Out of all the beauty boxes I have been subscribed to, I really look forward to the vegan ones. I am actually surprised by how many cosmetic companies there are that are actually by definition vegan. I have said before that I would never call myself a vegan or even try to attempt the lifestyle, but if I can use a vegan product and support a vegan company I will. Unfortunately May’s Box was not all that useful to me, but the visual contents is very appealing isn’t it?
Ipsy | May 2014 “Fresh Picks” Glam Bag
It’s the weekend which means beauty box catch up time! Ipsy is the ONLY monthly beauty subscription that I have decided to keep because I felt that at the price of $14.95 with shipping, the value and excitement level of the products were worth hanging on to. May’s box was getting us all ready for summer which is now sadly almost over, but thankfully most of the products in this month’s bag can still be used year round.
So…? Fragrance | So…? Sinful Body Fragrance and Eau de Toilette
When I was 16, I would never have had the money to spend $75 on a fragrance and I KNOW my parents would never have indulged me. Heck, if they knew how much I’ve spent on fragrance now they’d probably flip, but I do think they would approve of the So…? Fragrance line. So…? Sinful Eau de Toilette is just $9.99 and the matching Body Fragrance $4.99. I don’t think it gets much better than that!
With top notes of pineapple and mint, heart notes of violet and strawberry and base notes of vanilla, praline and musk, this is the sort of fragrance that is very feminine, but a little flirty at the same time.
*New for Fall 2014* Limited Edition Mary Kay Midnight Jewels | Eye Color Palette in Sapphire Noir with Swatches and Manga-esque Makeup Look
I know it’s still August, but here is a Fall makeup post whether you like it or not because Mary Kay has a stunning new Midnight Jewels Collection filled with brand new nail polishes, lipsticks, lip shimmers and two new eye shadow palettes. I will begin with the new Eye Color Palette in Sapphire Noir ($26 CDN) which contains five blendable shades that can take you from day to night. I absolutely adore the colour combination of this palette as I love that the purple has a darker hue to it (hence the sapphire, I guess?).
The only shade that had a little bit of fallout when swatching was the matte grey shade, but other than that all five shades swatched beautifully with tons of pigmentation.
Rimmel London Rita Ora Collection | Do Not Disturb with Swatches and Mega Stud Nail Art
Rimmel London nail polishes are making their debut today on Cosmetic Proof and I have no idea why it has taken so long since these polishes are mega awesome. British singer, Rita Ora, has recently partnered up with Rimmel to come out with six nail polishes that are just as trendy and vibrant as she is with Do Not Disturb being the first in a slew of swatches. Do Not Disturb is a bright, creme teal polish that is easily opaque in just one coat. Shown below are two coats as I always do two for good measure. In real-life, this colour is more green and vibrant, but the camera was being difficult. Formula was lovely to work with and the brush nice and wide for easy three-stroke application. 60 second dry time was a bit of a stretch and was more like just under 5 minutes for me.
Makeup by One Direction | Midnight Memories Collection *Limited Edition* Swatches and Makeup Look Complete with Swooning
I come from a time when boy bands were HUGE. I started with Boyz II Men with my teen years being filled with Backstreet Boys, *N SYNC, Westlife and Boyzone. Now it’s 15 years later and the next generation of boy bands have entered the scene in the form of the epically huge One Direction. I won’t lie, if Backstreet Boys came out with an “I Want It That Way” lipstick I would buy it in a heartbeat so One Direction fans everywhere can revel in Makeup by One Direction with products named after song titles and instructions to create makeup looks that I’m sure the boys of One Direction would approve of.
This limited edition Looks Collection comes in 3 collectible tins inspired by the albums “Take Me Home”, “Up All Night” and most recently “Midnight Memories”. Each tin comes with everything you will need to create a full makeup look that’s either fun, flirty or fashion forward.
