small cosmetics department which is where I found this little palette.

New Iman Skin Tone Evener BB Crème

A great 1st for Iman the multi-ethnic cosmetics line. Iman Skin Tone Evener BB Crème will be available this December 17th for pre-order.

Multi beneficial with vitamin C, Açai, liquorice and grape seeds. With an SPF 15 to helps fight hyperpigmentation, signs of aging and acne. In other words, with it's light paraben free texture it should please more than one woman.

Illamasqua Nail Polishes at Sephora

Last Saturday while at Sephora I had a closer look at the Sephora by O.P.I. gelshine™ At-Home Gel Colour System  Sadly the colors swatches where all scratched out and so I couldn't really see them. I didn't do any better with the bottles because their black labels don't really give a good idea of the shades. Add to this the horrible lighting and, well, let's just say it didn't encourrage me to consider purchasing the kit.

While at "The Nail Bar" I had a look at several different collections of nail polishes as well as nail art items. In a little nook, almost tucked away, what did I see?

Clinique's Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder / Review

A staple and clear favorite of mine. I think I bought my first one in my late teens and have always owned one. Through the years the name has changed, I think, and for the good of all, they've added several shades.

Perfect to set makeup, this was my go to back in the days when my skin was super oily. Combined with The Body Shop Blotting Papers (before the addition of tea tree oil) to absorb the excess oil, this powder took care of the remaining shine. 

I do like the sponge applicator for discrete touch ups but more often than not I make a little trip to the powder room (love that name) and use the little retractable brush that Clinique includes with their loose powder. It's small and perfect for either powder, bronzer or blush touch ups during the day.

It's a good quality powder but you have to be careful not to overdo it in the eye area. Because it is matte it could amplify little expression lines and wrinkles thus making one look either older or more tired. Not what any of us are going for.

There are many many other options out there and some are more "fashionable" than others. This is not the most outstanding product nor is it the most popular. It's just a good basic powder. Nothing more.

Would I recommend it? Yes!

With a price that's more than reasonable in my opinion, $27.00, you can keep it in your purse at all times. The compact is of good quality and I must say quite sturdy. The exterior finish keeps it's shiny finish a long time despite constant contact with other makeup items I may keep in my purse, it my case it's mainly lipsticks. The powder is hardly pressed and solid so depending on the type of purse you carry, if you drop it, there a good chance it will remain intact. Another good point.

Reviews:

MakeupAlley: 3 / 5 lippies for 30 reviews.
Beauté-test: 4 / 5 stars for 191 reviews.

If you like compacts you may enjoy this previous entry, Beautiful Compacts

Emerald Green named 2013's Color of the Year!

What a surprise! Emerald Green was named color of the year for 2013 by Pantone, the world renowned color authority for designers.

When I think of emerald green this is what pops into my mind:

Ireland!

For makeup

Although it's a beautiful color I can't really imagine myself wearing it as an eye shadow since my eyes are...green! Even as an accent it's not too flattering on me.

Make Up For Ever, Aqua Cream

22 Emerald Green

In fashion

It does bring the green out so I'll be looking for it. I can't remember the last time I wore emerald green. I know I used to have a cashmere sweater in that color but I can't recall what happened to it. Doesn't really matter now, I'm sure in no time stores will have loads of emerald green options available to help lighten up our wallets.

Now, if only my wallet was thick enough for one of those...

They where after all, treasured by Cleopatra!

Will you be "going green"?

Essie's no chips ahead chip free top coat / Review

As I've have mentioned recently in my At Home Gel Nail Polish Kits post, I started to wear colors on my nails again. Dark colors that need protection. There's nothing, well almost nothing, I dislike most than tip wear. I don't think it's asking too much to want my manicure to last at least 4 days. Is it?

At the drugstore the other day essie nail care products where all on sale so I purchased the no chips ahead chip free top coat for a mere $4.99.

That night I gave it a try on top of the dark red I had applied the night before. I did so at about 10:00 p.m. and went to bed a little over an hour later. I figured that an hour was more than enough for it to dry on top of already hard nail polish. Nope, it was not!

The next morning I woke up with ruined nails. Pillow, sheet traces....yuck! Even then I could feel it wasn't perfectly dry... Unbelievable!

That afternoon I took it back to the drugstore. Not so much for the $4.99 but for the principle. I had a look at the reviews on MakeupAlley and it would seem that I wasn't the only one disappointed by this product. It only gets a 2.6 out of 5 lippies. Surprisingly on Beauté-test is gets a better score.

Would I recommend this product? No unless you have hours and hours ahead of you to let it dry!


Reviews:

MakeupAlley: 2.6 / 5 lippies for 40 reviews.
Beauté-test: 4 / 5 stars for 13 reviews.

Screenshot from essie website

Clinique's Brush of Color Eyeshadow Palette

This is practically a steal! $29.00 with any Clinique purchase or $39.00 on it's own. An excellent price when one considers that a quad goes for $35.00. Better get a lipstick to go along with it! 

Clinique eyeshadows are of very good quality and have excellent staying power. I will have to go and have a closer look at this since I see a light green which reminds me of M.A.C.'s Putty, an eyeshadow I love. Even if I wouldn't use the shimmery shades just that color, if it's matte, would seal the deal for me. 

Great gift for any Clinique enthusiast or for myself... oups... I mean yourself! 

Here are screenshots from Clinique's website:

HIGHLIGHT
- Super Shimmer in Daybreak
- Soft Pressed in Light Pink Shade
- Super Shimmer in White Red

CONTOUR
- High Impact in Dark Brown
- Super Shimmer in Gold Rush
- Super Shimmer in Peacock
- Super Shimmer in Sparkling Sage
- High Impact in Sugarberry
- Super Shimmer in Deep
- High Impact in Breathless

DEFINE
- Stay Matte in Midnight
- Stay Matte in Slate
- Super Shimmer in Deep Purple

Set also includes: Highlighter Brush, Contour Brush, Contour Applicator, Definer Brush and How-To Booklet.