NAILS | Going Mirror Chrome for NYE!

My last manicure of 2016! How momentous! I did my nails a lot this month mainly because my husband was visiting family for half the month and I basically just worked, watched Netflix and did my nails. It was the ultimate girl time, but I am glad he is finally home for New Year's! I have been on a bit of a gel polish kick lately after discovering the ease of using J & S Nails Gel Polish and decided it was time to try chrome nails! This is the powder that has been sweeping the nail world for the last half of this year and though I know there are a ton of places to get the chrome powder pigments, I always know that the Born Pretty Store has got my back! They have a RIDICULOUS amount of chrome, holographic and metallic pigments right now and let's just say I have a bajillion other colours to show you, but NYE is all about shine so tonight I'm going to be your disco ball!

HAIR | Aveda Visit #8 and Getting Oil Slick Hair with Civello Robson

I am an Aveda Vancouver Ambassador. All treatments are complimentary.

I normally don't like having an entire post with just pictures of me, but this is the story of hair which is closely attached to my head so we can't escape it. Originally, I had an appointment booked in September at the Aveda Institute in Vancouver, but ended up having to re-book for mid-November at the newly-minted Civello Robson (formerly Aveda Tonic). This was my first time at a full service Aveda salon and I paid careful attention to how other clients were treated and the service was consistently excellent!

My hair has been in the blonde family for a year now and the whole point of being an Aveda Ambassador is to show YOU what these colourists are truly capable of so this time around I decided to go for "oil slick hair" and get rid of the blonde completely! I have been wanting actual colour in my hair, but knowing that black hair does not want to retain colour, I figured purple and blue would last longer than pastel shades. After a consultation with super stylist JT two weeks beforehand, I was in the chair!  

NAILS | Santa Finally Makes an Appearance!

I have now done my nails 11 times this month. Seven of those being in the last 10 days and as crazy as it felt working on designs late at night and then feeling like I'd been run over by a truck the next morning, it has been hella fun. In all of the Christmas hoopla last week, I didn't get a chance to actually post about these Santa nails here and how I did them, but maybe this will give you some inspiration for next year! The Essie Winter 2016 Collection seemed fitting for this nail art so I hope you get a chance to pick up a few colours before they are ripped off the shelves!

Christmas manicure can get real old, REAL fast so when I came across this pin (here) depicting a Christmas tree with ornaments, I loved it. I also wanted to incorporate Santa somehow since I have NEVER done a Santa manicure on Cosmetic Proof before! I don't know why, but I guess I have never had the same attachment to Santa as other kids. I think it's an Asian thing, but I have never believed in Santa as I was told from an early age that my parents were the ones doing the gift purchasing. Maybe I have been deprived of something or been given the lifelong gift of extreme cynicism. I'm really not sure.

NAILS | Hot Pink Smoke "Needle Marbling"

Gel polish has this feeling of being "complicated". Before the advent of at-home nail kits, you had no choice but to go to a salon for BOTH application and removal, but in the last couple of years, gel manicures have become more and more accessible with companies making it straightforward and easy to mimic salon quality. I used to get my gel polish applied at a salon too and when I realized that all you need to know how to do is APPLY POLISH, I started saving myself the $50 every month and used it towards buying my own polish!

One thing that I have had to research is how to do nail art with gel polish as the consistency is much thicker and never dries. Gel polish wants to goop and be applied thickly, but it actually needs to be applied in "thin" coats and cured with a UV or LED light in between. I definitely cannot do any fine detailing with gel polish like I can with regular polish, but one nail art technique that is PERFECTLY suited for gel polish is needle marbling or creating that "smokey" nail! 

MAKEUP | Guerlain Shalimar Holiday Collection with Swatches and Makeup Look

Now, that Christmas is over we look towards 2017 and looks for those New Year's Eve parties! I'm old now, so those days of trying to celebrate NYE at a club are long gone, but I do usually spend the night with close friends catching up on what has been happening during the year. I couldn't let 2016 go without a little tribute to one of the prettier and luxurious collections of the holidays - the Guerlain Shalimar Holiday Collection! 

