Friday, November 28, 2014

L’Oreal Collection Exclusive Pure Reds by Color Riche- Review and Swatches

When I think of red lipstick, I think of sophistication, femininity and timeless elegance. Classic red lipstick never goes out of style which makes it an essential part of a makeup collection. This year L’Oreal has released some exciting new products that cater to the unique complexions of all women. With the help of their lovely brand ambassadors including: Jennifer Lopez, Frieda Pinto and Eva Longoria they have created a brilliant selection of products to compliment each unique undertone so that no woman has to shy away from the fierceness of a bold red!


This summer I brought you a review of L’Oreal’s Collection Privee nude lipsticks and lacquers, today I am featuring the gorgeous Pure Reds Collection infused with exceptional matte formulas and breathtaking color intensity. 

The sleek black tubes adorned with gold trim are simple yet chic and the texture of the lipsticks is ultra soft, velvety smooth and luxuriously comfortable. This matte formula is excellent because although they provide rich, bold pigmentation and full-coverage, they don’t dry out and chap the lips. I also like that they don’t contain any shimmer so the effect is gorgeous, pure red pigment that lightly hydrates and looks stunning! The lipsticks also have a light, sweet scent that smells great!



Eva’s Brick Red

Laetitia’s Garnet Red

Jlo’s Ruby Red

My favorite way to wear these reds is paired with soft, subtle eye shadow and black winged liner as seen below. The longevity is good but I like to apply them over a lip primer which enhances the vivid shades and locks the color in place. For the holiday season red is always popular and this collection makes an incredible gift for any makeup lover!

On my lips - Jlo's Red

Blake’s Pure Red

Doutzen’s Fire Red

Swatches from left to right: Jlo's Red, Laetitia's Red, Doutzen's Red, Blake's Red and Eva's Red

The collection also features a variety of red lacquer from light and fresh to dark and sultry! Red lacquer is also classic and suitable for every complexion and season. For fall I tend to favor the rich berry hues such as: Laetitia’s red or Blake’s plum based red. For the holiday season I like to lighten it up a bit and Frieda’s red contains gorgeous red shimmer while Jlo’s red is deeper but just as festive!



The collection is now available at mass retailers and drug stores, the lipsticks retails for $10.99 and the nail lacquers are just $3.99 each.


 **Disclaimer: products were provided for review

Travel Update!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving and that you are all keeping warm and toasty...or at least making some progress battling the Black Friday crowds.

As you have probably noticed by now I travel every few months and tomorrow I am jetting off again! I will be boarding a cruise from New Orleans that sails to Cozumel and Progresso Mexico and then I will be spending a few days in New Orleans. I have actually been to Cozumel before and had a great time driving around the coast and visiting the beaches.

I think this will be my 8th or 9th cruise...I totally lost track, but it is a great way to see a few different places on one trip and since Toronto has been dark, damp and dreary it will be nice to bask in some sunshine again.

This will be my first time in Louisiana so I am looking forward to taking in some of the nightlife and trying the local cuisine, although I’m not a fan of sea food so no jambalaya or gumbo for me unless it’s chicken.

Photo from: strengthsinternational.com

Since I will be at sea for a few days I will have limited access to the internet but I do have a lot of holiday inspired posts and great products to share when I get back. You can also follow me on Instagram and Twitter to see photos of my trip and stay connected.

Check out my Travel Page - HERE

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Mary Kay Nourishine Plus Lip Gloss and Limited Edition Mineral Eye Color Quads

I have put up my Christmas tree, hung the stockings and I’m ready to wish my family and friends a Merry Christmas with beautiful gifts! This year Mary Kay has released some wonderful products to make gift giving simple and fun with items for everyone on your list. Today I’ll feature makeup that is sure add some festive sparkle and keep everyone looking trendy through the season!


The Nourishine Plus Lip Glosses are available in 7 dazzling shades from: berry, pink, gold and frosty silver. I love a gloss that provides long-lasting hydration, especially through the blustery Canadian winters and these moisturize, protect and condition with anti-oxidant rich vitamins and minerals.


I like the ultra-shine finish, smooth texture and the non-sticky formula. All of the shades with the exception of Sun Blossom are embedded with micro-shimmer for a pouty, radiant effect. The pigmentation and color-payoff varies by shade but most offer sheer to medium coverage.


