The Sunday Post, Vol. 22...

I went to a bank yesterday...

After having lost my bank card on Friday I had no other choice than to stop by a branch to withdraw money. I called ahead of time to inquire about opening a new account to get a card faster to avoid having to carry a lot of cash but apparently these days you must make an appointment to do that and their book was full!!! I still went to the branch and ended up waiting 45 minutes!!! There were two bank clerks and about fifteen people waiting. Taking a number and having to sit and wait felt as if I was at the DMV!!!

Let's just say I'll make sure not to ever lose my bank card again!


This week's makeup love...

Let's make it different and go for what I keep in my purse these days...

Diptyque Do Son, Chanel Les Beiges N°10, Shiseido Sun Protection Compact, Clarins Éclat Minute in 05 Candy Shimmer, NARS Tolède and Rikugien, Guerlain Rouge Automatique in Tonka Impériale, Rouge Dior in Charnelle. Now there's also a small beat up sample size bottle of Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse (oh how I wish Nuxe made a nice small size like Caudalie) and some Hello Kitty Band-Aids. :)

Nails...

Dior #575 Wonderland on my fingers (received many compliments) and Dior #338 Mirage on my toes!

New additions...

I stopped by The Body Shop to take advantage of their 50% off makeup special and purchased their BB Cream, a Honey Bronzer in 02 and a cute lip balm. Also, before they ran out, I just had to go to Chanel for Le Vernis in #619 Pink Tonic! Oh and notice I found my old pair of Gianfranco Ferré sunglasses! Woot!

What I have my eyes on...

Chanel Joues Contraste in Sakura! Yup it's back on my list! I tried it this week and it's the prettiest soft pink with gentle shimmer ever!!! A small size Caudalie Huile Divine to keep in my purse or maybe two, since the one I have at work is almost empty. Then there's a little somethin' somethin' from Guerlain that will make it's appearance on the 15th that I just may "have" to get...

For your viewing enjoyment...

Even if you're not a perfumista you may still appreciate J'Adore Le Parfum Le Film. The flowers, the flacon and the jewels as the finishing touch! I have used many samples of this Dior fragrance in it's eau de parfum version but this presentation makes me want the perfume! Narrated by Charlize Theron, the images are truly beautiful!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaL_S7Yi6ic

Have a great week everyone! Hélène xoxo

The Sunday Post, Vol. 18...

Is the weather ever going to warm up???

This past week has been windy and grey. The sun did peek through a few times but overall the weather was more on the pitiful side. I'm still not in the mood for spring stuff and so haven't purchased any new clothes yet. It's like nothing is worth my hard earned money at the moment.

Oh well, it'll change soon I guess.

This week's makeup love...

My lack of "springy" inspiration means I'm still doing pretty much the same eye look but this week I used my NARS Fairy's Kiss palette almost everyday and I've been reaching for Dior Nude Blush lipstick in Charnelle along with Clarins Lip Perfector in Candy Shimmer. I think I'll retire my beloved Guerlain Crazy Terracotta for now since I've started to use my regular one in 01 this week with a touch of Madame Rougit blush. I did wear Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise in Coral Glow once but it felt too summery for now so it'll wait a little longer.

Update... Panic is slowly starting to settle in...

Notice how much bigger the pan of my beloved Crazy Météorites compact is getting... This Guerlain PowderPuff Girl is not happy!

Good thing I have this little number to fall back on which for summer is just amazing...

I haven't reviewed it yet but likely will in a few months. Although I love it it's not quite the same as Crazy Météorites and so I have no idea what I will replace it with. My first stop will likely be the regular Météorites which have been reformulated recently.

What I have my eyes on...

Just have a look at last week's edition of The Sunday Post, here... Next Sunday is Mother's Day so I'll treat myself for sure... to what? Sadly I'll have to be more reasonable than I thought and so there will be some hard thinking. Guerlain Terracotta Célébration bronzer is a whopping $84.00 and the Terracotta fragrance is $80.00!!! I was hoping it would be priced closer to the Eau Allegoria which are $67.00. :( I sooo wanted Chanel Sakura blush and Jardin Zen eye shadow quad from the Jardin de Camélias collection but I might have to pass on them since I would really like to get Diorshow monos from the Transat Collection, Cabine and Pavillon. You can read about and see both on my friend Sunny's blog, here. What you see below is a screen capture of her picture.

What I will likely pass on...

What I really, really want...

For your viewing enjoyment...

Dior is spoiling us again with beautiful makeup tutorials using the new colors from the Summer 2014 Transat Collection.

The Transat look...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsL2s58ACwc

The Sundeck look...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrlnwC20WXw

Clearly not for everyone but stunning none the less.


Have a great week everyone! Hélène xoxo

Maybelline New York Color Elixir...

Recently at the drugstore I stumbled upon a new display of these little beauties! I've been looking at pink shades for lips more and more but before going for that high end lippie that will take me back $40.00, I figured I would start with less expensive options, for the colors, to see if I would really wear pink again. Seeing these I figured why not give them a try?

Maybelline New York Color Elixir by Color Sensational...