The Body Shop | Color Crush Shine Lipstick in #18 Sunset Romance with Swatches
The Body Shop’s Color Crush line has been well, crushing it for me this summer! I am all over the Color Crush eye shadows and now I am all over the Color Crush Shine Lipsticks ($13.00 CDN) that come in 10 shades, each providing a hint of tint and a healthy shine. The shade I have today in Sunset Romance is the same one I wore in my last Color Crush review and I have been loving how it almost makes my whole face glow from within.
Essence Cosmetics | Sun Club All-in-One Bronzing Highlighter in Sun Glow
There are some products that just make you happy even by looking at them and the Essence Sun Club All-in-One Bronzing Highlighter is one of those products. I mean, look at that. Don’t you want to just swirl your brush in there like seeing fresh snow? This bronzer is specifically meant for those with darker complexions and can be used on the eyes, face and body. This bronzer gives a very subtle shimmery glow and because it is multi-purpose, I can continue using it right through the winter months. Another bonus? This bronzer is faintly coconut-scented so the memories of summer will always be close by.
Nailpolis | 1,000,000 Facebook Fans Nail Art Contest
Nailpolis is a hand-curated museum of some the most amazing pieces of nail art I have ever seen. Everyday I am wowed by the work I see and I’m going to sound like a nail art snob here, but you won’t find out of focus photos or swatches here (unless the polish is just stunning!). Even things like studs, water decals and stamping are taken up a notch. The majority of the work is hand-drawn nail art. When I look at the work that is created everyday I feel the need to challenge myself just to keep up with all of this talent!
Nailpolis is currently holding a nail competition celebrating 1 million followers on Facebook and I just wanted to share my very literal translation of that occasion. I started off with 2 coats of Lime Crime – Lavendairy followed by 1 coat of China Glaze – Fairy Dust. Everything else was hand-painted in acrylic paints and top coated for shine.
If you’re looking to be wowed everyday by what someone can paint on their nails, follow this community. It’s hard to brush off nail art once you see what some of these women have created!
shu uemura | Petal Lash Mascara in Intense Black
I have tried so many mascaras. It seems to be the one thing that is always in a bag of samples or a gift with purchase, but shu uemura’s petal lash mascara ($29.00 CDN) is different. With a manoeuvrable pink blossom applicator (it really is pink!) that is able to catch even the tiniest of lashes, a super light formula that doesn’t weigh them down and the scent of Sakura blossoms, this mascara needs to be on your radar.
Histolab | Hyaluron Complex Ampoule 62
In Asia skincare is HUGE. Much more so than in North America. Asian women are used to having multiple steps in their skincare routine and even welcome the addition of more! I myself tend to use around 5-6 products at night making my night time ritual seem quite complicated. Although I have been blessed with good skin, I do take very good care of it. This means that I am also quite picky about what goes on it so when I was introduced to the Korean skincare line Histolab and the Hyaluron Complex Ampoule ($49.99 USD), I had a look at the ingredients and decided to give it a try.
So, what kind of product is this? In terms of WHERE it should go in your skincare routine, this is a serum for ALL SKIN TYPES and should be used right after toning. The key players in this ampoule are: sodium hyaluronate, grapefruit extract, snail secretion filtrate and rose water all of which serve to instantly replenish moisture and keep skin soft and supple. This quartet of ingredients are what form the hyaluron complex.
Neon Star Studded Night Sky Nail Art
It’s time for the Born Pretty Store to save the day and make nail art that much more fun and interesting. Even though some of the products I feature from Born Pretty are sent for review, I was buying from them long before my affiliation with them. It is only because I trust their product quality as a consumer that I feel comfortable working with them to show you all just how great their products are! Today I am featuring some pretty amazing neon star studs that I have been coveting for months! They look like candy and I just wanna eat ‘em right up!