NAILS | J&S Nails 1 Step Gel Polish Swatch in SR7 - The FASTEST Manicure I have ever done! #ManiMonday

SERIOUSLY IMPRESSIVE. I received 18 J&S Nails 1 Step Gel Polish shades a little while ago to experiment and play around with and I am kicking myself for not trying these polishes out sooner! J&S Nails is a Canadian company that specializes in 5-FREE, 1 step gel polish application. How many times have you all seen "one step" and had it disappoint you? Countless times, right? Well, not THIS time because I was so floored when both hands were done and cured within 10 minutes. SERIOUSLY! 

NAILS | Merry Christmas from these Winter Critters!

I have now done my nails 4x in the space of 7 days which is CRAZY for me, but it has also been satisfying to try all of these nail art designs that I have been wanting to try for years! With hubby visiting family this Christmas, I have been doing my nails almost every night as a way to wind down for the night and last night I was happily watching "Elf" and then decided at 12am to do these winter animal nails after seeing this video from Elleandish last night, I was like YES. Winter critters it is. 

HOLIDAYS | Kérastase PARIS Chroma Riche Holiday Set

You have no idea how annoyed I am with myself for not sharing MORE holiday gift sets with you all! Aren't there SO MANY good ones out there? Christmas is single-handedly the best time to get some amazing value sets. Every brand from drugstore to luxury seem to package up their bestsellers to make it oh-so-easy to find the perfect gift for ourselves or someone else! One look at the "K" in Kerastase and I immediately know they know their hair. I picked up my first Kerastase styling product in 2009 and was smitten, but wasn't sure which other products were best for me. Granted, I wasn't as into my hair back then and had really no reason to invest in haircare products. Honestly, unless hair is coloured, there really shouldn't be too much fuss! 

Holidays at Sephora | Gift Sets from Boscia, Kat Von D and Atelier Cologne OH MY!

I'm not very good at holiday gift guides because I always want to talk about one thing at a time, but as much as I wanted to devote a single post to each one of these glorious gift sets, my work schedule is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. I am not disciplined enough to get up at 6am to blog and with hubby away in Montreal seeing his family, I have been having trouble sleeping. Someone told me to go and pick up a body pillow since I am missing the presence of a body in the bed. Cat sandwiches just don't cut it.

I thought these gift sets were pretty cute and made me really happy when I received them so I thought I would share the love!

NAILS | Christmas Holly French Manicure

I thought I would try something a little classy this time around for today's Christmas manicure and in the nail world, there ain't nothin' classier than a French manicure! 

BATH & BODY | New and Old Favourites from the Lush Christmas Collection!

It is seriously taking all of my willpower NOT to order more from the Lush Christmas collection. There are so many new additions that are SO CUTE! I have put myself on a slight no-buy as my place has far too many holiday goodies in it already that will probably take me until June to finish! I may wait until Lush's annual Boxing Day sale to score a few things, but waking up at 6am just REALLY SUCKS so we shall see!

This year Lush has not let us down with the number of new and fun products to try so hopefully I can help you to narrow down what you should be picking up as shopping at Lush can be overwhelming if you don't know where to begin!

NAILS | Christmas Tree Puzzle Nail Art #ManiMonday

Where the heck did last week go and HOW is it now the last week until Christmas?! I mean, sweet baby Jesus where is the time going? I had these grandiose plans to fill all of last week with holiday goodies and then my hours at work got REALLY long and I was getting home super late. I also had my staff Christmas party on Friday followed by another event on Saturday which leads me to now. It's 1am and I have just finished by Mani Monday and I cannot seem to fall asleep!

I had yet to do a slightly more challenging set of holiday nails and this Christmas tree puzzle nail idea came to me in the shower 2 weeks ago and though I wasn't sure how I would space out the tree across the nails, I think it turned out alright and fun-looking! 

SKINCARE | Imbue Rose Water Mists in Lust, Muse, Soothe and Heaven

We all understand and have experienced what it means to have a scent transport us back to a childhood moment or elicit an emotion. One local Vancouver company has managed to "imbue" their Rose Water Mists with their own personal scent memories in the hopes of inspiring you to create your own or revel in Lust* ($22.00 CDN each), Muse*, Soothe* and Heaven*.

NAILS | BCD NAIL ART CHALLENGE WEEK 19 "Penguin NAILS"

I don't know what the hell happened to my BCD Nail Art Challenge, but after the detail-intense Plant Cell Border Nails (here) from September, I kind of got caught up with other things, but like I have said before, I feel like these challenges to create or the only real time I feel like I am in my element. I'm not the best nail artist out there, but I love trying things that entertain both you and me and hope that I can relay how much fun nail art can be! I was a girl that never painted her nails or could even grow them out as recently as 2011 so to be able to have claws like this now is kind of an achievement!

