Marcelle Soothing Cleansing Water / Review...

An amazing cleansing water for under $15.00!!! This is a little gem worth every penny!

Read about what micellar waters are and my reviews of the ones I've tried so far, here.

From Marcelle's website:

A soothing refreshing water that gently cleanses and tones skin while removing eye make-up, just what you wished for. Introducing Essentials Soothing Cleansing Water make-up cleanser, a rinse-free formula that micro-emulsifies impurities and waterproof make-up without irritating skin, gentle for even the driest and most sensitive complexions. Skin feels clean, refreshed, and revitalized.

Are the claims real? Yes!

Would I recommend Marcelle Essentials Purity Soothing Cleansing Water? Yes!

Truly non irritating, it removes regular eye makeup beautifully. I haven't tried it on waterproof mascara but I guess if I still have to use oil to remove it, this micellar water would surely take care of the residue.

Super gentle, I can easily imagine someone with sensitive skin falling in love with this one. Quite similar to RoC's, has no fragrance but less expensive and I might even say a little more effective.

The gold standard of cleansing waters for many is Bioderma but I didn't like either Créaline nor Sébium much. To me they where ok but not exceptional. Marcelle, for it's performance and price is one to try next time you have to replace either.

I will be trying other micellar waters for review purposes but so far I can honestly say that both Biotherm and Marcelle are sitting comfortably at the top of my list. Since I don't have sensitivity issues, I do enjoy a little fragrance and so this is the only reason why I would alternate between these two.

The regular price is $14.50 but I at the time of purchase it was on special at $9.99!!!

If you are clog/acne prone, like with any other new skin care item, do patch test first.


Ingredients (Marcelle website)
ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE,AQUA/WATER/EAU,CETRIMONIUM BROMIDE,CUCUMIS SATIVUS (CUCUMBER) FRUIT EXTRACT,DISODIUM EDTA,GLYCERIN,PEG-6 CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC GLYCERIDES,SODIUM CITRATE


Do you use a micellar water? Which is your favorite?

Chanel Le Vernis in Paparazzi / Review...

There where two nail polishes on my most recent Beauty Envies post, here. Dior Galaxie which will be available soon and this one, Chanel Paparazzi, purchased last Saturday.

Chanel Paparazzi part of the Avant-Première Collection, hasn't been mentioned a lot but I really wanted it! I wanted it because it reminded me of another Chanel nail polish from 14 years ago called Topaze, a limited edition that was given to me by a friend. It was a "new mom" gift. Catherine had just been born and my friend figured I could really use a little beauty boost. She was right! She gave me Topaze and a Chanel lipstick, also limited edition and if I remember correctly it's name was Soleil d'Été (Summer Sun).

This was one of the rare instances where I almost emptied a bottle of nail polish. I wore Topaze that entire Summer and beyond. A beautiful bronzy shade with stunning gold specks, for which I got tons of compliments. Since it was a limited edition I could not replace it and it's only recently that I was reminded of it, with my Chanel Taboo entry, here.

When I saw Chanel Paparazzi I was all excited and happy to be able to somewhat revisit this color and so Saturday I got my hands on it and that night I went all matchy/matchy and applied it on finger nails and toes! I usually wear two different polishes, recently it was Taboo on toes and Girls Are Out from Essie on fingers.

The formula was as expected, even application was easy and two coats, perfect. Drying time was relatively quick but I was careful for about an hour.

Paparazzi, the morning after.

When my daughter got home from a day of fun with a friend she saw my nails and said: "Mom, you have brown on you nails???" I answered that it appeared brown but it was due to the lighting. I told her it was more of a bronzy pink.

The next morning I went outside to have a closer look and went Oh!

It's way too boring, no punch, no pizazz, no...

The gold melts completely in the color, it's too light, it's not what I was expecting...

It's not me! :(

Here are several pictures with the two next to one another. A little hard to see but Topaze does have the same color base but with the gold in suspension. This gave it so much dimension. In comparison, Paparazzi appears flat, no life.

See the difference on my nails.

Bottom left Topaze is at the bottom and on the right, Paparazzi.

Now of course Chanel in Paparazzi is a type of color loved by many women for the fact that it almost falls in the neutral and classic category. It does go with practically everything and is quite appropriate for any work place. I know some women would not be able to wear a vampy red during their work week and when one wants to wear color this is indeed a good choice. It's just that for me, it's either go bold or go home! In other words, if I can't wear a "stunning" color I prefer to wear none at all.

In a way, for me color is like fragrance, it's a personal thing.

Paparazzi the morning after... I should have gotten Cinema! Next up, hopefully, Dior Galaxie!


What was the last beauty item that left you feeling disappointed?

Notable Reads, Vol. 15

I started a Food Blog!!! 

What am I getting myself into I have no idea but I'm not going to stress about it. It's mainly for my daughter Catherine. Instead of writing down the recipes I use the most and print them from the computer, I figured this would be more fun for her and she could access it from anywhere. I will probably post two or three recipes a week and would love to get your opinions as well as suggestions.