Twenty shades in all, these go along the new trend of hybrid lip products that are popping up everywhere. The Maybelline version is said to have a trio of concentrates to deliver color, care and shine. These apparently came out last November but for some reason I had never seen them in Montreal until now.

The colors... 

I chose Captivating Carnation #080, a pretty bright pink that pulls a little coral on my lips and Mauve Mystique #025, which appears like a deep berry in the container but for some reason looks more like a mauvish lilac on my lips. Neither are saturated but they go on smoothly and the colors can be built up but high saturation doesn't last that long on me because I tend to rub my lips a lot with this type of formula.

Ok guys, look at those colors... WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME???

You do know I'm a NUDE lippie girl don't ya?

The formula...

More sheer than a liquid lipstick, not as sticky as a gloss and a little more "there" than a balm is how I would describe them. These will last a few hours but will not resist a meal. They are very comfortable to wear and their textures remind me of Clarins Lip Perfectors (if you go have a look at the first phrase of that post you'll see why I think I've flipped!), the only products I own I could compare them with, but with more color. Sadly they don't have the same lovely caramel/chocolaty taste. I couldn't quite put my finger on what they tasted like so I had a peek at reviews on Makeup Alley and one reviewer had the perfect description. These have a floral, almost laundry soap kind of taste that I just don't get and it lasts a little too long for me. The weird thing is that when you take the applicator out of the container, these smell like vanilla! That I could have lived with.

As you can see the colors are way more saturated than my beloved 

Clarins Lip Perfector in Candy Shimmer on the right.

A few hours of wear, first the shine goes and then the color but it disappears evenly even with the darker Mauve Mystique.

The applicator is a little flimsy and honestly they could have gone with a classic doe foot type but I guess this one makes the product more in tune with the times. Sometimes I wonder if companies are trying to reinvent the wheel! :)

Do I recommend Maybelline New York Color Elixir? Yes...

If you can get past the taste (I'm having a hard time to but I know some don't really notice it), these have a lovely formula and you can get three for the price of one high end lipstick. Great to try colors your not sure you would wear on a regular basis.

What annoys me the most about drugstore brands...

The sticky tape they use to keep people from opening the products is such a pain to remove!!! The fact that their offerings are box less for the most part is what makes these less expensive and I do get it but how many times have I gotten to finally use the product only to still have either tape or glue traces on the packaging oh and good luck in removing those traces. In some cases oil works but sometimes it doesn't. I don't mind much for a concealer but for a lip product that can be taken out of one's purse in public, me no likey!

Notice the nice traces of tape on the caps! Grrr!

What do you dislike most about drugstore brands?

L'Occitane Shea Butter Body Lotion...

This was a little Christmas indulgence, a little gift to myself. I know, another one! What can I say, I figure I deserved it!

Some of my favorite body moisturizers over the years include Clinique Deep Comfort body butter, Biotherm Anty-Drying Body Milk, Clarins Moisture Rich Body Lotion, Nivea (yes plain little Nivea the one in the dark blue bottle), several of The Body Shops Body Butter (I love their Cocoa Butter Hand & Nail lotion) and the one that kind of comes up on top is Avène Cold Cream Body Lotion. I think I went through four bottles of that one in recent years!

For some reason I tend to be unfaithful. I like to change and I must admit that my long time relationship with Avène and Nivea is exceptional for me. I get bored easily but these have remained staples.

There's a new one on my block...

L'Occitane en Provence Shea Butter Body Lotion...

Ok I know it's not that new but for me it is, there! L'Occitane* was founded in 1976 by Olivier Baussan who's intention was to preserve the traditions of his native Provence. The company took the name L'Occitane en Provence in the late 1990s.

This lotion with it's 15% shea butter from Burkina Faso a little landlock country of West Africa, is rich, luxurious and has an amazing fragrance! I can't quite put my finger on it but it has a flowery and powdery smell that reminds me of products my mother used when I was a child. In other words, it's very comforting. Maybe it's the smell that surrounds you when you step into a lovely ancient French house on the outskirts of Nice or Arles in the south of France.

Rich but non greasy, just the way I like a body moisturizer, it penetrates quickly and keeps my skin soft a good twelve hours, even my elbows! If you have very dry skin you may want to try the Shea Ultra Rich Body Cream which comes in a jar. I only tried that on in store but it did seem extra moisturizing. The Shea Butter Body Lotion is a little on the pricey side at $34.00 for 250 ml, especially compared to Avène which is the same price but for 400 ml.

L'Occitane en Provence Shea Butter Body Lotion may not be the most moisturizing body lotion on the market, that is of course if you have extra dry skin, but it does an excellent job for my winter skin and just the fragrance alone makes it totally worth it.

Shower, this lotion and flannel pj's = super comfy fuzzy feeling inside.


Have you tried this body lotion or any of the L'Occitane en Provence offerings?



Reviews:

Makeup Alley: 3.8 / 5 lippies for 50 reviews.
Beauté-test: 4 / 5 stars for 88 reviews.