Petit Vour | May 2014 “La Vie Est Belle” Edition
Let’s have weekends be all about beauty boxes and time to catch up on beauty mail, shall we? I have been subscribed to at least 5 beauty boxes since 2011 and I decided to do something drastic this month and cancel all of them. That’s right. All of them. I still have the Julep one because it seems like a hassle to have to call, but I am part of that group of Mavens that can skip boxes any time so I have skipped August and will keep doing so unless something utterly amazing appears. August will be my last Petit Vour box (for now) so starting with May, we will catch up!
Revlon Gel Envy | Up the Ante Swatches with Cardshark Nail Art
Revlon Gel Envy polishes have quickly become one of my favourite polishes to use ever since their release earlier this year. If I want opacity, I grab a Gel Envy. If I want a one coat polish, I grab a Gel Envy. If I want a colour that won’t disappoint, just give me a Gel Envy! Today I have a classic dotticure that I have been wearing for a full two days because I love it THAT much. All I am wearing is two coats of Up the Ante, a creamy, bright purple, followed with some dots in Cardshark, a soft baby pastel pink.
Cloud | Vitamin A Cream with Retinyl Palmitate–Protection Against the Sun’s Full Spectrum
This post is on the more technical side, but for those of you interested in sunscreen and sun damage this might be of interest to you! Created by UBC clinical dermatology instructor Dr. Gordon Telford, Cloud Vitamin A Cream ($48.00 CDN) is the first consumer sunscreen (SPF 23) to block the sun’s full spectrum of rays. According to Dr. Telford, the average sunscreen only blocks 7% of the sun’s rays and yet the incidence of skin cancer is still on the rise. UVA and UVB rays may only be part of the problem meaning that we must protect our skin against infrared and visible rays that comprise the other 93%.
At almost 10 years in the making, Cloud Vitamin Cream’s main active ingredient is retinyl palmitate, which is a naturally occurring form of vitamin A that is produced in our sweat and acts as a natural filter against the sun (Youtube. “Cloud Vitamin Cream on CTV's Your Island Health & Lifestyle”, August 2014). Cloud Vitamin A Cream has been reported by as able to reverse existing damage and signs of aging by stimulating collagen production within 6 months of use. Pretty impressive, right?
Ingredients: purified water, mineral oil, white petrolatum (petroleum jelly), retinyl palmitate, glaxal cream base
Packaging comes in a pump tube. Application is 1-2 pumps to wet skin typically exposed to the sun.
This sunscreen? vitamin cream? feels quite thick at first, but it really does absorb nicely into the skin. You will not have to use as much product if applied to wet skin as it glides more smoothly across wet as opposed to dry skin.
Final Verdict: For those of you who are concerned with the use of petroleum-derived products, there is white petroleum and mineral oil in this product. White petroleum and mineral oil is highly refined when used in cosmetics, has passed FDA standards and has not been proven to be carcinogenic. White petroleum is used to retain moisture in products and is often recommended by dermatologists to eczema sufferers (Petroleum Jelly Beauty Myths and Benefits, August 2014). Retinyl palmitate has also come under scrutiny, but again the results have been inconclusive. For those wanting to err on the side of beauty caution, I can understand wanting to avoid these chemicals.
I certainly have not been using this product for 6 months to see the results that others have seen and this research is so new that the published results so far will only be available this coming December. Although I cannot attest to the reversal of premature aging, this is an all-body sunscreen, but at $48 for 30mL I don’t think I will be using this on my body! Perhaps my arms and décolletage area because I do not want that weird wrinkly cleavage we’ve seen on certain celebrities, but on my legs? I’d be going through 3-4 tubes of this stuff every month!
It is also recommended to wear additional sunscreen if there is prolonged exposure to the sun. For the summer, I want to keep things simple so the fact that I have to layer two SPF products makes me just want to use a regular sunscreen on its own. What I did like about this product was that it didn’t leave my face shiny and was fairly matte in finish. Even with the presence of mineral oil, my face didn’t feel greasy and I was able to comfortably wear foundation on top. I have some hyperpigmentation on my nose (from the sun) that I am still waiting to see a difference with so I might have an update in a few more months to see if there is a difference. Fingers crossed!