The first one I posted is a repeat from my second Instagram Silliness post, here.

The title is quite original, Icaria's Food Blog. Hmm ok maybe not that original but nothing else came to mind. I hope you'll visit...

Icaria's Food Blog

Oh and it's on WordPress, hopefully I'll get comfortable with it enough to eventually transfer Icaria's to it. :)

_________________________________________________________________________________

This week I'm giving you the links first since what follows is pure personal indulgence! I only have a few to give you since I took a small break from the internet this week. Those who know me must have figured that I would at one point find a way to write about it... I just had to... Tutankhamun! It's all Jane's from BBB' fault, I swear! :D


The links...

Makeup Brush Maintenance, Vivianna Does Makeup

Bobbi Brown Brush Cleanser, The Beauty Look Book

How I do my liquid eyeliner, Blog of Shadows. Marvelle's eye liner tutorial, easy and simple. I think! This was tweeted by Nic from Strawberry Blonde Beauty Blog.

Talking Bellies, British Beauty Blogger. Wrong, just wrong!


In other news...

Alleged art thief's mother may have torched Picasso, Monet, CBC News, The Associated Press. Some people can be so stupid!

I made a wonderful discovery this week. Gio from Beautiful with Brains has a history blog called History And Other Thoughts or HAOT. Some entries remain beauty related but with a nice twist. Do have a look.

_________________________________________________________________________________

From Grace Kelly to Downton Abbey to Tutankhamun to Cleopatra... My head is spinning!

Some days the wires of my brain must be all tangled up! Why am I saying this? Well, I'll be all set on what I want to write about and then I see or read something that takes me in a totally different direction! There are so many subjects that interest me, it's sometimes hard for me to keep up with my own brain. I'm sure I'm not making much sense here. See what I mean?

I was going to write about a current exhibit with Grace Kelly as the subject we're having in Montreal at the moment but stumbled on an entry by British Beauty Blogger (I know her again! :D) about the Downton Abbey Beauty Range products that will be released next Fall by Marks & Spencer. Sadly since 1999 we no longer have these stores in Canada but we can still order from them online.

Unless you've been living in a cave you must have heard about Downton Abbey! I have to admit, I didn't start to watch from the start and so I missed the entire first season. *hides* Like millions of viewers I'm totally hooked and want to know what will happen next... I'm not going to say next to what since maybe some of you haven't watched any of the episodes of this post-Edwardian era British period drama television series.

A bit soap operaish maybe, everything about it is very well done, hair, makeup, costumes, decor, etc. It truly has all the elements required for a period piece and I must admit that due to my art history background I couldn't help but being intrigued by the Abbey itself. The architectural style of it, where it was located and who is/was it's owner. Thankfully, digging for these information wasn't hard since it has it's own website.

Highclere Castle

Downton Abbey's real name, Highclere Castle, is located in Hampshire England. It's a country house built in the Jacobethan style, a revival of sorts, being the fusion of the Elizabethan style considered to be the first wave of Renaissance architecture in England and of Jacobean style, its second wave. Not exactly what some would call Gothic Revival at first glance, Highclere Castle is a stunningly beautiful example of the style. More familiar with other types of architecture I really enjoyed reading about this one but what really grabbed my attention is the fact that this beautiful place is the seat of the Earl of Carnarvon!

Reading this name I froze!

The 5th Earl of Carnarvon was the financial backer of... Howard Carter!

Who is Howard Carter?

On November 4th 1922, Howard Carter found the steps that would lead him to one of, if not the greatest, archaeological find in history... The tomb of Tutankhamun later called KV62. On November 26th, Carter made a little breach on the top left hand corner of the doorway and was able to peek into the chamber. The Earl of Carnarvon who was present with his daughter Lady Evelyn, asked "can you see anything?" and Carter replied, "yes, wonderful things."

KV62, Tutankhamun's tomb, Valley of the Kings, Egypt

One of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history accompanied by such a simple statement, three words.

How many times during my teenage years have I read about this? Countless! For the longest time I was dreaming of becoming an archaeologist. Although Egyptology was my main passion, Celts, Romans, Etruscans, Mycenaean, Minoans... All ancient civilisations fascinated me and so I read books after books, dreaming of being out there, "in the field", as a female Carter in The Valley of the Kings, Schliemann rediscovering Troy or Mariette who lead numerous successful excavations in Egypt for the Louvre museum. These where the stars, the main protagonists of some of my teenage dreams.

How did all this fascination for ancient Egypt started? Cleopatra!

The 1963 movie starring Elizabeth Taylor was just so stunningly beautiful in every single way. The actress's makeup by Alberto de Rossi and Robert J. Schiffer, her hair by Vivienne Kavitz and costumes by Renié, everything was perfect. I think I must have been 12 the first time I saw it and still today I believe it's one of the best movies for makeup artistry.