Ingredients (from Sephora website):

-Shea Butter (15%): Protects, nourishes, and moisturizes the skin. 
-Extra Pure Apricot Oil: Regenerates and nourishes with vitamins A, B, and C. 
-Honey and Coconut Oil: Moisturize and soften. 

Water*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Glycerin*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil*, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol*, Glyceryl Stearate*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Fruit Extract*, Mel Extract/Honey Extract*, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tocopherol*, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Sorbitan Isostearate*, Polysorbate 60*, Chlorphenesin, Peg-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-33, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Linalool, Citronellol*, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene*, Geraniol. 
*Natural origin ingredients.


*Occitane to put it simply, is a female native/resident of the pays d'Oc. Its language, originating from the Middle Ages is still spoken today in southern parts of Spain, France, Monaco and Italy. Although considered as a dialect by some (it would seem to be the fusion of several dialects), others firmly believe it's a language and that, even if there are different ways to speak it. Occitan is often synonym to Provençal which in turn originates from Latin Provincia likely of Romain origin.

The Sunday Post, Vol. 6...

Oh my what a week!!!


Update on furbaby Julius...

He's going to be fine! Catherine and I are so relieved and want to thank you all for your kind words last week.

He got sick totally out of the blue and it would seem it was a severe case of upset stomach. We brought him to the clinic on Monday and they took some blood for analysis. The vet gave us a few scenarios one of which was pancreatitis. Apparently schnauzers are prone to this and it would have required hospitalisation. I'm so thankful and relieved that it wasn't what he was suffering from. That dog is so precious to us, he's been our therapist, the one who made us smile when we thought we couldn't. He's one heck of a barking machine but he's our baby and we love him. So does Fifi by the way since she kept hovering and meowing around him as to say come on, snap out of it! :)

Given the highly emotional weekend I spent the week in a mild coma and was only able to deal with my day job. This means that I don't have anything written and I have a bit of writer's block at the moment but I should be able to get back on track soon since I have a few nice goodies to review.


This week's makeup love...

Guerlain Terracotta La Sélection de l'Été! Ok I can see you frown from here but wait! It's not because it was released for summer that I can't enjoy it in January! There I said it! :) The beautiful khaki green paired with the mauvy brown are just sooo smashingly beautiful together and went so well with the clothes I wore. I also enjoyed Chanel Charming palette which has definitely become a staple.

Lipstick love were fuss free NARS Dolce Vita and Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector in 06 Rosewood Shimmer which I could both reapply without a mirror. The was also Rouge Dior Nude Lip Blush in Esquisse #683 which hasn't been reviewed yet due to the lack of good lighting. It's a beautiful rosewood color that's a little darker than what I've been reaching for lately.

Of course the pictures are not optimum! It's been cloudy and overcast lately. I'm sorry but this was the best I could do.

Guerlain La Sélection de l'Été (2013)

Nails...

Chanel Le Vernis Taboo!


New additions...

I took back Diorshow Iconic Overcurl to Sephora and wanted to try Guerlain Cils d'Enfer but they were out of black so I decided to go for Givenchy Noir Couture. I also returned Chanel Joues Constraste #85 Évocation due to the fact it wasn't the color I wanted in the first place and in the pan it looked pretty similar to a Bourjois blush I rarely wear these days and keep at the office in my emergency bag. I exchanged it for Illusion d'Ombre in Diapason and Le Vernis in Charivari... :)

Recently I purchased L'Occitane en Provence Ultra Rich Lotion for Body and so this week got a small size of the hand cream.

I got a gift!

Sunny from Mostly Sunny sent me a gift which I received just before New Year's (I think!). I won't tell what it is except that it was extremely thoughtful of her. It's a little something that I really, I mean really wanted to get my hands on, a pretext to write about a certain subject that is dear to me. I don't know when I'll have enough time to do it justice but hopefully it will be soon.


For your... listening enjoyment...

This week it's a song to which there are apparently no video, a rare occurrence these days. Those of you who live in Canada will probably recognise it from a TV commercial. It may be well known in Europe, I have no idea except I love it's retro sound.

On the image below, can you tell which lip gloss she's holding? :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUNcEU6A56M

Have a great week everyone! Hélène xoxo

2013, The Flops...

In a perfect world everything would work for everyone! Ok I guess it would be a little boring but at least there would be less money wasted. Looking back on the reviews I've posted in 2013 I'm glad to say that out of all of them most were if not hits, products that were good enough to recommend. Others on the other hand just didn't work for me and were hard to comment on. To call them flops may be a bit harsh but sadly that's what they were to me.


Here goes...


Revlon Colorstay Cream Eyeliner in Charcoal

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden

L'Oréal Color Riche Balm in Caring Coral 418

Laura Mercier Mineral Finishing Powder

L'Oréal Telescopic Shocking Extension Mascara

bareMinerals Pretty Amazing Lip Color

Clarins Graphic Expression Eye Quartet Mineral Palette

Real Techniques Brush Collection, Eye Starter Set

Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil

Nuxe Lip Moisturizing Stick

Almost all the products tried for my Hair Quest, among them L'Oréal Nutri-Sleek Precious Oils

These were such disappointments. I've tried the Clarins Quad again recently over my 

NARS ProPrime Eyshadow Base and still no staying power. I regret not taking
 the Laura Mercier back for as it turns out, my daughter who I thought would 

use it over her sunscreen just doesn't want to be bothered with it.