3 other vitamin creams are available to address other skin conditions such as eczema and rosacea and are available for purchase online or at the following retailers.
Empties–The Dirty Rundown | June & July 2014 Edition
I almost skipped Empties, but after speaking to some of you it seems like Empties is something we all enjoy looking at! I was part of Kalyn’s Sample Killah competition, but life was so busy/incredibly stressful that I barely killed anything other than myself. I was very impressed by the amount of killage I saw other people doing so great job!
shu uemura | Drawing Pencils ME Pink, ME Green, M Black and M Brick Brown with Swatches and an Adventurous Makeup Look!
In addition to the visually alluring pret-a-palettes (reviewed here), shu uemura has also released a Crayola-worthy line of Drawing Pencils ($28 CDN) in 21 shades and 4 different textures (matte, pearl, metallic and glitter). With such an array of colours and finishes, we can relive the freedom we felt as children when given a fresh set of crayons. No lines to stay inside of and no need to shy away from colour.
CBB Guest Post with Sarah from Workaday Ramblings| Purple Eye Makeup Looks
Are you guys in for a treat today! I am absolutely delighted to have Sarah from Workaday Ramblings share with all of you some fun and totally wearable purple eye makeup looks that will leave you feeling regal and empowered as the colour purple should! Take it away Sarah!
Hello, I'm Sarah from Workaday Ramblings. I'm taking over Jayne's blog today to talk about purple.
I love purple everything. Purple eyeshadow, purple eyeliner, purple nail polish, purple clothes. I'd wear purple every day if I didn't think I'd get sick of it. So today I'm going to share a smudgey purple eyeliner look that I've done with two different sets of products.
In this look, I used only eyeshadows on my eyes. I started by applying The Body Shop Colour Crush Eye Shadow in Oh Honey all over my eye lids.
I then added a thick line of L'Oreal Infallible in Burning Black. I used a brush to smudge it up into the lighter shade. The name of this shadow is a bit misleading as it's a gorgeous dark maroon-purple.
I finished with some mascara, and my eyes were done.
Essence Cosmetics | Metal Glam Eyeshadow Swatches with Makeup Look!
Essence Cosmetics is the featured CBB brand this month and we are all HUGE fans of this incredibly affordable, yet high quality brand. Where was Essence when I was growing up? I still can’t get over how just $10 can get me enough makeup to do an entire face and potentially even my nails. I am just continually wowed by Essence which is why I am very excited to share with you my review of the Metal Glam Eyeshadows in Golden Up!, Chocolate Jewelery, Jewel Up the Ocean and Coffee to Glow as well as a fun makeup look!
#SharkWeek Nail Art aka “Don’t Ever Let Me Draw Sharks Again Because I Am TERRIBLE At It!
It was Shark Week on the Discovery Channel and since I missed out on doing a manicure last year I thought I’d join the nail art ranks and draw some of these toothy critters on my nails! I feel like my sharks are somewhat funny-looking, but I hope someone out there is terrified of them! I used an unnamed blue polish from Quo as my base, followed by Barielle – U-Concrete-Me for the sharks. I then used a fine nail art brush to hand draw and outline the fins and mouth with acrylic paint.
The Body Shop | Color Crush Eye Shadow in #240 Gorgeous Gold with Swatches and Makeup Look
After my last makeup look using The Body Shop’s Color Crush Eye Shadow in Grape Expectations, I was excited to see the colour selection for the summer as I constantly want to look metallic like ALL THE TIME. Today’s makeup look features the shade Gorgeous Gold ($10.00 CDN), a metallic yellowish gold, with the same soft, buttery texture as Grape Expectations and provides great colour payoff. Since I LOVE these shadows so much, I also picked up Brownie & Clyde, which is a shimmery, metallic taupe that pairs off beautifully with Gorgeous Gold.