Some of Elizabeth Taylor's beautiful makeup looks for Cleopatra.

Cleopatra was probably not as beautiful as Elizabeth Taylor was but contemporaries have written about her great intelligence and wit. Surprising that such a smart person lost it all for love, or was it lust? A seductress? Maybe. One thing is certain, as the last ruler of Egypt, she has left her mark. Imagine if her tomb was to be found? I'm sure the same words would be repeated, "yes, wonderful things."

Last weekend I read (probably for the 3rd time since it came out) The Mummy by Anne Rice. Not a masterpiece but such an entertaining story. I do wish Ms Rice would write a sequel...

...and yes there is mention of Cleopatra. :)

Now I am afraid I have created a mini me! My daughter is like me. At 6yrs old, she sat in front of the television and watched a 2 hours long documentary about king Tut! Not only does she like archaeology but she likes history in general. She read The Mummy a few weeks ago... I had forgotten about some passages in the book but she's 14 and I do believe some girls have read way worse younger. It's not that bad but it was just a little unsettling when I read it to know that she had as well.



Lastly, for your viewing enjoyment...

I was unable to include the video in this post so please do click on the link. Steve Martin's spoof/take on king Tut was quite a hit and even if you have seen this before, I do believe it's worth a second look, here.

Recent Purchases...

There's no way around it, some items just have to be replaced...

Avène Cleanance K

This is for my daughter, for her to keep good skin! We've tried Neutrogena and Clinique but neither kept clogs away like this moisturizing gel she uses in the evening. 

Marcelle's new Soothing Cleansing Water

On special at $9.99 with a regular price under $15.00, I just had to try it. I used it 2x since I purchased it and so far I'm pretty impressed by it. I'll write a review in a few days.

Real Techniques, your eyes enhanced starter set

Almost everyone raves about these brushes and so I finally decided to get a kit. I'm a bit annoyed by the fact that you can't purchase them individually and honestly, after having used some of them a few times, I'm not sure if I'm going to like them. We'll see.

Vichy 24hr Anti-Perspirant

For hot days I prefer using a scented anti-perspirant and so I figured why not try this one. I like having different options and this one from Vichy gets pretty good reviews.

Yardley English Lavender Soap

A trip back to my childhood, this soap is a classic! Read below and you can click on it to read the full text...

Hmm... I guess I should do a "Empties" post soon...

What have you replaced recently?

Instagram Silliness, Vol. 3

This week I took a few days off and I must admit, as much as I love blogging, it felt good to take it slow and stay off the computer. Last night Janine Falcon from BeautyGeeks tweeted, "Laptop I just can't quit you!!" She's not the only one! It is hard. Although I didn't write any new entries I did peak at Twitter a few times, I just could not resist!

Yes, I'm a laptop/iPad/iPhone addict!

*Le Sigh*

Here is a bit of my week in Instagram...

I finally got my hands on a small size of Caudalie Huile Divine. Here I was waiting for the Sun to come out! The Hydrangeas where coming along nicely and I'll take more pictures when they are in full bloom.

Silliness at the Dollar store, Catherine tried on this lovely bracelet. A few meters away, I found this throwback to my childhood, Yardley's English Lavender soap and that came home with me.

New at the drugstore, Lise Watier Tartantastique Fall 2013 makeup collection and Marcelle's new blush and powders. The new packaging is quite nice and reminds me of Givenchy.

Finally we got some Vanilla Syrup! Ice coffee, café au lait, Yum! This week I prepared some Parmesan Chicken with a Black Olives & Vegetable Rice. With the lemon, it was perfect!

Now this made me gasp! In a small mall in our area we there's this store called Aquatropicale which specialises in fish tanks. In their front window they have this beautiful spotted ray and every time we walk by, my daughter and I stop to admire it. Bran new, this sign, feed the ray for $3.00. Really??? At least put her in a nicer setting!

About my addiction, better that than television don't you agree? :D

You can follow me on Instagram, here.

Are you on Instagram? If you are, leave your links in the comments below... 

Lise Watier Tartantastique, Fall 2013...

Now available, Lise Watier's Fall 2013 Tartantastique. Just arrived this week, I took these pictures yesterday.

The limited edition Tartantastique Quad, said to have been inspired by the English countryside, reminds me of Revlon Sea mist reviewed here, although the colors are slightly more vibrant. The texture of the Havana Bronzing Powder, beautiful! It's quite a nice take on Chanel Les Beiges and it's truly an all over face bronzer that will provide a very natural look. (Sorry about the blurry image)

This Quad in Les Mauves (Purples) is just stunning and is part of Watier's regular line up. 

What I would love to try is one of those Intense Extra Smooth Liner, especially Prune.

Two beautiful shades of nail polishes, on the right, Chic Tartan. Oh in case you didn't know, 

these have a light in the cap hence the name, Light Cap Nail Lacquer. Smart!

I can't believe I just showed you nail polishes with nekkid nails!!! I've been a little lazy in the last few days.

