MAKEUP LOOK | VDL Glim and Glow Summer 2018 Collection

Ever since VDL launched in Canada this past June, I have been taking note of their products and making an effort to incorporate them into my routine. The VDL Lumilayer Primer (review) has been a great daily staple for me as well as their matte finish Expert Color Lip Cube. When it came time to try out a few products from the Glim and Glow Summer Collection, I was curious to see whether I would love them as much as what I have tried so far as Asian makeup is a quite different than North American makeup in terms of colour payoff and shade colours. 

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SKINCARE | Garnier SkinActive Moisture Bomb Super Hydrating Mask #31DaysofSheetMasks

I don't quite remember when Garnier released their SkinActive Moisture Bomb Sheet Masks, but I remember wondering, as always, how a North American brand would hold up against the Korean giants of sheet masks. Granted, if you look at where most sheet masks for these brands are made, they are always in Asia. I am assuming it has something to do with ease of manufacturing or just plain politics, but I have found that there are still varying levels of quality (now that I have subjected my face to over 100 hundred sheet masks this year!) I have all six SkinActive masks, but after much deliberation on how to review them, I felt that one by one was best and at the end we could do a little summary. First up is the original Super Hydrating Mask*!

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NAILS | Ciate Chalkboard Nails #CBBxManiMonday

Five years ago, I picked up the Ciate Chalkboard Manicure Kit and now five years later, I am actually using it! I think I never really got into the whole matte finish which is why I never used the kit, but with this week's CBB theme being "Back to School" I figured this was the perfect opportunity to try it out! It didn't turn out well and I swore a few times because the polish and chalkboard pens weren't as nice in consistency as I thought they would be, but what the hell here is is the manicure! 

MAKEUP | MAKE UP FOR EVER Matte Velvet Skin Foundation *Flexi-Fit Formula* with Before and After

It has been a hot minute since I have talked about actual foundation and though I don't do a lot of individual foundation reviews, I am quite the foundation hoarder as I consider it to be on the cusp of a skincare product so I will spend what I have to to get that perfect finish! MAKE UP FOR EVER was the first foundation brand I ever tried and I remember when I first started blogging being terrified to review the Pro Finish when it first came out because I just didn't think I would know how to apply it or make it look good. Turns out that I didn't need to worry because MUFE has been making solid foundation formulations for YEARS so that even a novice like me could figure it out! I have been a faithful MUFE foundation user since my first experience with Pro Finish and when Matte Velvet Skin ($48.00 CDN) got a revamp last month, I was immediately curious as to how a full coverage matte finish foundation would work with my dry skin. Spoiler alert: I have never had such flawless skin in such sweltering summer heat!  

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SKINCARE | MaskerAide Bubble Bubble Pop Charcoal Bubble Sheet Mask #31DaysofSheetMasks

When it comes to skincare, while I love the luxurious pampering sessions of serenely massaging serums and moisturizers, I also love being amused. Bubble masks became big two years ago in the North American beauty world and it just has not stopped since! Last month I became one of the beauty ambassadors for Canadian brand MaskerAide (aka I am now a #MaskerAideBabe) which felt like a fitting partnership as it is obvious I love my sheet masks! I used my first MaskerAide sheet mask five years ago after receiving it in a TopBox and it has been a match made in heaven ever since!

PR samples

SUNSCREEN | Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 and Invincible Setting Powder SPF 45

When it comes to different forms of sunscreen, Supergoop! is where it's at! Talk about a brand with a niche! Unfortunately, Supergoop! is not available in Canada because of the lack of DIN on the products, so whenever I get a chance to go to the US, I always make a point of picking up something new from the brand. This year, opportunity came in May when I was in Las Vegas for work so I made my way over to the closest Sephora on The Strip (after fighting off some evangelistic cult people on the way) with my list and picked up some sunscreen goodies!

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SKINCARE | Mary Kay TimeWise Repair Lifting Bio-cellulose Mask #31DaysofSheetMasks

Bio-cellulose. When it comes to sheet masks, this material is pure luxury.  Derived from coconut water, these masks feel disturbingly similar to moist skin and are the ultimate in moisture restoration because of the material which lends to a near perfect fit to the face. I used my first bio-cellulose mask when I got the full on flu in January of 2016 (I remember because I rarely get colds, let alone the flu) and was so hot and uncomfortable that I wanted something cold on my face. I don't think I thought much about the skincare benefits at the time, but what I do remember was how bio-cellulose mimicked the texture of my skin! I was actually quite surprised when Mary Kay went the route of bio-cellulose masks late last year because sheet masks are one thing, but going with bio-cellulose is seriously stepping it up!

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NAILS | Strawberry Dreams #ManiMonday

I was lazy AF yesterday and did nothing but get groceries and take two flatlays. I even had to take a nap at noon. I just felt so zonked of energy and I still do. A part of me thinks I have some sort of chronic disease because I always wake up tired and sometimes need to take naps on my lunch break instead of eat. Some might say that it a bit concerning, no? This sort of leads to my more laidback Strawberry nail art today as I really didn't feel like taking out too many polish colours are dealing with little nail art brushes. This indie polish from The Hungry Asian is actually called Strawberry and is one that I purchased, I kid you not, 7 years ago! The best part was that it still applied flawlessly!

MAKEUP | Clarins Sunkissed Summer 2018 Collection

I know there hasn't been a lot of makeup on the blog since I have now become OBSESSED with skincare and masking, but I do wear makeup daily and still very much enjoy it so I do apologize for those of you who have been missing out on my makeup posts! This summer has been an easy one when it comes to makeup as I haven't been deviating much from certain products. I just keep wanting to look tanned and that's pretty much it so when it comes to bronzing it up, it's all about the Clarins Sunkissed Summer Collection! 