These two L'Oréal products were fails at first use! I tried to make them work but with no success.

If you already use and love some of these products then I'm truly happy for you. Also do not let this list reflect on the brands mentioned for they all offer great beauty options. My favorite gel eyeliner is from L'Oréal and I will continue to buy it and the same goes for The Body Shop, especially their bath/body offerings.

Hopefully there will be less of these flops in the future because like everybody else, I hate wasting money! My consolation is that some of these reviews may have enabled some of you to make more enlightened choices and save pennies in the process.


Have you had flops this year? What was you biggest disappointment?

The Sunday Post, Vol. 3...

Before you start...

Grab a cup of coffee or tea so you'll be all comfy to watch those videos at the end. They are definitely worth the extra time, believe me! :)

Christmas week...

For Catherine and I it will be a quiet one. I have three days off and so I think I'll spend them in my pyjamas, blogging a bit and watching movies with my girl. Some of you may have noticed that until now I haven't mentioned this holiday and haven't posted gift suggestions or any type of wish list as I did last year. Without my love my heart is just not in it. Although André wasn't a fan of Christmas he still was the one who made it special and now that he's gone I guess it'll take a few years for me to get back into the spirit of the season, if ever.

Weird to be buying my own gifts but I did spoil myself, a bit too much actually, I guess in a way I needed to compensate for his absence. The good thing this week is that I'm not working on the 24th and so it'll be less sad for me. I don't know how I would have felt getting home late on that day because for some reason the image of Scrooge coming home to and empty depressing house keeps popping in my mind. Now I'm nothing like Dickens' character of course and I'm blessed to have my daughter but it's the imagery that I keep thinking about especially since family is non existent anymore and our few friends will be away. I just hope it won't be too hard on Catherine.

By the way, I did get my baby a pretty special gift and if she allows me I'll show you a picture later next week. I still have to wrap it! She has requested a pretty paper with a smashing bow! :)


In my purse...

This week there were a few changes. On Monday we experienced our coldest day so far with a horrendous windchill factor of -28° Celsius! That morning by the time I got to the office my eye liner on the outer corners of my eyes was pretty much gone! In case you don't know, cold makes eyes react, they get all watery, especially from the cold wind! I decided to add the little Annabelle crayon purchased earlier this year to make corrections when needed. It would seem that I'm also hoarding a few more lipsticks!

In need of a little comfort...

With the colder weather I've been reaching for richer products a few times this week. I've been using Clinique All About Eyes in the morning, this eye cream is on the bland side and it's gel like texture gives me just enough extra moisture and it's perfect for under makeup. Nuxe Crème Fraîche has been getting a little love as well at night and so did Avène Cold Cream hand cream. This one is more moisturizing and is perfect before bed since it's richer and takes longer to penetrate than my beloved Caudalie. L'Occitane en Provence Ultra Rich Lotion for body is a new addition and I can't comment much on it yet since I've used it only three nights but I do think it'll be a favorite. Flannel pyjamas were a must this week, believe me!

Fragrances...

Yes they deserve a little paragraph this week. I've been enjoying a few and have totally fallen in love with a new one! *sigh* Roses de Chloé! I love the smell of roses on their own and Nic from Strawberry Blonde reviewed it recently and I must say that she had me at "rose garden" smell! I got a sample of it at Sephora and I do think that it will be on my birthday gift list to myself in April. You can read her review, here. Shalimar de Guerlain and Estée Lauder's Modern Muse haven't been reviewed yet but La Petite Robe Noire has. It still doesn't develop on me the way it does on others but I'm truly enjoying it more and more. By the way a new version is coming out soon and I can't wait to try it!

Nails...

I'm truly impressed!!! Chanel Le Vernis in Cosmic lasted the entire week!!! I didn't think I could wear it that long since it's sooo... black but I didn't have time to do another manicure and so on my nails it remained. The formula is just amazing. See for yourself on this picture below. I applied it last Sunday night and this was taken on Friday afternoon! Barely any tip wear and that's with no top coat whatsoever!

New additions...

Of course I did a little shopping this week and ended up getting a few essentials. Wanting to give my NARS Tolède a break and looking for a more moisturizing formula I did get Dolce Vita and I love it. I will review it soon. I replaced my Clinique Almost Lipstick Black Honey and finally purchased Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara! My splurge this week, L'Occitane en Provence Ultra Rich Lotion for body and two Voluspa Makassar Ebony & Peach candles.

For your viewing enjoyment...

As of yesterday I had no idea of what I would choose but my bloguerette buddy Sunny gave me the answer when she tweeted about the latest Cartier Winter Tale video.

If I would sell a kidney for a Guerlain Météorites compact I would likely sell a limb for a Cartier red box! Ok maybe just a toe but it does count as limb doesn't it?