For some reason, except for the nail polishes, these stunning colors don't ring Fall for me but we are still in July so my guess is they, especially the limited edition Tartantastique Quad which comes in a beautiful plaid print compact, will sell out fast. The only thing that puzzles me, why no blush?

What do you think?

Brand Envie! Which Would You Like to Try?

So many brands, so little money! Well in some cases money is not even an issue it's more availability that's the problem. I never buy cosmetics online. Why? Simply put, I have to touch and smell! Basic I know but I'm very picky about textures and fragrances. Plus, since I hate to waste money I would end up using something I don't like and get frustrated in the long run.

I follow many blogs and several of them are written by bloggers located in Europe where some brands have center stage but aren't readily available to us in North America or are only available online.

Here are some of the brands I would love to play with...

Are there brands you are curious about, brands you would love to try but aren't available to you?

Caudalie Huile Divine (Divine Oil) / Review

Caudalie Huile Divine was on my most recent Beauty Envies list and finally I got a small size of this little wonder everyone seems to have talked and raved about recently.

As some of you may already know, my favorites so far have been Liérac's Huile Sensorielle aux Trois Fleurs Collection Blanche and Nuxe's Huile Prodigieuse, I've mentioned both recently, here. These days I go mostly for the latter, for Summer I just love it! Now what I enjoy most about these two is the fact that they replace perfume/eau de toilette. Their respective fragrances last way over 6 hours on me when I apply them on my arms and décolleté on dry skin. I also love them for my hair. I've tried several hair products recently to give it more texture and always come back to one of these.

Caudalie Divine Oil...

At the drugstore I was pleased to find the small size, 15 ml (0.5 fl oz) which is bigger than a sample. Perfect to keep in one's purse or for someone like me, who wants to give it a try before committing to a larger size. The bottle is sleek, pretty and what is most convenient about it is the fact that even if it's small it comes with a good quality spray just like it's larger sisters.

All purpose? This dry oil is advertised as such, for body, hair and face. As with all other fragranced oils, if you wish to use it on your face do patch test first, especially if you have a tendency to have allergic reactions to skin care or have sensitive skin.

How did I use it...

As with my other fragrant oils, my frugal side makes me use them on dry skin just before getting dressed. I do this because for me they replace perfume and on dry skin less is needed and their fragrances last longer. In the shower on wet skin I prefer to use either almond oil or when I need a bit more moisture, avocado oil which are way less expensive. Arms, décolleté and of course on my hair to give it texture and tame those little fly aways.

The texture... 

Caudalie Huile Divine is very light so this makes it a nice option for Summer after shower. If I compare it to Liérac and Nuxe I would say this is the lightest and least moisturizing, Liérac being the heaviest. When it's very hot this can be a welcomed option. It penetrates fast and doesn't leave any greasy feel on the skin.

The fragrance... 

At first, well the only word that comes to my mind is "caudalieish" where there's a nice hint of green grapes. This fades quickly and with the warmth of the skin is replaced by a nice bouquet of luscious flowers which includes hibiscus. One will take center stage, the rose, accompanied with a hint of grapefruit. I must say the progression is quite lovely but unfortunately on me, it doesn't last. While some have written that Caudalie Huile Divine replaces their perfume it's not the case for me for after three hours or so I can barely smell it anymore. This is where skin's chemistry comes into play. Some have said that Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse's fragrance fades quickly on them while on me it lasts almost an entire day. Here with Caudalie Huile Divine, the opposite occurs.

Do I recommend Caudalie Huile Divine? Yes

Surprised aren't you? So far one would have thought that I would pass on this one given my comments but even if the fragrance didn't last that long as I would have hoped, this oil provides nice light moisture and I must say, for my hair, it's fantastic! Since I purchased the small size which goes for $9.99, my bottle doesn't have the nice grape details or the wooden cap but, as I've mentioned, it comes with the spray with a tight fitting gold cap and this makes it a great option go keep in my purse which I will to tame my hair. Caudalie Huile Divine doesn't weigh it down and is perfect to use during the day to give it extra definition and oomf! The fact that the fragrance is light will not make it annoying to anyone. I used to work with a lady who would spray herself three times a day with her Ferragamo and, well, my nose had a hard time to cope with it and I'm sure I wasn't the only one...

Will I repurchase? Yes

Honestly I don't know if I will commit to the large size but I will keep a small one in my purse for sure since it unfortunately is not refillable. I don't mind reapplying oil to my hair during the day and I've done it often recently due to high humidity. In Winter, with the heating, it can get so dry indoors that this becomes almost a necessity and the small size is so easy to carry in a cosmetic bag. I also find that Caudalie Huile Divine is rather nice to use on the back of my hands. During the day my skin can get a little irritated due to washing and this oil is quite soothing. Now since it's light it doesn't leave a greasy feel and doesn't make my hands slimy if inadvertently I get them wet which can happen with hand cream.

The small size, give it a try. It may well become a favorite to you as is the case for so many.