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SKINCARE | Dermovia Lace Your Face Hydrating Rose Mask #31DaysofSheetMasks

Last year, I had an amazing opportunity to attend Cosmoprof North America in Las Vegas and found some fantastic brands that I really should have talked about months ago! One of the products that caught my eye were the Dermovia Lace Your Face Shapewear Facial Masks! At the time, I had seen lace masks before in the form of hydrogel masks, but not with actual fabric which in the case of Dermovia, are made with a biodegradable cotton! 

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NAILS | OMG! Toy Story Came Out 20 Years Ago! #CBBxManiMonday

This week's CBB ManiMonday theme is "Childhood" and I had been wanting to try these Toy Story nails for the last month so it worked out perfectly! These nails started a day of watching old Pixar movies which was pure bliss followed by a well-deserved nap because I have been feeling the beginnings of a summer cold...I only hope that I can nip it in the bud ASAP!

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SUNSCREEN SUNDAY | The Duo: COOLA Green Tea Makeup Setting Spray and Cucumber Mineral Face Matte Finish Moisturizer

In my last two Sunscreen Sunday posts, I kept referring to what I would consider one of my holy grail brands when it comes to sunscreen - Coola. When green beauty was getting more mainstream, Coola was one of the few brands that made a mineral sunscreen that didn't feel like you were applying a thick tar across your face! Even though years have passed and green beauty has come a long way, Coola is still one of my all-time favourite sunscreen brands and in addition to my old faithful Cucumber Mineral Sunscreen, I picked up a new setting spray at Curlique that just needed to come home with me!

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KBEAUTY | DERMAL Xilix Tiger and Panda Animal Masks #31DaysofSheetMasks

I often "poo-poo" animal print sheet masks because we all know that once there is a print all over, it's really more like entertainment than skincare. Inks add an additional layer between the cotton and our skin so IF I plan on using a printed mask, the non-printed part should account for more than 50% so that I feel I am getting SOME benefits from it. While I was at T&T, I noticed the DERMAL Animal Masks and thought the patterns could be fun so I picked up the two that looked cutest!

MAKEUP | Green and Vegan Beauty with Clove + Hallow

Back in June, I got a closer look at beauty brand Clove + Hallow and I was excited because not only was this brand a green beauty brand, but it had also taken home awards for performance and innovation rivaling their non-green counterparts! While I haven't sworn off non-green products in their entirety, I'm sure I'm not the only one who is always open to including cleaner products in their beauty routine. After seeing a few Toronto beauty blog reviews on Clove + Hallow, I knew that I would eventually have to try it while hoping and praying that it would eventually be sold by a store in Vancouver (it is currently sold at The Detox Market now). Hopefully that will be happening sometime soon?

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KBEAUTY | The Face Shop Mask.Lab Lift Up Face Mask #31DaysofSheetMasks

I am making a point of trying weird masks and when this new mask from The Face Shop's Mask.Lab series came out last month I knew I had to try it. Lifting sheet masks are not a new thing, but the fact that this came with an elastic strap was intriguing and the ingredients in the essence looked decent even though this was not a silicone-free mask. This was really more about the skintertainment factor more than anything else so let's see how much of a workout this mask was!

NAILS | I Love Glitter #CBBxManiMonday

Taking it a little slow today since it is just the start of my weekend, but I did take whackload of photos for my upcoming mask reviews as well as some summer stuff I haven't had a chance to look at yet, but REALLY need to get done since this is really the last month I can talk about any of it! The CBB girls and I were feeling a bit lazy this week so when I suggested just plain ol' glitter, they were all onboard!

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SUNSCREEN | The Ordinary Suncare Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 with Antioxidants #SunscreenSunday

Who else is literally drowning in sunscreen at this time of the year?! While I am still on the search for a physical sunscreen that is light enough to make me feel like I am wearing a chemical one, I have been alternating between the two types depending on my mood. Sunscreen has always been that thing that I prefer having merged into another product like my primer, moisturizer or even setting spray!

The Deciem social media pages were abuzz with excitement when it was announced there would be a mineral sunscreen coming out under The Ordinary brand and when it finally came, I had to snap it up and give it a try!

KBEAUTY | VDL Expert Color Lip Cube Must-Haves with Swatches

Last week I was raving about the VDL Lumilayer Primer, but I have also been enjoying some lip goodies that came highly recommended and thankfully I agree! It's always so disappointing when products are bestsellers and then you use them and you don't understand what the hype was all about. I have always been the eternal pessimist so I generally think products (and people really) are crap until proven otherwise. I am happy to report that all went well with these VDL Expert Color Lip Cubes and I hope more shades become available at The Face Shop! 

PR samples (credit given and products and shades chosen by me)

SKINCARE | Boo Bamboo Brightening Charcoal Sheet Mask #31DaysofSheetMasks

My first fully charcoal sheet mask! Everyone else looks so cool with these black masks on, but I held off for a long time because I was scared that the detoxifying aspect of these masks would be too drying for my skin. After so many hot and sticky evenings this past week, I felt like my skin needed a major cleanse! While 98% of my sheet masks are hydrating, brightening or anti-aging (the Asian skincare trifecta) I had on hand two charcoal sheet masks. Both will be reviewed this month starting with the Boo Bamboo Brightening Charcoal Sheet Mask!

KBEAUTY | Laneige Water Bank Soothing Gel Mask #31DaysofSheetMasks

I seem to be taking my sheet masks VERY seriously at this point so now that I know I can work sheet masks into my schedule (by planning out which ones to use and putting them out on the dining table) I will be attempting to sheet mask for 31 days starting August 1st! I have chosen some weird and wonderful masks to share with you all on Instagram and here on the blog so hopefully there will be some content coming up that will both educate and make you giggle!

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