Sally Hansen Triple Shine | Tahiti Sunset Collection Pink Coconut Gradient
Today I have a bright, fun almost classic summer pink to show you called Pink Coconut from Sally Hansen’s Tahiti Sunset collection. I can never leave a swatch alone so here is Pink Coconut with a sponged on gradient using Sally Hansen XTremeWear – White On, followed by a round of Sally Hansen XTremeWear – Disco Ball. My camera went a little crazy with the glitter, but you get the idea.
Is it just me or do any of you start singing the song “I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts” from the Lion King whenever you see the word “coconut”?
Find this collection at all mass and drug retailers now!
Some products featured were sent for PR consideration.
Kiss and Makeup | Open in North Vancouver PLUS Makeup Look Featuring Vancouver brand RMS Beauty!
Kiss and Makeup, a local fashion and beauty haven founded by Heather Huntingford, has recently made the move to my ‘hood of North Vancouver to entice, delight and thrill us with local, hard-to-find and just awesome brands with great messages behind them. Upon entering, the first thing I noticed was the wood floor and the salvaged display pieces that immediately made me feel at home. Taking a closer look at the product selection, I noticed right away that Kiss and Makeup carries brands that are what I would consider TOP NOTCH including: RMS Beauty, Ilia, Tata Harper, Ellis Faas, Vincent Longo, Principessa Beauty, fresh, Oribe, Deborah Lippmann and even Anne Sportun jewellery!
ARTDECO | Miami Summer Collection Swatches and Makeup Look (Many Many Pictures!)
There is now yet another totally legitimate reason to visit Shoppers Drug Mart with the addition of German makeup company ARTDECO to the ever-growing beauty roster! Founded in 1985 by Helmut Baurecht, the company has now expanded to over 70 countries and often out sells larger cosmetic lines because of their amazing quality, packaging and selection all at a reasonable price. Aren’t those all things you would be onboard with?! Today I have a few products from the new Miami Summer Collection which launched just at the end of June to share with you all complete with a makeup look that is guaranteed to last through the summer heat!
*New* From Lush! | D’Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap
How the heck does Lush manage to reinvent bath time every single season?! Just when I thought shaving couldn’t possibly be associated with food, out comes Lush with D’Fluff ($9.95/70g and $19.95/150g), a STRAWBERRY shaving soap! This whipped shaving soap isn’t just scented with strawberries, it’s actually made with FRESH strawberries in addition to egg whites, golden syrup, coconut oil and maple sugar. If I hadn’t said “shaving soap” I don’t think any of you could have guessed I wasn’t talking about food!
Sally Hansen Triple Shine | Tahiti Sunset Collection Taheati and Sparktacular Glitter Nail Art
Orange is a surprisingly invigorating colour to wear and when it’s shiny and vibrant like Taheati ($6.95) from Sally Hansen’s new Tahiti Sunset collection, all you will want to do is show them off and check off a thousand and one things from life’s to-do list. Taheati is opaque in two coats and very smooth and easy to apply. For the glitter gradient, I used Sparktacular which is a clear orange-based polish with fine orange, silver and BLUE glitter. I think the addition of the blue is spot on with the theme of the collection as it makes me think of water beneath a sunrise. Sparktacular is easily opaque in 2-3 coats should you decide to wear it alone.
Japanese Treats | Candy Box Review
Growing up in Vancouver (and being Asian) has put me in touch with MANY forms of Japanese candy. I am well-versed with the Japanese versions of candies, crackers and cookies and don’t hesitate when I see a box with Japanese writing and somewhat angry looking animals on them. I just KNOW, it’s going to be yummy! Today I am introducing you all to a Japanese candy subscription box called Japanese Treats which costs $22/month with FREE worldwide shipping!
July 2014 Favourites
I cheated a little on my favourites this year as I skipped June partially due to being really busy at work and also because I just didn’t have anything THAT interesting to share with you. I’d like to think that after two months I have a few products that are worth a mention and who knows, maybe they’ll make it to your favourites lists as well!