Reviews:

Makeup Alley: 4.8 / 5 lippies for 14 reviews.
Beauté-test: 4.2 / 5 stars for 200 reviews


Ingredients (from Beauté-test)

Ingredients : vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil*, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil*, isoamyl cocoate*, coco-caprylate*, parfum (fragrance), ethylhexyl palmitate*, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter extract*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, hibiscus sabdariffa seed oil*, argania spinosa kernel oil*, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (octinoxate), butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (avobenzone), tocopherol*, ethylhexyl salicylate(octisalate), palmitoyl grape seed extract*, solanum lycopersicum (tomato) fruit/leaf/stem extract*, citric acid*,benzyl salicylate, linalool, hydroxycitronellal, butylphenyl methylpropional, limonene, citronellol, alpha-isomethyl ionone, geraniol. (107/078) *Origine végétale

What About Emerald Green?

It's kind of easy to forget that Emerald Green was named color of the year by Pantone back in December. I have seen a few makeup looks here and there but nothing exciting enough for me to try on myself. Considering the price of quality cosmetics, I don't see why I would spend money on a color that just doesn't work on my green eyes to begin with. In clothes, well, last spring there was a lot of mint green but it's emerald counterpart was almost nowhere to be seen.

Sephora got on board with a Pantone Universe collection that did get some attention with reasonably priced options but to me it was kind of meh!

In light of the fact that some of the major makeup brands like Chanel and Laura Mercier are coming out with shades of Khaki nail polishes it'll be interesting to see if this kit from Ciaté will be a success. One thing's for sure, it'll hit the spot if you have an Emerald Green craving.

Ciaté Emerald Collection will likely be available in August at Sephora.

I would have considered a piece of clothing but haven't seen anything interesting enough for me to buy. I honestly thought there would be a lot of it out there but it wasn't the case. As for the Ciaté nail kit, I'll pass since I have nothing that goes with this color. To read more about it see British Beauty Blogger, source of the picture.

Am I the only one who was a little disappointed with the choice of Emerald Green as color of the year?

Instagram Silliness, Vol. 2

Talk about a hot week! I believe we've hit 40° Celsius with the humidity factor every single day! I can only say that I thank the gods of coolness for the invention of Air Conditioning!

By the way, the humidity factor or humidex which refers to the temperature felt is a Canadian invention!!! Yay! In other words, even if the temperature is 36° as shown on the picture below, high humidity, low winds etc can actually make us feel like like it's 42° degrees. After a rain/thunderstorm, the temperature can go down just a few degrees but if the humidity breaks then we can really feel the difference. In a way, it's the counterpart of the windchill factor. Now that was an American invention.

See, I knew I'd find an other opportunity to talk about the weather! :D

Since I don't sleep well these days, my morning café au lait is a must!

Wednesday was the hottest day of the summer, as you can see it reached 36° but the humidex got to 42°!!!

Thermal water in the fridge, more than appreciated when getting inside, away from the heat.

Dior Cake Mascara. Yes, I still have this and wish they would bring it back!

Julius thinks he's a goat and Fifi is ready for her belly rub!

On the right, BBQ chicken, lemon couscous with spicy tomato & mango salsa. 

Left, tomato sandwich. I've had a few this week and can't wait for the fresh summer tomatoes to arrive.

Since that salsa was soooo good, I thought I would give you the recipe. It's very basic and you can modify it as will, to your taste.

Spicy Tomato & Mango Salsa:

1 big tomato, seeded and chopped

2 mangoes (I had the Ataulfo variety)

1/2 cup of finely sliced red onions (do put them in water a few minutes to remove the sulfur smell)

A nice bunch of flat leaf parsley finely shopped (you could use fresh coriander as well)

A good spoonful of Harissa or Sambal Oelek (both are spicy pepper paste) or to taste

A pinch of salt

The juice of half a lemon or more if you like your salsa a little on the acidic side

Enough extra virgin olive oil to make everyone happy!

Switching parsley for coriander just remember to use a little less since it's more fragrant, has a more distinctive taste. If you make this in advance, do not put it in the fridge! It would simply kill the taste. I made it about 30 minutes ahead and it was perfect. If it's not too hot in your house you could prepare up to an hour in advance but omit the salt, olive oil and lemon juice just add those when ready to serve.

Let me know if you decide to try it. :)

Beauty Envies of the Moment, July...

There are always new beauty things to look forward to. If only my wallet was a little thicker I would get everything!!! Ok silly I know but hey a girl can dream!

I haven't been in stores in over a month so I haven't even seen the items from my previous Beauty Envies list yet although I did get Chanel Le Vernis in Lilis reviewed, here.  At this time I'm simply salivating going from websites to websites.


Here are the items I want to have a closer look at...

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadows in Mystère

Bobbi Brown Navy & Nude Long Wear Cream Shadow in Suede

Dior BB Creme

NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Peloponnese. Part of their upcoming collection,
is described as a Ginger Pink. I do believe it was made for me! 