(Swatches from left to right: Berry dazzle, Shock Tart, Sparkle Berry, Sun Blossoms, Pink Wink, Golden)

My favorite color is the deepest shade called Berry Dazzle, this gloss provides the most pigmentation and a rich wash of deep red that is perfect for the holidays! For those with more modest taste, Sun Blossom has a nude, natural hue while Golden and Silver Moon provide sheer, luminous color.


These are great stocking stuffers and ideal to keep in your purse, the glosses retail for $18.00 each.

Keeping with the holiday cheer and shimmer theme the limited edition Mineral Eye Color Quads have 4 complimentary shades per palette and are suitable for every occasion and season. The shadows have both matte and high-shimmer finishes with great pigmentation that is easy to blend and intensify.


Sandstorm contains neutral tones that are great for day wear and Autumn Leaves has a gorgeous combination of burgundy, deep purple, green and gold to create fantastic looks for both day and night! I like the soft, velvety formula and ease of application, the palettes are also small and magnetic so you can pop them in a case and take them on the go, they retail for $19.00 ea.

These products are now available at MaryKay.Ca or through independent consultants. 

Disclaimer: products were provided for review

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

mark Cosmetics Holiday Gift Ideas: Gloss, Shadow, Bath and Body

Today I have some cute gift ideas for the holiday season! I am happy to report that my shopping list is almost complete and I am ready for some Christmas movies, carols and warm sweaters. 
mark Cosmetics has many great gifts to choose from on their website, including bath & body products, fragrances and great makeup!


The total kiss up plumping lip gloss makes a great stocking stuffer and is available in 6 pretty shades to suit every complexion. This luscious, translucent gloss moisturizes and soothes for a pouty, ultra shiny effect. My favorite shade for the season is Belle – a bronzed burgundy with gold shimmer! The glosses come with an easy to use brush applicator and retail for $10.00 each. You can find them online by clicking HERE


For bold metallic eyes the All Time Hook up Long Wear Eye Shadows deliver vivid, long-lasting pigment with a rich liquid-cream formula that glides on and dries fast. Although the shadows have a lacquer-like finish and dry into the texture of skin they produce no fall-out. There are 6 beautiful fall and winter shades to chose from including: gold, purple rain and deep forest. They retail for $10.00 each and you can find them by clicking HERE


Swatches

To amp up your look even further the mark What a Line Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner with soft, flexible applicators provide electric, stand-out color. The highly pigmented hues can create both thin and thick lines with a great smudge-proof formula. They retail for $12.00 each and are available in 6 shades. 

Photo from Avon.Com

A couple things I can never have enough of is bath and body products and the mark Passionate for Plumberry 3-in-1 body wash and body butter smell delectably sweet! The shower gel can also be used as shampoo and bubble bath which is convenient for travel and the enticing fruit aroma of succulent plum, blackberry blossom and passion flower is rich and refreshing. The creamy formula leaves skin smooth and soft without stripping away natural oils (retail price $10).


Thick, lavish body butter is a must for winter and this one by mark is at the top my favs list! The butter smells divine and provides long-lasting moisture with quality ingredients such as: coconut oil, cocoa seed butter, shea butter, soybean and aloe for soft, supple skin! When used together these products will leave you smelling irresistible! The body butter retails for $12 and you can find these products by clicking HERE

**Disclaimer: products were provided for review

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Kiss InstaWave Automatic Curler Review


I love the look of glamorous, fluffy curls; there is just something about the way they frame the face and add gorgeous bounce and volume that makes hair look stylish. Although I appreciate a nice ringlet, the time it takes to curl my long, thick hair can be quite tiresome so I was very excited to try the new InstaWave by Kiss! This innovative curler is designed to transform straight hair into tangle-free curls in seconds and the automatic curling action does most of the work for you to create beautiful curls with the touch of a button!


The device is larger than the average curling iron but still comfortable to hold and not too heavy. It is designed for easy use with any hand or at any angle and the 1 inch barrel is made of diamond ceramic for durability. The ions are meant to produce healthy, shinier results with less frizz and damage and the device is a nice size for creating big loose curls or tight spirals.