Real Techniques | Miracle Complexion Sponge
I don’t talk about Real Techniques often enough do I? I am addicted to their multi-task brush that I use for blush as well as their kabuki blush and bronzer brush, but I need to talk about one of the newer “brushes” in the form of the Miracle Complexion Sponge ($9.99) which is a 3-in-1 multi-functional sponge. It has rounded sides to the blend larger areas of the face, a precision tip to cover any imperfections and a flat edge to contour around the eyes and nose. Sounds like this sponge took the best qualities of all makeup sponges out there and made a MEGAAA SPONGE!
OPI Nail Lacquer | Nordic Collection Skating on Thin Ice-Land Swatches and Nail Art with My Voice is a Little Norse
OPI is at it again with another new collection with tongue-in-cheek nail polish names that actually had me laughing out loud! OPI’s Fall/Winter Nordic Collection is “inspired by the great northern lights of Finland, deep blue fjords in Norway, and colourful houses of Copenhagen!” I have always wanted to visit Scandinavia (not just for their free education) and since I can’t go right now, the Nordic collection will have to do! Today I will be sharing with you swatches of “Skating on Thin Ice-Land” and an interesting glitter called “My Voice is a Little Norse” both of which were quite lovely to work with.
Finesse | Keratin Protein Dry Shampoo
I officially have a new favourite dry shampoo in the form of Finesse Keratin Protein Dry Shampoo ($4.49 CDN)! Dry shampoo has saved almost all of us from flat, lifeless hair in the mornings and now that I have tried a few different brands, it takes something extra special for me to really like one. This Finesse dry shampoo is a clear spray that has one of the stronger “blasts” I’ve experienced. The formula promises to absorb oil without leaving behind a chalky residue and most importantly nourish hair leaving it looking healthy and shiny.
Final Verdict: Whenever I skip just ONE day of washing my hair my scalp always feels itchy. I don’t know why, but it’s almost like my scalp is addicted to getting shampooed every day. Very few dry shampoos have alleviated this sensation which is why I only skip washing my hair unless I really have to. This canister needs a very good shake before delivering a good spray, but once it does, I forget that all I’ve done is use dry shampoo and not actually washed my hair! My roots actually look fresh and I don’t feel itchy!
The scent reminds me of fresh linen and although I have not noticed whether the presence of keratin protein has made my hair stronger, the combination of whatever is in this can of Finesse has made my hair look fresh, shiny and ready to go one more round minus the actual act of hair washing! For 150g of product, this dry shampoo is incredibly well-priced so I would highly recommend giving Finesse Keratin Protein Dry Shampoo a try!
PR sample sent for review. All thoughts are mine and mine alone.
Lush | Skin Drink Facial Moisturizer
Does your face feel tight after washing it? Chances are, your skin type is dry and that feeling of tightness is a commonly described symptom. When your skin is in need of hydration, what better way to pacify it than with a drink – Skin Drink ($45 CDN), that is. This is a sesame oil-based moisturizer that uses avocado, rose and aloe vera extract to keep skin soft and supple while blasting it with the moisture it so desperately needs!
Topbox | July 2014 “They’re Real” Benefit Cosmetics Edition
In my excitement over the release of Benefit’s new They’re Real Push-Up Liner, I forgot that I had signed up for the Topbox Prive box and promptly went out and bought the full size of the liner AND the makeup remover! Nonetheless, I was still VERY excited to receive this Topbox the next day and share what was inside with all of you!
Swatch It Up | Doll Face Brand–Kissy Red
Today I have another polish to share with you from Doll Face Brand in the shade Kissy Red ($4.99) which I am already thinking of as a great holiday shade. Yes, sadly enough, we have now passed the half way mark in 2014 and it’s closer to Christmas than it was before. This polish could have been a one-coater, but I think most of us feel like two is almost necessary for a manicure to be complete. Kissy Red is what I would consider to be a juicy red polish with glitter running all over. It almost looks like a flakie polish in these photos, but the glitter is almost orange/gold in the polish itself.