Chanel Le Vernis in Paparazi 

Dior Mystic Metallics - Vernis in Galaxie

On the picture these nail polishes look similar but they are not, to see the difference, The Beauty Look Book has great pictures. Chanel, here & Dior, here.

Caudalie Huile Divine

So many bloguerettes rave about this one I just must try it!

What's on your list at the moment?

Talia, The Beauty Guru...

Yesterday on July 16 at 11:22 am Talia Joy Castellano got her Angel Wings. She lost her battle. Heaven gained not only a beautiful angel but also a Cover Girl who inspired so many with her strength, grace and beauty both inside and out.

As I've said in an entry I wrote last year, there are beauty gurus and there are Beauty Gurus. Death is cruel. I wasn't able to read it since we had no idea at that time that seven months later, death would take André. I sometimes wonder what's the point in getting born if it's to die anyway. I guess we have things to do.

Talia did what she had to do, beautifully.

Good bye Sweet Girl...

#RIPTalia



taliajoy18, Makeup Is My Wig Youtube channel

Angels for Talia facebook page


August 11, 2012, Gingy's Post
July 16, 2013, Gingerrama's Bad News

The Magic of Body Powders...

My brain must be fried! I would have said frozen but given the current heat wave we're experiencing it would have made no sense.

For some mysterious reason this Summer I completely forgot about body powders! These are almost magical for keeping the stickiness caused by the heat at bay. In my 20s I had a few fragranced ones that I enjoyed using. Dioressence and Estée Lauder's White Linen where my favorites. They felt so luxurious to use in their beautiful containers with their soft and pretty puffs and they lasted the longest time because I would only used them when it was super hot. I don't buy them anymore for personally I find the prices are not justified since their fragrances don't last long enough. White Linen is still available but is sold for $50.00 USD.

A Long Hot Week Ahead... Minimal Makeup!

As usual this morning I had my café au lait, turned on my lap top, read great blogs, left a few comments and off to shower!

The Body Shop's Pink Grapefruit shower gel for fresh boost of waking up fragrance, a bit of almond oil for moisture and done.

The Sun is out so Ombrelle SPF 45 had my full attention since I have to run a few errands but first I had to do a tour of the yard to pick up the tiny pears that either fell to the ground or where dropped by the squirrels. They love to munch on them but leave quite a mess behind the little rascals!

After 10 minutes I was a sweaty mess, ready for another shower!

It was barely 8:30!!!

Notable Reads, Vol. 14...

Today will be a very hot and lazy Sunday so I hope that you will all do like me and take it easy. Usually early mornings are quite lively in my yard. The birds, the squirrels and Julius who enjoys to chase them away provide quite a show. Not this morning. They're smart! Staying quiet to keep their energy, I guess they all know it's gonna be a doozie!

C'est la fête des Français!

14 juillet - Bonne fête la France!

Instagram Silliness, Vol 1

Recently, to my daughter's despair, I've started to get into using my iPhone for picture taking a little more. Sometimes they are specifically for a post and sometimes they are for Instagram. Catherine goes nuts when I start snapping pictures at the drugstore and goes almost ballistic when I do that at the grocery store!

Well Sweetness, too bad, I ain't gonna stop! In fact, I'm just getting started! :)

Beauty Tips For Beating The Heat...

It's been pretty hot recently and depending on where you live it may still be sticky and uncomfortable. I've got a few tips that may help if not stay cool at least give you the illusion of freshness. I would have a hard time without my air conditioning but hey, I do have to go out so I can't escape the heat. I'm keeping my fingers crossed we don't lose our electricity like it's been the case in some parts following torrential rains. Believe me, I feel for you!

L'Oréal Magic Nude Liquid Powder / Review

This product is not even on the website yet! Isn't it usually the other way around meaning, you'll see the new offerings on a company's website and then will start looking for it, waiting for it to be available? Anyways, yesterday I stumbled upon this new display for L'Oréal Magic Nude Liquid Powder.

What is it? L'Oréal describes it as a bare skin perfecting makeup.

The texture: very liquidy. In a way it reminded me of Erno Laszlo's Shake-It Tinted Treatment although not as watery, with less alcohol and more pigment.

How did it perform? I tried a darker color on my arm and I must say I was pleased with the coverage. It dried up quite fast and left a nice powdery finish. The problem, it didn't last. About two hours later I could barely see it on my arm and it wasn't due to friction. I must also add that as it did feel powdery smooth it didn't feel comfortable. I got to try YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat recently which was lovely and even Bourjois' Healthy Mix foundation seems more "flexible". I think with L'Oréal Magic Nude Powder one would have to use either a makeup spray or a spritz of thermal water to make it not only feel more pleasant but slightly more dewy.

I didn't see for which skin type L'Oréal Magic Nude Powder is for but, I believe it would be more suitable for combination to oily complexions since it dried so quickly and was quite mattifying. In my case for some reason and I might be wrong here, I would be afraid of oxidation just because of the way it felt on my skin and the fact that at the moment my skin is more on the oily side.