How it works
The best thing about this product is that the barrel of the curler rotates to gently wrap the hair around it automatically! With the automatic winding motion you don’t get those straight, crimped ends like you do with traditional curling irons. The curl dial has two directional arrows which allows you to curl both forward and backward for a more natural look and not having to wrap the hair around the curler yourself also helps prevent burns!


Heat Settings
There are two heat settings on the device with a maximum temperature of 420 degrees; you should use the setting that best suits your hair type. The curler heats up very quickly and when the device is ready the power light turns blue. The built-in safety mechanism turns the device off after 90 minutes and the swivel chord allows for range of motion.


How to use
1. I began by brushing my hair and making sure it was tangle free for tidy curls, I also sprayed on a heat protectant.
2. Hold the InstaWave vertically and place it parallel along the hair beginning at the top section.
3. Press the curl dial arrow in the direction you want the barrel to rotate and the InstaWave will automatically catch the hair and begin curling.
4. Continue pressing the button until hair is fully around the barrel and let it curl for 5-10 seconds or longer depending on how tight you want the curl.
5. Guide the device straight down to release the curl.
6. Tousle for beautiful waves or let the curls fall naturally to maintain the shape. You may also want to use a bit of hairspray for extra hold but I prefer the soft look.


My results

Tips
It took me a while to get the hang of using the device and I found that curling medium to large sections catches best and allows you to get the tightest grip on the hair. What made the process easier was making use of the rotating tongs that stick up around the base of the wand. There is one that is larger than the rest and sliding my hair between that tong and the barrel allowed my hair to catch much easier as opposed to just touching my hair to the barrel itself and waiting for it to catch. If you do happen to get your hair caught, all you have to do is rotate the curler in the opposite direction to unwind it but I didn't have much issue with tangling. I also like to keep the barrel rotating as I hold the curl because it helps distribute the heat evenly.

I loved the results I achieved with the InstaWave! My curls were soft, shiny, bouncy and full of body! I decided to do different sized curls which made my hair look loose and flowing, I also loved the fact that the curls held up all day without any hairspray and the next morning when they had loosed further I had beautiful waves! Overall I really like this product and I'm looking forward to creating more great styles! 

The InstaWave is available for $59.99 at Target, Ulta and amazon.com in the U.S and Walmart in Canada, You can visit the website by clicking HERE.


To see a demonstration, check out the video from KissInstaWave.Com  below.

 

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Monday, November 24, 2014

Makeup By One Direction: Limited Edition Liquilights Glow Gloss and Rock Me Nail Varnish Kits


With the holidays just around the corner many brands are releasing great new products. For fans of one of the most popular boy bands in the world, using makeup inspired by their favorite songs or artist is a big deal! One Direction enthusiasts are sure to love their hottest new makeup collections, these sets are so fun, sparkly, bright and bold that you can almost hear the excited gasps as girls across the country open their makeup kits and dabble on some festive sparkle.  


The Liquilights Glow Gloss Set contains 3 dazzling colors with a sheer, shiny finish. During the day the gloss sparkles and at night it illuminates under UV light which is great for concerts and parties! The gloss can be worn alone or paired on top of the creamy One Direction Lipsticks for more coverage.


I like the bright, fun shades included in the kit, they are a bit textured due to the glitter formula but feel quite comfortable on the lips and hydrate with natural oils and vitamin E.


Swatches from left to right: Through the Dark (glows neon red/orange under UV light), Kiss You (glows neon yellow under UV light) and Taken (glows neon orange under UV light).


The glosses are great for fans of all ages and for younger girls the shades are not too heavy, intense or saturated so they can apply a light wash of color for a bit of playful sparkle. The set retails for $21.50.

Rock Me Nail Kit
What girl doesn't want her nails to stand out with a cute manicure?! The Rock Me Nail Kit includes 3 pretty lacquers  paired with UV glitters for creating sizzling nail art! 


The deep blue polish called Happily is paired with an icy blue glitter, Moments- a bright pink polish is paired with a neon pink glitter and Diana- a beautiful silver glitter polish is paired with a 3D holographic glitter.



My favorite shade is Diana, the silver glitter with light reflecting particles of varying sizes and multi-color shimmer. It also contains patterns that look like holiday tinsel making it perfect for the season!



