SKINCARE | Paula’s Choice Empties!

Please note that the following is a sponsored post for Pretty in my Pocket. All opinions are my own.

In June I was fortunate enough to get my tan on the SAFE way through PRIMP as well as discover the awesomeness that is Paula’s Choice skincare. I gave a sparkling review (here) as I was truly and visibly impressed by the honesty and price point of the products and philosophy behind the brand. As a beauty blogger/skincare junkie, I don’t often finish skincare products as after 4 weeks it’s always time to try something new, but out of the four products I received from Paula’s Choice in June two managed to make it to the end because they were just THAT good.

BEAUTY BOX | June Glossybox Review

Welcome to the new Cosmetic Proof where I play beauty box catch up just like last year. I was so proud for doing all that writing last week so that you guys could come here to a new post every day, but then work and late nights caught up with me and we’re back to this unscheduled and impromptu way of doing things. Now, onto June’s Glossybox* which featured some brands that I know and love and some that I had never heard of, but that is sort of the fun with these boxes isn’t it? Discovering new product loves!

FOTD Friday | Smoky Green Eyes with Dior Diorshow 5 Couleurs Designer Eyeshadow Palette in Khaki Design Review & Swatches

I really miss doing makeup looks and definitely need to come up with a better way of doing them with my work schedule. I am not a morning person, but I really should do them for work since I normally have to get semi-dolled up anyway. When it comes to reviewing eyeshadow palettes, I love incorporating them into a whole makeup look mainly because I find it fun and also because I like to show how the shades can be paired off with the right cheek and lip shades. Whenever I wear a “coloured” eyeshadow, it always feels like a big deal. If I’m not wearing neutrals, I feel like the whole world is staring at me. Green shadows like those in Dior’s new Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Khaki Design* ($69.00 CDN) are sort of neutral for me. Maybe it’s because green is still a shade of “nature’', but I often feel like I need to be wearing the right outfit colours for green to work. Then again, I wore coral in the shots below so what do I know?

EXPERIENCE | Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie Hammam, Gommage and Grand Caudalie Facial

As many of you know, I was recently in Montreal and Toronto for a much needed vacation and while I was on the train to Toronto, I remembered that I was headed to the land where the Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie resided. After reviewing and LOVING the original hammam in Vancouver (here), I was given the opportunity to visit its much bigger sister at the Shangri-La Hotel in downtown Toronto. I was actually flying back to Vancouver at 6pm and being an extremely nervous flyer, I booked a hammam, gommage* (30min/$135 CDN) and Grand Caudalie Facial* (60 min/$170 CDN) in the hopes that I would be a bowl of unanxious jelly by the time I was boarding the plane.

Photo credit: MacIntyre Communications

I can’t even type how I felt after the treatment so I will convey it was this photo of Hugo. I was just MELTY! Read on to find out about my experience because there are a few notable differences between the two locations.

MAKEUP | MAKE UP FOR EVER Pro Bronze Fusion in Shades 10M & 15I Review and Swatches

This was the season of bronzers and though this is a product that has been around for awhile, with the advent of sculpting and contouring, bronzers have come back with a vengeance ensuring that no cheekbone goes “unaccentuated”. Bronzers have traditionally been something I was afraid of screwing up, but with the varying finishes and formulations currently available, it seems like contouring is a feat achievable by even the average Joe (or Jayne!).

MAKE UP FOR EVER has made bronzing something to look forward to thanks to the relatively new Pro Bronze Fusion (11g/$42.00 CDN) coming in 6 shades of both matte and iridescent finishes. I received the shades 10M*, a natural matte honey, and 15I*, soft iridescent amber, both of which are for lighter skin tones. The other 4 shades are targeted for darker skin tones so anyone should be able to find a decent match. What makes these bronzers so different is the gel-powder formulation that seriously feels like I have put nothing on and yet, I have facial definition!   

NAILS | “Lime Love” Nail Art with OPI – That’s Hula-rious and NOPI – Seriously Citrus

Getting back on the nail art train after a bit of a crazy week at work felt truly cathartic so I really should make it more of a habit on here! Today I have two coats of OPI – That’s Hula-rious*, a bright pastel green, from the summer released Hawaii collection with two coats of NOPI – Seriously Citrus*, a mix of green, blue and white hex glitter. The glitter took some work to make sure the larger pieces were evenly distributed, but I thought the combination of the two polishes worked well! As you may have guessed, Seriously Citrus was the inspiration behind this hand-drawn lime manicure with the molecular structure of Vitamin C making an appearance as a puzzle nail!