Here are three and dreamy is what they are...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koGGvyNmqCs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u9VXq4HyEI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fWSx10SHlA

Then there is this most stunning of "commercial", that I did post last year, L'Odyssée de Cartier! Not a winter tale per say but it's just spectacular. Do notice the "transformation" at the beginning...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaBNjTtCxd4

Know what I mean about those little red boxes? :)


I sincerely hope you all have a beautiful and joyous Christmas week! Hélène xoxo

My Current Favorites / Makeup

In a few days August will be over! Where did it go???

This Summer was way too short and I just can't believe that we will soon have to start wearing socks again! The blogging world is going loco for all the new fall collections and I agree, there are or will be some stunners out there but for me, this means the return of the cold! I like Spring the most. It announces the arrival of lazy and care free days. Fall, is the precursor to cold and last Winter was such a harsh one in Montreal that I wish I could win the lottery and move to a more temperate climate...

*Le Sigh*

Recently I showed you what my Spring & Summer Skin Care Routine was like and so I thought it would be fun to show you what makeup I've been going for in the morning for the past month or so. I realise looking at these that this was real basic. No fuss, five minutes and I'm done! Compared to the same type of post I brought you in June, here, a few changes where made but I'm still keeping it minimal.

These have been my absolute favorites, I have used other products here and there but there are the ones my hands reached for most often, especially this past month and all have been reviewed...

Face...

Estée Lauder DayWear BB creme
Rimmel London Match Perfection Concealer
Givenchy Le Prisme Visage Mat in Peach Plumetis
Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo in Coral Glow

Eyes...

Bobbi Brown Navy & Nude palette
L'Oréal Infaillible Lacker Liner in Dark Slate
Benefit They're Real! mascara

Lips...

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Candy Shimmer
NARS Satin Lipstick in Tolède

Nails...

Essie The Girls Are Out for fingers
Chanel Le Vernis in Taboo on toes


True that Estée Lauder's BB and Bobbi Brown's palette are recent additions but oh how I wish I had put my hands on them sooner.

One quick comment about both the Givenchy and Dior compacts, notice how the embossed patterns are still visible? I've used these almost every day since I purchased them and it barely shows. This to me proves that they where totally worth the splurge. Fine and tightly pressed powders that perform well are definitely worth it and these have excellent staying power so no need to reapply repetitively during the day.


What where the staples of your Summer? 

Clarins Graphic Expression Eye Quartet Mineral Palette / Review

On my recent Beauty Envies there was Mystère from Chanel's Superstition collection that is just about to hit stores. It's already available on some websites and some beauty bloggers have reviewed it. So far, considering the price, I believe it will be a little over $60.00, they are not unanimous. Some love it and others have been a little more critical about the textures of the different colors in the quad. I can't comment about the textures so much but I was able to swatch it over the weekend and I must say I was a slightly disappointed for as it turns out, the colors are a little ordinary. For me, for every day, it would end up being boring and since I pay for my makeup I decided to pass. For now...

For my first fall purchase I decided to go with Clarins instead. I think it was last Friday that stores started to receive the new Fall collection, Graphic Expression...

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!!!

Favorite Body Oils of The Moment...

I don't know if it's because Summer is fast approaching (in some parts of the world... somewhere... I hope) but recently I've noticed several entries about oils. For hair, face or/and body, it's a fact that they are gaining in popularity, fast!

I have mentioned before that for years and years, in my teens and twenties I used baby oil (I still do from time to time) at the end of my shower on wet skin, pat dry, soft skin for the day! These days I enjoy avocado, sweet almond and argan oil for moisture, all these, except maybe for argan oil, are quite affordable and I use them freely. The others, the more pricey fragrant ones I have, I use instead of perfume.

My Current Favorites / Makeup

There's a lot of makeup on my table but these are the items I reach for the most and all have been reviewed, just click on their names if you want to know more about them.

As you can see, for me, less is more! I don't wear foundation but I do wear concealer and powder. Why do I have three concealers? I don't have dark circles but do have a little redness on my lids and I find that either one of these serves me well as an eye shadow base. Rimmel, Hard Candy and Laura Mercier are all favorites and I use either one of them depending on my mood but I do tend to reach for Rimmel most of the time.

Givenchy Le Prisme Visage Mat is my go to powder at the moment. So light and natural, it goes from my table to my purse when I go out. I often use the "dark" beige as an eye shadow when I want a "no makeup" makeup look.

Revlon Colorstay Quad in Sea Mist. This is such a surprise for me since I haven't used any of Revlon's products for years except for a lip butter purchased one year ago. I've been reaching for it every morning, especially the dark purple which is quite flattering on green eyes. I've used these eye shadows on hot days (we've had only few so far) and I must say, they have good staying power. For such an inexpensive item I couldn't be more pleased.

L'Oréal's Infaillible Lacker Liner 24h in Dark Slate, the best I've tried so far. I have deep set eyes and let's be real, my upper lids are starting to be influenced by gravity. *sigh* This eye liner has not let me down so far except on the day when I had to work in the yard for a bit and it was extremely hot (38C with humidity). After about 40 minutes or so, it was starting to disappear on me. Now let's be fair, I don't think any eye liner would have resisted that. The color, Dark Slate is perfect for me. Dark but not as harsh as black would be. Even if I'm a brunette I have a fair complexion and I don't always curl my lashes. A black eye liner would be the only thing one would see on my face.