Picking up where we left off, Week 19 was "Penguin Nails" which fittingly goes with Christmas so even though I did do penguins at coincidentally the same time last year (here), I didn't do them with HOLO polish! 

MAKEUP | Lise Watier Arabesque Holiday Collection Review with Swatches and Holiday Glowing FOTD

As I write this, I have Google Play Music playing only the best of Christmas pop and I know the holiday season is here. I feel like from here on in, all of us are just living for Dec.25th! I don't even know what to blog about other than holiday now. I mean, would you read something OTHER than holiday content at this point?

One brand that I look forward to seeing every holiday season is Lise Watier. I always find their collections so cohesive and complete with new shade additions to existing favourites and of course palette packaging and embossing that will leave any beauty lover wanting more! This year's Arabesque Collection is elegantly holiday-themed with ballet and dance being the inspiration behind the swirls and romantic shades.

BATH & BODY | The Avon Pampering Chocolate Collection

Chocolate is like a fifth food group for me and I am sure many, if not all you can identify! There is something about satisfying a chocolate craving that literally NOTHING else can satiate! From Halloween in October to Valentine's Day in February, chocolate is in our faces non-stop. December is the time of exceptional gluttony and if anyone else is just as weak when it comes to resisting Ferraro Rocher, Avon's Pampering Chocolate Collection might be a more calorie-friendly way to get your chocolate fix! Sure, you might still need a golden ball or two, but since you can't take them into the shower, why not take a few things that come pretty damn close!

NAILS | Purple Gradient Glitter with Duri Cosmetics #ManiMonday

I promise the cheesy holiday nail art will start soon enough, but here is my seque into it with this simple glittery gradient to start off the second week of December! I have officially not missed a single Mani Monday for one whole year now and I guess that is something to celebrate since it's probably the ONE single thing I feel I have been able to commit to. While this year has had its ups and downs, I am happy with how 2016 is wrapping up as I am feeling fairly content with work (now that some difficult people have moved on), but I miss this blog. I miss this space and I hope I am able to find more time to spend in it next year because I love to blog and talk makeup!

We are starting off the week with a couple of polishes from the Sweet Affair Collection from Duri Cosmetics! 

MAKEUP | MAKE UP FOR EVER Pro Sculpting Brow Pen

This will probably be the last brow product review you will see for awhile now that I have my eyebrows microbladed. I honestly have not used any brow products since getting them done because as many of you have seen from recent photos, they are pretty pigmented and full-looking! Brows have been SO BIG the last two years that when I look back at old photos, I want to kick myself for not caring about them sooner! I keep wanting to ask "Where are you eyebrows?!!" in pretty much all photos prior to 2014! Before getting microbladed, I was using brow pencils exclusively to fill in and shape my brows with the MAKE UP FOR EVER Pro Sculpting Brow Pen in #50* ($32.00 CDN) being one of my daily go-tos! Why, I tell you? I'll tell you why!

MAKEUP | Dior Splendor Holiday Collection Review with a Smoky Eyed FOTD

Before we get to how I got to have glittery purple lips, it all started with a fun Thursday afternoon with the Dior Splendor holiday collection! I don't really get a lot of time at home and the one thing I hate is rushing to play with collections for the sake of pumping out a review. Instead, I started my day with a Nespresso coffee, wrote a blog post and answered some emails. Sounds mundane, but I really relish days like that. If I had my way, I would work my day job 3-4 days a week and blog the rest of the week. I would be in HEAVEN.

I don't have all of the pieces of the Splendor collection and I tried to purchase a couple of pieces only to find that the shades were sold out! It just goes to show how popular they were! I still have some beautiful products to share with you and in true Dior fashion, each one is truly a collector's piece when it comes to packaging and droolworthiness.

NAILS | Edgy Holiday Nail Art with Dior Nova

Soon I will have Santas, snowflakes and Christmas trees, but for now let's stick with reds and some shimmer with what's known in the nail polish world as a "flakie"! When I saw that Dior's holiday Splendor collection contained a flakie polish, I was very pleased! Flakies have traditionally been an indie polish thing and are part of the glitter umbrella, but with the advent of social media, bloggers and other influencers, indie products can quickly move into the mainstream population. Let's get a closer look at the iridescent Dior - Nova*!