SKINCARE | New Fresh Face Masks from LUSH! Mini Reviews of Rosy Cheeks, Don’t Look at Me and Cup O’ Coffee

Lush’s Fresh Face Masks are one of my FAVOURITE indulgences because they are made so freshly that you pretty much have to pamper yourself every day in order to finish the masks before the two week expiration date hits! I have tried almost all the Fresh Face masks thanks to Lush’s “return 5 black pots, get one Fresh Face mask” policy with my current favourites being: Oatifix, Brazened Honey and Cosmetic Warrior (I LOVE garlic!). WELL. I now have a few more favourites to add! Not only is there ONE new Fresh Face mask, but there are THREE new masks to amaze and grace your skin: Don’t Look at Me* (60g/$10.95CDN), Rosy Cheeks* (60g/$12.95 CDN) and Cup O’ Coffee* (150g/$10.95CDN). Each of these masks is made with natural butters, clay and essential oils that will have your skin feeling nourished and excited for the next mask session!

MAKEUP | Mary Kay at Play Jelly Lip Gloss in Jammin’ Berry and Glow With It Swatches & Review

Lip glosses were the first makeup item I was comfortable wearing in high school. It’s easy, shiny and foolproof to apply. Though I’m sure I have every shade imaginable, there is nothing like finding a gloss with just the right consistency and colour. Released for the summer season, but as a permanent addition to the Mary Kay at Play Jelly Lip Gloss family are the shades Jammin’ Berry* and Glow With It* ($12.00 CDN) with their characteristic jelly-like feel with an ultra smooth, non-sticky glide across the lips.

SKINCARE | Palmer’s Skin Therapy and Cleansing Oil + GIVEAWAY (Canada Only)

It has been a long time since I last talked about Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula products, but there is something about that distinctively soothing cocoa butter scent that gets me excited to use/smell/slather myself in anything Palmer’s. Most well-known for their body products, especially the ones that aid in stretch mark removal, Palmer’s has introduced a new face product that I’m sure all of you skincare junkies will absolutely have to have! You may even get a chance to try it for yourselves if you read right to the end!

NAIL ART | Bio Seaweed Gel Review of #262 Whitehorse & #256 Ottawa #CBBLovesBSG

First off, apologies for the state of my nails as my pointer nail has been repeatedly breaking for the last two months. A blogger recommended biotin and after using countless nail strengtheners I think it might be something I will have to start taking if only to show you some beautiful nails! I am no newbie to gel polish and have used a variety of brands, but one that I have been meaning to try is the Toronto-based Bio Seaweed Gel as all products are 5-free and will not damage natural nails. The reason BSG got on radar 2 years ago was this “rumour” that I had heard that not only can this polish be cured by LED/UV lamps, but also by direct sunlight! Yes, this would make sense, but I had never heard of a company that openly stated that their polishes were SolarCure!

For August and September, myself and a few other nail polish loving CBBers have teamed up with the folks at Bio Seaweed Gel to bring you some summer-inspired nail art! This is actually my second attempt at this as I painted my nails shortly before I left for vacation last month which is where I shared with you all the LED lamp that I was using (here). Isn’t it adorbs? Unfortunately, I had some timing issues with curing and ended up screwing up my design AND forgot to take a blogworthy photo so needless to say, I had to start all over with this new polka dotted design! 

MAKEUP | SEPHORA COLLECTION Sonic Airbrush Sponge Review

It’s all about that flawless, airbrushed finish and nowadays there seems to be no shortage of ways to ensure that foundation application is all, but perfect. I used to use fingers to apply my liquid foundation, but once I discovered makeup sponges of porosity that were “just right” I knew I had found my golden foundation ticket. Now, how much better can life get? Let’s take that perfect sponge and add micro vibration to it so that I don’t have even have to do dabbing motions with my hand! The Sephora Collection Sonic Airbrush Sponge* ($31.00 CDN) is reminiscent of a baby Clarisonic and gently buffs any cream products onto the skin with an impressive 12,000 dabs/minute. I’m not sure how a “dab” is measured, but I’m guessing it refers to a point of contact with the skin? Though the instructions say “easy-to-use”, there is a bit of playing involved to get this to work the way I had imagined in my head.

BATH & BODY | The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Collection

I am SO SORRY for being away for so long! In my packing haste for vacation, I forgot to pack my power cord for my laptop so although I had pre-taken my photos there was no salvaging the situation. Yes, I was worried I might lose some of you, but hopefully I kept you entertained with my Montreal and Toronto travels through Instagram! I have some massive catch-up to do as there are a number of Fall collections that will be making their debut on the blog over the next few weeks, but while it does not feel like summer anymore here in Vancouver, it most certainly was the case out East with close to 30 degree weather and humidity that did a number on my hair and skin (think leper-like).

Though this collection is limited edition, The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Collection is still available as it isn’t officially Fall yet, but please make sure that you get your hands on something from this collection as this is one of my favourite Body Shop scents to date! With fresh mint and a juicy squeeze of lime, this collection will have you running to a patio to sit down with the actual drink!