It will be interesting to read the reviews as people get to try it. I guess we'll see soon enough if this new foundation becomes a best seller.


This comment is based on one trial of the product and on my experience. L'Oréal has been one of my go to brands for foundations in the past and I've been satisfied with the ones I've used. It's not because this one is not for me that it's not for you. :)

Notable Reads, Vol. 13 - Taking Things Slow & Thinking About Moving...

Taking things slow...

This month I'll be posting a little less for a few reasons. Recently I've been spending way too much time on the computer. I guess it was in reaction to André's passing, I needed to keep my mind occupied and as I've mentioned before, blogging has helped me immensely last Winter while he was sick. Now it's become a bit much. I need to spend more quality time with my daughter for this will likely be the last Summer where I will not be working, where I can be fully there for her. I've been looking for a job and sadly at the moment there aren't too many postings so most of the time I'll be on the computer will be for my job search.

So don't be surprised if I skip a day or two here and there.

Thinking about moving...

For a while now I've been thinking about moving Icaria's from Blogger to WordPress. Although I'm pretty happy with the look the blog has at the moment, I find there is still room for  improvements. I already have a WP blog that was used to copy/paste entries from Blogger but haven't done much of these in for quite sometime now.

I'm hesitant because I still haven't mastered the functionalities of the other platform and I must admit I find it kind of hard to work with. This is probably because I got used to Blogger in the first place. It's so hard to change but I know it would make Icaria's look more polished and dare I say, maybe more professional.

Most of the blogs I follow are on WordPress and the article mentioned below is one of several that is pushing me to make the move. At the moment I just can't decide on which layout to chose and how to organise the widgets so some of my time on the computer is trying to figure this all out. I'm so not tech savvy!

Why Moving to WordPress is The Right Decision, Fashion Beauty Etc

Little update. When I published this post one annoying thing happened! Below, the font is different. I tried everything I could to change this but nothing worked. Formatting is one of the reasons I want to move. Can you blame me?


Picture taking... 

This is something I find extremely frustrating at the moment. While I was happy to start posting my own pictures, I'm not pleased with most of them especially the ones about colors. I know colors can depend on which browser you use. For example, I find they are warmer with Google Chrome than on Explorer or Firefox. What gets to me in a big way is that it's one thing to have different colors from different browsers but quite another when it on the same post! On the same post, with the same camera, with the same lighting! Grrrr! Case and point, my recent entry Coral Glow Meets an Almost Match, here.

For some picture taking I've discovered that the iPhone works better than my camera! I guess I'll be using it a little more.

My Summer case, can you tell I love spots!

What caught my attention this week...

Ever heard of fish pedicure? I hadn't either until Jane of British Beauty Blogger tweeted about this last week. I'm not sure if I should laugh or be disturbed about this. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2050342/Fish-pedicures-foot-spas-spread-HIV-hepatitis-C.html

The Eye Soothers, Strawberry Blonde. Nic shows us three treatments to help take down the puffiness we all experience once in a while. As mentioned by Nic there's always those good old cucumber slices as well as a few other options as shown in my own Puffy eyes, how to treat them post which you can read, here.

YSL Fall Look 2013: Gris Underground 38 and Beige Gallery 39 La Laque Couture, The Beauty Look Book. Have a look at the new YSL nail polishes, they are stunning!

Hourglass Opaque Rouge, worth the hype? Tattooed Tea Lady. We've all heard about this brands outstanding Ambient Light powders but what about their other products? Here Sophia gives us an honest review of one of their options.

Caudalie Divine Experience, Mostly Sunny. Read Sunny's reviews of the products who are getting more popular by the minute. I simply must get that oil! :)

Fight The Monica Frizz This Summer With LUSH! Beauty Reflections. Tracy tells us about her favorites to fight frizz. Although I do remember the Monica Frizz, I get to live with the Hélène Frizz just about everyday! That's the one I'm trying to fight. :)


For your viewing enjoyment...

This week I'm sending you over to Cherry Sue, Doin' the Do to view a Pink video. True Love. Like Cherry Sue wrote, it is what it is! You sometimes want to smash their face in but then can't live without them. That one really got to me. Not that I have to be reminded but it really made me realise how much I miss him...


I know that for most of us it's been a pretty hot week so what will it be...

Lemonade or Sangria?

Have a great week everyone and keep cool! Hélène xoxoxo

Garnier Fructis Style Thermo Sleek-Spray / Review

In my Quest to find the perfect anti-frizz styling products, I recently purchased a few Garnier Fructis products. I've already reviewed the Triple Nutrition Miracle Oil, here. This week I've been experimenting with the Thermo-Sleek Spray.

How did I use it?

I'm not going by the first two times I tried it since on those days we ended up with rain and it was extremely humid. I don't think anything would have made much difference on my type of hair.