Benefit's They're Real! Given my recent rave review it's no surprise that this is the mascara I reach for every morning. When I want to keep the curl all day, I heat my Shiseido lash curler with my blow dryer. With Benefit's mascara the process is not as long for they get and keep the curl pretty fast.

La Terracotta de Guerlain, my favorite basic bronzer. No shimmer, perfect for contouring I sometimes even use it as an eye shadow or liner on the outer ends of my lower lids.

Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo... Love! This is the perfect summer glow in a compact! The bronzer side gives a light natural tanned look with just enough of a satiny finish. It's not shimmery and so I don't look like a disco ball. Mixed with the coral, perfect glow! I apply the coral lightly on my cheeks but also on my upper lids, very lightly. This gives the effect of having been in the Sun without the damage. I'm so glad I gave in to temptation. :)

M.A.C Whole Lotta Love Pro Longwear Blush. The only item I haven't reviewed yet and I'm starting to wonder why I purchased it. I've used it only once, the day after I bought it. It was lovely but for some reason I'm not attracted by it, especially since I got my Diorskin Duo. I rarely wear pinks and so far Bourjois Rose Ambré (not shown on the picture) was my go to. For Summer I wanted something with a little more brightness, reason why I got this M.A.C but now I don't know when I'll use it. I guess I included it in this line up in the hope I'll start using it soon. :)

I don't know why NARS Larger Than Life Gloss in Gold Digger is there either since I've only used it a few times. I guess in this case it's to remind me that I want to try it in another color... :)

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 05 Candy Shimmer and 06 Rosewood Shimmer. These I reach for every day. Moisturizing, they give a little dimension to my lips and are perfect for a natural look.

NARS Satin Lipstick in Tolède really turned out to be my Summer lipstick so far. This color is perfect and I get a good four hours of colors. Light, I haven't found it drying so far although I don't wear it every day, only when I go out. It goes with everything but I must admit I don't wear super bright colors This shade should definitely become part of NARS regular line up because again, for me, it's perfect!

Oh how long does it take me to put on "my face" in the morning? Rarely more than 10 minutes! Unless I'm experimenting with a new color or product, I've got my basic look pretty much covered.


How long does it take you to put on your makeup in the morning?

Bronzers! Instead of Burning, Fake It!

I don't think it's a secret to anyone any more that I love a beautiful compact! I'm also quite addicted to lipsticks, lip balms, any product that will make lips feel comfortable and pretty and so I always have more than a few lip product in my purse but I've realised recently that as much as I love a beautiful lipstick, I haven't indulged in them in the past few months as much as I have for compacts.

My main compact addiction recently has been for bronzers!

I am pale, very pale and except for running errands or cleaning the yard, I don't spend a lot of time outdoors unless it's in the shade. In recent years I've developed a bit of redness on my cheeks and if I could I'd probably have that fixed but I'm not that bothered by it. I've figured out a way to tone it down with...

Bronzers!

Staying in the shade, wearing a good sunscreen usually means, little summer color. Good since any color is aging skin. For most of my life I have learned to embrace my paleness. To me it wasn't a hard choice since lying in the Sun wasn't an option, it simply made me sick, really! Feverish, queasy almost nauseous is how I felt every time I tried to lie in the Sun. Still to this day when I see people baking it makes me feel uncomfortable. I guess some would say it almost borders a kind of allergy. I was teased a lot about my paleness but now I'm the one laughing for I hardly have any wrinkles!

Embracing my paleness does not mean I don't want a "healthy" sun kissed glow. This is what a bronzer does for me, give me a glow! I loooove my bronzer(s)!

The one that started it all, in 1984, La Terracotta de Guerlain. Almost revolutionary for it's time since in those days, a tan meant vacation. In Summer many would spend their weekends baking in their yards, balconies or in parks and they would start to do this as early as April, as soon as the weather enabled them to sit outside in the Sun. In Winter, if you had a tan you could brag about the time you just spent in Florida or the Caribbeans.

Given all the information out there about the sun, all the warnings and studies about the risks involved with UV rays, it's interesting to see how our culture simply can't let go of tanning.

Today almost every single cosmetic company makes at least one bronzer. It's quite common but back when Terracotta was launched, using a powder to create a tanned effect was quite a novel idea. I remember Clinique had a gel bronzer in their men's line but that was about it. Gels and creams are harder to master but  powders, they are perfect to create the lightest glow, fast!

Here are some bronzers I've reviewed recently...

Just click on the names for full reviews: Clarins, Milani, mark, Rimmel, Guerlain & Dior. 

I haven't reviewed Rouge Bunny Rouge yet which in fact is a blush and not a bronzer but it's a great compliment if your bronzer is matte. It will give it a little dimension. The color I have is Starina and was given to my by my London friend Marilla.

Instead of burning, fake it!

Now, you want to know how to apply your bronzing powder? Here's a little gem from who else, Guerlain! 52 seconds is all it takes!