MAKEUP | NYX Cosmetics Cosmic Metals Lip Cream Review with Lip Swatches

Why oh why have I put off trying these NYX Cosmic Metals Lip Creams* for so long?! These were THE hot item over the summer when NYX released a whackload of new shades of Liquid Suedes in addition to the Cosmic Metals and though I swatched a few of the more fun shades, I never included them in a full look until now! Oilslick hair has given me a crazy new confidence to try all sorts of new colours and it is ridiculous how much fun it has been! 

NAILS | Playing Peekaboo with Limited Edition Burberry Gold Shimmer #ManiMonday

I totally thought I had posted about this manicure, but while I was hunting for Christmas cards tonight, it dawned on me that I hadn't! I will keep this short and quick as it is my bedtime. While I have more from the limited edition Burberry holiday collection to share with you, nail polish ALWAYS gets its own posts! Today's mani is inspired by a backless ball gown. I just loved the idea of beautiful gold gown reminiscent of Belle of Beauty and the Beast and since the opacity of Burberry - Gold Shimmer* was better than I thought it would be, it became my "dress"! 

Gifts for Men | Proraso Beard Oil and Beard Wash

Every year I am so stumped on what to get my husband because after more than 10 years together, I've gotten him MOST of the things he has ever wanted. I know I could always get him video games from his Steam wishlist or more V-neck sweaters, but I am definitely starting to bore even myself with shopping for him. Shortly before we got married three years ago, my husband decided to grow a little beard because his skin was so irritated from shaving all the time. That little beard grew into a hobby and now he has his own little corner of the bathroom for his supplies and his become quite the "shave connoisseur" when it comes to his beard needs. Thankfully this means something new I can buy him in the gift department! My husband was the one that introduced Italian brand Proraso to me as he adores their shaving cream. He loves the lather and that a little goes a long way! 

MAKEUP LOOK | Shu Uemura Murakami Cosmic Blossom Eye & Cheek Palette in Cosmicool with Swatches

I wore this look to work. That's how Cosmi-"cool" I felt about it! Shu Uemura's eyeshadow palettes are usually the ones that give me grabby hands and the Murakami Cosmic Blossom Eye & Cheek Palettes*($85 CDN each) are definitely grabby! You will not be able to keep your paws off them! 

NAILS | CND Vinylux Blue Eyeshadow Swatch and Swirly Yellow Nail Art

On Tuesday, CND had their Spring "New Wave" Collection launch at Onyx Aesthetics in Vancouver's Gastown area. I work in the area so I used my lunch break to get a sneak peak of the new shades as well as get a little manicure! I saw some beautiful Shellac manicures (did you know that the term "Shellac" was actually coined by CND?), but we all know that having a 2 week manicure just stresses me out so I opted for a Vinylux Weekly Polish mani in this stunning shade of blue called Blue Eyeshadow and then added another shade from the New Wave collection at home using nail vinyls called Banana Clips*. 

MAKEUP | Shu Uemura Murakami Holiday Collection Rouge Unlimited Review and Swatches

There honestly hasn't been a Shu Uemura collection I haven't liked, but it seems like each year, it just gets cuter and cuter. I love all things Japanese (anyone else listen to Kinki Kids, Speed and Glay in the 90s?), but Shu Uemura always manages to balance the "kawaii" so perfectly with luxury. This holiday season Shu Uemura has partnered with celebrated contemporary artist Takashi Murakami and his iconic Flowers. The inspiration for this collection comes from the wonderment of the night sky during the holiday season and how the cosmos would exist in daily life. This collection may look like a trippy set of hippie flowers, but there is actual philosophical depth! Shu Uemura turns the stars of the galaxy into blooming flowers of hope in celebration of cosmic beauty.

NAILS | Holographic Icicles with A-England Angel Grace #ManiMonday

I had hoped it would have been even just a little sunny this weekend for me to photograph A-England's Angel Grace*, but alas the day I had some time was probably one of the rainiest most dreary days I had seen in awhile so as much as I hate flash, t'is the only way to see the rainbow of a scattered holographic polish!