Yesterday...

On towel dried hair. The spray is not that great so I sprayed about ten times in my hand to apply to the length and another seven times or so close to the roots, about one inch from them. Using a comb at this point is a good idea to help spread this gel like liquid evenly. I let my hair air dry about 30 minutes or so before using the blow dryer and honestly, I don't know how this product would fair with a regular blow dryer, I have a pro version that gives a lot of heat and this does make a huge difference as far a end results are concerned, especially for me since as I've mentioned before I have super thick hair.

Blow drying my hair I was a little annoyed by the steam the product caused. It was as if my hair was catching fire! It was not but still a bit scary. Once I was done I did have perfectly straight hair so I figured I'd skip the flat iron. One hour later my hair didn't look so sleek. It was starting to do it's own thing, again! Normally I would have dragged my feet back in the bathroom to plug in the flat iron but yesterday was one of those super hot days so my hair ended up in a bun.

This morning...

My hair feels a bit dry, almost "staticky" which is a little weird for Summer. I do have some frizzes but it's not as bad as with Frizz-Ease reviewed, here. Because of that dry sensation I will not use the flat iron today. It's Saturday anyway and I don't want to damage my hair. I'll simply use a bit of oil to tame it and will likely wear it up again.

Would I recommend Garnier Fructis Style Thermo Sleek-Spray? It's a no for me but yes for some.

It didn't give me the outstanding results I was looking for. If you have thick/coarse hair, I don't think you'll fair much better than I did. If you have medium to thin hair that's already on the "straitish" side then I believe you will likely end up with good looking straight hair. I paid under $4.00 for this but if you have long hair you will find the bottle to be on the small side. It's only 150 ml so if you wash your hair every two days on average you will use this product pretty quickly. I've used it three times and already a fifth of it is gone.

The fragrance is on the strong side when you apply it but fades nicely after an hour or so which is a good thing since I'm not that much of a fan of the "Fructis" smell.

This product seems to have been on the marked for a while in Australia (maybe in other parts of the world as well) but it's not showing on Garnier's Canadian, American or French websites. There aren't many reviews of it either but from the ones I've read Gariner Fructis Style Thermo Sleek-Spray appears to get an average of 3 out of 5.

I will not repurchase but again, it's not because it didn't work for me that it won't for you.

M.A.C Illustrated Makeup Bags, M.A.C by Request 2013 & Turquatic...

Here we have yet another collaboration for M.A.C this time with two award winning illustrators. The result, four makeup bags which can be nice options if you are a collector.

Two colorful bags by New York graffiti artist Indie 184 and two black and white line drawings by Anja Kroencke.

As you can see these two artists couldn't be more different. While Indie 184 clearly shows a modern tagging street style, Kroencke takes us back to a popular style of the late 70s. They are $43.00 each and are available now through M.A.C website.


M.A.C by Request 2013...

Every year M.A.C brings back loved products from the 1990s and 2000s based on votes. From July 8th to 23rd you can cast your own through their facebook page. Who knows, maby one of your favorites will be available in Spring 2014? Based on popularity, three lipsticks and three eyeshadows will be released again for a limited time.

M.A.C Putty! I would LOVE for it to make the cut!

Turquatic...

Here's a bit of ignorance for you, I had no idea M.A.C had a fragrance(s)! They clearly don't promote it at their counters because I've never seen it but I must admit that sometimes it's kind of hard to find their latest collections as well so it may not be surprising. The largest M.A.C counter we have downtown is almost a maze. Now from what I've just read about Turquatic I am more than intrigued. Aquatic with a good dose of Amalfi lemon! My nose is itching at the moment just thinking about lemons!

Originally launched in 2011, M.A.C describes is as being a classic with notes of Anemone, Lotus, Oris and Corsican Blue Cedar. Considered as a unisex fragrance (now that scares me a little for I've never liked one qualified as such so far) I will still sample it since according to the reviews it leans more to the feminine side. Available in three sizes: 6 ml rollerball ($26.50), 25 ml ($36.00) and 50 ml ($59.50).


Do you like these makeup bags? Have you tried Turquatic?

Dior or L'Oréal? Coral Glow, meets an "almost" match!

Did y'all know that I loooove my Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo in Coral Glow?

Ok sorry I couldn't resist but it's true! If it weren't so silly I would probably sleep with it and I'm not the only one who's nuts about this compact. My bloguerette friend Sunny from Mostly Sunny is about to get married to hers. I hope we'll get invited, me and my Coral Glow that is...

Now of course you dont neeeed a compact with both product. You can totally go for separates but ain't it fun to only have one item to carry?

At the drugstore I stumbled upon a L'Oréal product that I had never noticed before and at $3.99, yes that's right, I figured I'd do a little comparison.

L'Oréal The One Sweep Sculpting Blush Duo, I purchased the shade 830 Flush.

It's Canada Day / C'est La Fête du Canada

Happy 146th Canada! 

Joyeux 146ème anniversaire!