To use, you can sprinkle the glitter directly onto wet polish and let it dry or you can dip the entire nails into the glitter for a rockin, stand-out effect. The formula of the polish is quite thin so you may need up to 3 coats. Applying a top coat helps prolong the wear of the polish and the nail set retails for $21.55.

These limited edition collections are great for creating glam looks and the packaging is sure to satisfy any fan. The great thing about the makeup is that it reflects the youthful style and energy of the band and their influence in pop music. The formula and textures are also easy to work with and good quality. You can purchase the collections at: Macy’s, Dillars, Lord and Taylor, Boscov’s, Stage Stores and Beauty Brands. You can also visit the Facebook page by clicking HERE.

Giveaway
For a chance to WIN one of these awesome kits click HERE
50 winners will be selected! Giveaway ends December 4th 2014 (open to U.S & Canadian residents)
**Disclaimer: products provided by BrandBacker

Friday, November 21, 2014

Yves Rocher Fruits Noirs Blackberries Collection: Holiday Gift Ideas

As we creep into winter and sleigh bells begin to ring, most of us are preparing for the joyous festivities of the holidays! The soft twinkle of lights from the tree, the smell of homemade desserts wafting through the air and a warm cozy fire as snow lightly falls outside makes this season my favorite! This year Yves Rocher has introduced some wonderful new bath and body collections that capture the essence of the holiday to make gift giving simple. The Fruits Noirs Blackberries Collection has a scrumptious, uplifting scent and includes a wide variety of decadent products for everyone on your list.


If you want to smell as good as you look this holiday season while pampering your skin in rich lotions, shower gels and balms this collection is truly indulgent!

The collection includes:

* Shower Gel ($4.00) – With a botanical cleansing base this gel is infused with organic cornflower water for a gentle, invigorating cleanse and is paraben free!

* Exfoliating Shower Gel ($9.00) – This fragrant gel lightly exfoliates with real kiwi seeds and lathers into a delightful blackberry foam that leaves skin smelling wonderful! It also contains apricot, organic water, mint, blackcurrant and essential oils.


*Sparkling Shower Gel ($6.00) – This gorgeous shower gel sprinkles you in glitter and holiday spirit. The dazzling globe reminds me of a beautiful Christmas ornament and the sparkling formula is fun for parties, events and even New years Eve! It contains many of the same great extracts and oils as the exfoliating gel.  


*Silky Body Cream ($9.00) – After lathering up with the aromatic shower gel, the body cream is a great way to add the finishing touches and prolong the alluring fragrance of sweet blackberries. Infused with shea butter, sweet almond oil, peppermint, patchouli, orange and essential oils this cream nourishes, hydrates and protects.


*Body Lotion ($6.00) - The Body lotion has the same great ingredients and hydrating properties as the Body Cream but contains a bit less and is packaged in a bottle rather than a jar.

*Sparkling Body Powder ($14.00) – The powder is formulated to lightly perfume the skin and create a luminous, satiny smooth finish. After a shower the powder is refreshing and helps keep you dry and comfortable.


*Liquid Hand Soap ($5.00) – Add a bit of festive cheer to your powder room this season with the sweet blackberry soap. It cleans hands thoroughly and smells enchanting!

*Hand Cream ($4.00) – After hand-washing, moisturize with the luscious blackberry hand cream infused with organic water, sweet almond oil, mint, patchouli, orange, blackcurrant and extracts. This is a great cream to keep in your purse to help battle winter dryness. 


*Nourishing Lip Balm ($3.00) – The cute blackberry balm with almond oil, jojoba and shea butter alleviates dry, cracked lips, protects against the elements and smells delicious!


*Scented Candle ($9.00) – With fall and winter comes a great selection of scented candles and comforting fragrances. This blackberry candle is decorative and fills your home with the aroma of delicious, mouthwatering blackberry pie!


The great thing about this collection is that you can mix and match any of the items to create great gift baskets, stocking stuffers and customized packages. Every product has a natural fruit scent so there are no unpleasant artificial notes and if blackberry isn't your thing the other collections include: Redberries, Cocoa & Orange, and Pear Caramel! Some of the items also have a slight perfume aroma that is so captivating I wish the collection also included a fragrance! You can find these products in all Yves Rocher Stores and online by clicking HERE.


**Disclaimer: products were provided for review
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