AT HOME | Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash and Geranium Leaf Body Scrub

Back in the Spring of this year, Aesop and Nordstrom had a fun little pop-up shop that I had the pleasure of visiting (here) as well as the opportunity to try out a couple of products. I also picked up a few things at the pop-up which I will also be sharing probably not until early next year since I still have some crazy skin research to do! Seeing as how it's Sunday and rainy here in Vancouver, I just want to take it easy before the surge of holiday energy REALLY begins. We just started playing our Christmas music at work (we kept changing the channel until this past Thursday) and holiday dinners are already getting planned. This week will already be December which is ridiculous! I can already feel the twitching of craziness in my brain which is why I try to include as much aromatherapy in my life from now until the end of the year. 

MAKEUP | Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks Review with Lip Swatches

I feel like every company revamped their lipsticks this year and when Urban Decay decided to relaunch their lipsticks in 100 shades and 5 different finishes, I thought "Holy hell, what temptation has come upon us now?!" I was fortunate enough to receive 10 shades which have now grown to 15 with some from events and some from my own doing and all I can say is that I cannot stop talking about the awesomeness of these Vice Lipsticks ($21.00 CDN)!

HEALTH | My First Time Oil Pulling with Kismet Essentials Coco Rinse

If you had asked me to try coconut oil-pulling a couple of years ago, I probably would have had some sort of snarky, hippie-hating response, but after giving a coconut oil a try in cooking, as a moisturizer and even a healthy treat for my kitty, I felt ready to give oil-pulling or swishing a try. Though I love the smell of coconut oil, there is something about just putting it in my mouth that I couldn't quite adjust to as my favourite part about toothpaste is that refreshing minty taste. I once bought BACON dental floss and let's just say I never bought it again! 

EXPERIENCE | Getting my Eyebrows Microbladed with The Brow Revolution!

Microblading procedure was complimentary in exchange for my honest review. 

Two weeks ago, I had the amazing opportunity to get eyebrow microblading done with Anna at The Brow Revolution. I knew Anna from my previous life in the beauty biz and after seeing her work, especially with Asian brows, I knew I was going to be in good hands. When I shared on my social media channels that I was getting microbladed, the reaction I received was one of curiosity and wonderment. Some people expressed how fearful they were for me, some had always been curious about the procedure and others who had had the procedure done, SWORE that it was THE BEST thing they had ever done. I have to say, I'm inclined to agree with them!

NAILS | Pink, Grey and Studded with Duri Cosmetics #ManiMonday

I am beyond excited to be sharing my very first Duri polishes here! When I first started doing my nails, I never planned on blogging or sharing my hobby with anyone other than my husband and cats. I used to read mainly nail polish blogs and would come across all sorts of exotic sounding brands that I could never seem to find locally or at a reasonable price online. I remember seeing one nail blogger using Duri polishes along with their most well-known product, Rejuvacote, a nail treatment that preserves the life of your mani in addition to stimulating nail growth and fortifying nail strength. After seeing swatch after swatch of these gorgeous polishes, I knew that one day, they would be mine! 

MAKEUP LOOK | Temporarily Dark Eyebrows and NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in "Oh, Put It On"

I got a bit antsy during my eyebrow microblading recovery time and on Day 5 decided to embrace my temporarily darker brows and experiment with some deliciously DARK lip colours. My eyebrows have lightened up and healed now so you will be hearing all about my last two weeks this weekend!

Non-traditional lip colours are THE thing right now and when NYX decided to release a boatload of shades that are normally on your eyelids or in a box of crayons, I was both excited at the prospect of trying something outside my comfort zone and terrified that I wouldn't have the confidence to pull it off. I still float towards the latter when I'm not at home, but this little experiment was a ton of fun to try! Plus, I matched my nails!   

NAILS | (GREEN) Day 4 of the 31DC2016 with CND Vinylux Emerald Lights

I've decided to try and keep up with all those crazy nail art challenges I took on until December where I will go FULL CHRISTMAS with my nail art. Will there be Stormtroopers again as the next Star Wars installment comes out? Hmmm! I'll resume the challenges in 2017 as I always like to have inspiration on what to create next. I mean, if it weren't for the theme "Border" for the BCD Challenge, I never would have come up with those plant cell nails, which I think are my favourite for this year! Today's inspiration is "Green" and how perfect is it that I just got CND Vinylux - Emerald Lights* from this year's holiday collection! 