Speed Make-Up Guerlain

Faking it is one thing but be sure to protect your skin against UV rays. Not only to avoid wrinkles later but mostly for your health! Here is one of my first posts with a list of sunscreen readily available.

Memories, a bit of history & sunscreens

You do not have to read the entire article you can simply skip towards the end for brands. Also it was one of my first entries so there are a few mistakes in it and the formatting is a little weird due to the change of template done since then. I did not change anything because it serves me as a reminder of my firsts steps in writing. :)

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors / Review

It's official! I've decided, bright colored lipsticks aren't for me anymore!

Well, for now anyway!

I love to see all the beautiful shades my bloggerettes friends try on, Chanel, Givenchy and Dior all have fabulously bright colors this season. Candies or jewels, you choose your definition.

Yesterday I roamed through a small cosmetic department in my area

I don't know when exactly these came out. As some of you know I was out of the loop for a bit and missed a lot. I do think they have been reviewed several times by now but I just got mine and thought I would add my thoughts about them to the lot.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors = LOVE!!!

Imagine a balm mixed in with a gloss and a hint of color that is non sticky. So comfortable to wear with a taste that's like a mixture of caramel, vanilla and chocolate. Yes, to me it reminds me a little of chocolate.

A balm quality, I feel my lips getting softer as I wear it.

A gloss, yes it does have that effect on lips but can you imagine a gloss that doesn't trap your hair when it's windy? Long haired girls, you know what I mean! For that, this is quite simply amazing.

A hint of color, just enough to give your lips a nice light polished, fresh look.

If you need a bang of color, this is not for you. If you want your "gloss" to last hours, this is not for you. If you want shine, sheen that lasts, this is not for you.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip perfectors do exactly what the name describes. Natural, light shimmer and color with the benefits of comfortable feeling lips is what you'll get. I reapply every 2 hours or so. I started to wear them last Thursday night and haven't had dry lips since! At night I keep using my beloved Nuxe Rêve de Miel but during daytime, Clarins is "da bomb"!

As seen above I purchased two of the new colors. 05 Candy Shimmer and 06 Rosewood Shimmer. The tip is a sponge applicator through which the product comes out when you press on the tube.

05 Candy Shimmer & 06 Rosewood Shimmer *

I'm very sorry about the quality of the pictures. For some reason they didn't come out as clear as expected. Oh and no, my skin does not have a weird color although the Lip Perfector shades did come out rather true. Weird.

05 Candy Shimmer is not as bright on lips and 06 Rosewood Shimmer doesn't come out as brown once applied. Again, they are sheer and wear their names well, Lip Perfector.

There are in all six different colors available the last three being the more "opaque" I didn't purchase 04 Petal Shimmer for I feel it would have been pretty much invisible on my lips. If you have dark pigmented lips, you may want to pass but for light to medium, these are great.

For a few weeks now I've been looking at lipsticks, mainly brighter colors to change from my usual neutrals. So far, no luck! I'm having a real hard time of letting go of my usual. Even my daughter last week told I should take a risk but for some reason I just can't do it, yet!

Ok I'm not totally shutting the door on bright colors...

Baby steps, baby steps...

For now, I'm more than happy with these and they go perfectly with my "Precious" Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo in Coral Glow!  :)

If this is not your case and you want more pigment, shine and balm like quality, have a look at these...

These are visually stunning and look much better in real life. 

Their texture, dreamy! $27.00 each.

Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balm. A core full of color trapped in a translucent gel casing that does remind us of crystal. You can either go for a light or a more opaque effect depending on how much you apply. With the Lip Perfectors I don't always use a mirror but with these, if you want the more pigmented look, I suggest you use one. These two shades 05 Crystal Rose and 06 Crystal Mandarin came out with the new Clarins Splendours Summer Collection and are limited edition.

One last note...

I've had a chance to "play" a bit with the colors from the new collection and all I can say is, they are fabulous! The texture and look of the bronzer is just amazing and would suit any carnation. The eye makeup palette, it's colors, flattering to anyone. Oh and the liner, is deep purple!!! Gorgeous!

We don't mention this brand often enough in my opinion. High quality with reasonable prices.

I'm sorry but I just had to show these to you again. Do note that the bronzer is much bigger than the palette. I came real close to buying it but it would have been overkill. Beautiful texture, slightly more matte than the Bronzing Duo Mineral Powder reviewed here, it really is suitable for everyone. If you don't own a bronzer yet, this one is an excellent option.

In some stores they are already out of the palette so if you are interested in it, you better not wait too long. Both the bronzer and the palette sell for $42.00 each. Just click on the picture to visit Clarins Canada.



* The nail polish I'm wearing is Essie Fifth Avenue. Two coats with one coat of Sèche Vite.

Oh My! Clarins Is Doing It Again...

They are, again, coming out with a beautiful Summer Makeup Collection!

Splendours Collection

Here are the items I'll be having a second look at. You can also go to Clarins website, just click on the Bronzer picture.

First what I consider the star of this new collection, the Fabulous Face Bronzing Powder compact.