HOLIDAY | Mary Kay Limited Edition Be Delighted Collection and Satin Hands Pampering Gift Sets

Let the holiday season begin! I always find blogging at this time of year a bit of a challenge because I am never sure if I can insert "normal" stuff amongst all of the holiday gift sets, limited editions and gift ideas. I mean, it can't ALL be holiday for the next two months right? While I am pondering this, I have been trying out some sweetly-scented goodies from the new and limited edition Mary Kay Be Delighted Collection with notes of Fuji apple, raspberry chiffon and tonka bean. If you like sweet scents, this will be your anthem until the end of 2016!

HAIR | Kerastase L'Incroyable Blowdry Miracle Reshapable Heat Lotion Review

I heat style my hair every couple of days as I prefer to wear my hair in curls ever since learning how to create them with a flat iron. Dark hair and a blonde balayage are constantly at odds to turn brassy so for the last 2 years I went from being a religious "wash my hair" girl to a every 2-3 days in order to preserve the blonde for as long as possible. Too much heat also makes the blonde fade more quickly which means that I style it ONCE and never touch it until the next wash. I'm sure some of you are wondering how I can get away with that which leads me to the Kerastase L'incroyable Blowdry* (150mL/$40.00 CDN), a heat protector and "reshapable heat lotion"! 

NAILS | A-England Shall Be My Queen Swatch and Tiny Bit of Nail Art #ManiMonday

I love a good holo polish and when I first started my journey through the rabbit hole of nail polish, getting my hands on A-England polishes was a dream come true. I purchased my very FIRST A-England polish from Nail Polish Canada back in 2012 (Tristam) and to this day, this brand has some of my favourite holos. I only wish I had better lights and/or sunshine in Vancouver to showcase how pretty Shall Be My Queen* is! 

SKINCARE | Truly Canadian with the Chorus Supernatural Hydrate Moisturizer and Polish Facial Scrub

I love a good natural product and for those of you who know me, I have learned to be fairly discerning when it comes to "natural" and natural. I get a number of emails about the latest natural skincare to review and if it's too natural, I don't really like it all that much either. What I love are products that are "intelligently natural" and I have a list of brands that I have come to know and love in the last year or two. Let's add one more to the list - Chorus Supernatural, winner of five Clean Beauty Awards this year! 

FASHION | I Have Always Wanted: Jimmy Choo Romys

This is something completely different. Now, this will never turn into a fashion blog mainly because I could never convince my husband to take OOTDs for me and I am horrifically awkward when posing for full-bodied shots. My sense of fashion is very simple. I generally wear dresses and if I wear pants, I am either not feeling well or in need of a power boost. I adore shoes and handbags just as much as the next girl, but I tend to be pretty conservative in my shoe choices. I will spend the money, but it will never be on something trendy. It will always be on something incredibly basic which is what led me to my very first pair of Jimmy Choos. I have been wanting Choos since I tried on my first pair in Las Vegas at the age of 21. I don't normally spend more than $300 on shoes, but considering that I have become VIB Rouge twice over, it's not like I can say "I can't afford them" because clearly I am just spending my money on different things!

NAILS | Remembrance Day and Reflecting

I would never have considered myself a political person. Though I have my opinions, I have never enjoyed engaging in dinner time political banter. I think of myself as an ordinary citizen with some common sense and an average idea of what's going on in the world, but as it turns out, I am perhaps more engaged than I thought I was. I never followed the US elections closely until crunch time because like most, I thought Hillary was a shoo-in and Trump would be laughed out. Then, it was just the two of them and though I believed this to be a comedic farce taken too far, I couldn't believe it had come down to the two of them. I wasn't a huge Hillary fan, but if I had to choose who would run the supercountry of the USA, common sense tells me that the person with prior political experience would be the best choice. If I needed open heart surgery, would I choose the person with the MD or someone whose ONLY prior experience is with the game "Operation"?

MAKEUP | Diorblush Light and Contour Sculpting Stick Duo Review with Swatches

As much as I am over the whole highlighting and contouring trend, I still have a ridiculous collection of products that will help me to achieve the bone structure of a Kardashian. Highlighting, I can manage, but contouring still has me scared so I always look for TOTAL blendability in a product so that I don't end up looking foolish instead of fierce. The Diorblush Light and Contour Sculpting Sticks ($48.00 CDN) from this Fall's Skyline collection were so easy to use that even if I made a mistake, wiping off my whole face wasn't necessary!

Makeup | Sephora Collection Solid Brush Cleaner (I LOVE THIS THING!)

Cleaning my makeup brushes is something I really should do more often. I actually enjoy cleaning them once I start swirling away, especially when I start to see my brushes go from a shade of mud to virgin white. When I was contracted in Sephora, I had a lot of time to browse the makeup aisles and the Sephora Collection products always intrigued me because I often wondered if they compared to their branded competitors. House brands often get the short end of the stick, but I have been surprised in the past (hello, President's Choice products??) and have slowly started to introduce more Sephora Collection products into my routine. 

NAILS | Formula X #ColorCurators Huda Beauty Edition #ManiMonday

This was actually supposed to be for the CBB November Challenge, but by the time I got this ready, I would have only gotten a chance to wear it for one day before having to do my nails again for Mani Monday. Nail polish should be enjoyed (not in the My Strange Addictions Way) and though I do my nails a lot compared to most, three times a week is where I draw the line.

This year has been an amazing year for collaborations and the Formula X #ColorCurators collections have been an incredible example of how powerful social media has become. Bloggers and Youtubers are the faces of these collaborations instead of your typical movie stars. I have loved most of the Formula X collections, but this Huda Beauty edition has totally gotten me. Every shade had me swooning!

MAKEUP | Lise Watier Chic & Rustique 2016 Fall Collection with Makeup Look

Earlier last month, I posted this look using the Lise Watier Chic & Rustique Eyeshadow Palette as part of a Shoppers Drug Mart Instagram campaign. It just so happens that I really fell in love with wearing this look on a regular basis as it was definitely safe for work as well as soft and approachable.  Though Lise Watier has moved into the Arabesque collection in stores, most of the products I used from Chic & Rustique are part of the permanent makeup collection. While I will get into the holiday collections soon enough, I am one of those people that won't acknowledge the holiday season until AFTER Remembrance Day though I know most of the first world does not work that way. Christmas is the one time of the year that seriously lasts two months and I will happily live in my bubble of denial for the next two weeks. Those who are with me, say 'Ay!"  

NAILS | Striping Tape Burberry Nail Art #CBBNov

I am a definite romantic when it comes to nail art challenges because I think that I can do it all. I'm obviously crazy, but I couldn't resist when the CBB decided to have a little fun this month for a beauty challenge with themes that can be achieved either through nail art or makeup. Today's theme is "Plaid" which immediately brought to mind a manicure that I have ALWAYS wanted to try - "Burberry Nails"!  

NAILS | Ouch! Bloody, Stapled Nail Art

I am working a glorious seven days in a row so posts are going to be a bit erratic (I'm on Day 5) until I get a day at home again. I did manage to get these awesomely disgusting bloody nails done on Friday night as I watched this cutepolish tutorial and knew I had to try it! I never thought that scratching up your base colour and filling it with "blood" could be so amusing! It's also a fairly quick and dirty manicure that you can do just before a Halloween party! 

MAKEUP LOOK | Sweet Anniversary Look with the Dior Capitol of Light 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette

As some of you know from my social media, it was my 3 year wedding anniversary yesterday and though we were both working a long day yesterday, my husband still had flowers sent to my office (here) which we are all thoroughly enjoying as Hugo and Hemi would have just eaten at home! We do plan on going out for dinner later this weekend, so in preparation, I started playing around with Dior's Fall Skyline Collection. I know reviews are already starting for the holiday collection, but it's freakin' October and I just...can't. Beauty seasons move so quickly and I like to keep it snail's pace over here at Cosmetic Proof since November and December will be FULL ON HOLIDAY! 

NAILS | Halloween Haunted House #ManiMonday

I literally did these an hour before writing this post because I had to go "nail naked" for the Vancouver Chickadvisor Showcase yesterday afternoon as we were testing out nail polishes! If you haven't attended this event before, it is open to the public though Chickadvisor was gracious enough to send me a media pass. This is the most estrogen-filled afternoon you will ever have and by the time it's all over, you feel like you are on some sort of adrenaline rush from all of that product speed-dating! 

NAILS | Black Widow Spiders #Halloween

Three sets of nails in one week is a lot even for me, but I am determined to go FULL Halloween before it becomes all about reindeer, glitter and Christmas trees. I should do religious nails this year since it's also about Jesus too, right? When I was asking people what sort of nails they wanted to see, someone suggested spiderwebs. Spiderwebs aren't any fun without spiders so I included the scary female black widow too. I know the red hourglass shape is really supposed to be on her belly, but this spider wouldn't look quite as fun if she were belly up because I think that would mean that she's dead...