I know, how many bronzers can a girl have? This one is just so stunningly beautiful, it will be hard to resist especially considering the quality of Clarins bronzers. This one goes for $42.00. I did get one of their regular bronzers for my daughter, tried it and it's just beautiful. Read my review here.

Splendours Eye Shadow and Eye Liner Palette

Again the attention to details here is just stunning! Beautiful golds with a powder contour as well as a liner. I might actually go for that one. $42.00

Instant Smooth Crystal Gel, two new glosses that look like ice cream toppings!

Crystal Pink & Crystal Plum, $21.00 each.

Two Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balms

Crystal Rose & Crystal Mandarin, $27.00 each.

Three new shades of Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector. Believe me when I say the colors here are much paler than reality. These are also more pigmented than the others already on the market. They give that "my lips but better" effect with just a hint of shimmer. Glossy but not sticky.

04 Petal Shimmer, 05 Candy Shimmer & 06 Rosewood Shimmer, $20.00 each.

Shimmer Body Oil

This I'm quite intrigued by. I can't wait to smell it and see if the fragrance lasts on the skin. 

Light shimmer as a bonus, for Summer, could be quite nice. $49.00

Other items also available, Wonder Waterproof Mascara ($27.00), Foundation Brush ($34.00), The Brush a kabuki style brush ($33.00) and Instant Light Brush On Perfector to brighten dark areas in three shades ($36.00)

And to think I was at the Clarins counter on Sunday! I didn't even bother to look to see if there was anything new. I must say I was with my daughter and she hates it when mom starts looking at makeup! I apparently spent too much time...

... The girl simply doesn't know what she's talking about!

Spring Cleaning, Take a Peek...

Finally, I'm happy to say, we are done with April!!!

It started with the funerals of the man of my life, went on with my first birthday without him and then the  anniversary of our first date without him....

To top it all off, the weather was just plain horrible!

The last few days have been nice and so I do believe that even if Spring has let us down this year, Summer should make up for it. Let's hope it does. Actually it should since Jeff the Weather Man did confirm this morning that there will be a Summer! Being a weather man, he must be right! Right?

Some are done with their "Spring cleaning", an almost traditional yearly ritual. After months spent indoors due to the cold mainly, as soon as the weather warms up a bit we go nuts with cleaning, getting rid of that thick "wintery" dust, opening all windows and washing everything we can get our hands on. It sure is a nice change to shoveling.

This Winter there wasn't a lot of cleaning in my house due to what we where going through and so the result of this is a lot of stuff lying around and a lot of dust. A little overwhelmed, I had to start somewhere and so I  decided to start the process with my bathroom. I guess it makes it easy since it's the smallest room in the house.

The top shelf is not shown and the bottom one is in view when the door is shut.

Our new girls only pharmacy:

 I just realised that I should have changed the tube of toothpaste but hey, this is real life! 

Looks nice and clean doesn't it? I give this 2 days tops!

Catherine's corner. Avène Cleanance K moisturizer, La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF 60, Ombrelle Face SPF 45, Biotherm Purefect Skin Cleanser, Avène Cleanance Soapless Gel, The Body Shop face brush. On the lower shelf she also has some of her Eos lip balms, Powser brush, Clarins bronzer and Laura Mercier loose powder as seen on the top picture.

Avène Eluage Cream, Avène Eluage Firming Gel, Caudalie Vinoperfect Serum, Caudalie Vinoperfect night, Avène Redness Relief day cream, Caudalie Beauty Elixir, Nivea Cream, The Body Shop 3 in 1 mask, Nuxe Crème Fraîche, Unrefined Shea Butter, Witch hazel, a tube of Estée Lauder Vérité Eye Gel and my little jar of Keihl's Creamy Eye Treatment.

Biotherm Biosource Micellar Water, Avène Thermal Water, Avène Anti-redness Dermo-cleanser, Keihl's deodorant, Nuxe Rêve de Miel lip balm, Nivea Lip Butter, Caudalie Lip Conditioner and two samples of Clarins firming line.

Bottom shelf: Little covered basket of hair ties, Liérac oil, Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse. In the little basket, Some samples, The Body Shop's Oceanus and Pink Grapefruit Eau de Toilette, Clinique Tenderheart lipstick as well as some Mark glosses, Avène Cold Cream, Caudalie and Clinique Deep Comfort hand creams, a small Marchesa eau de toilette. In the barbotine container, more samples, cotton rounds, baby washcloths and my old Dior face brush. In the front, lipsticks/glosses of the moment, Chanel, Clinique and L'Oréal.

One thing to know about me, I am domestically challenged! This year there's just so much to take care of, to clean, I can hardly keep up with my in-box so imagine the rest... I probably won't be done until... next Spring!

At least my bathroom is done!

If you've enjoyed peeking into mine, you may enjoy the ones of famous people even more... Have a look at these:

In Vogue: Dans la salle de bain de...

http://www.vogue.fr/beaute/dans-la-salle-de-bain-de

In Harper's Bazaar: Karl Lagerfeld's

http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-articles/24-hours-with-karl-lagerfeld-0412?src=rss#slide-3