MAKEUP | Avon x fmg Limited Edition Colors of Love Collection

This is not the first time I have said this, but I have had a really hard time wearing makeup when I don't have to. Maybe it's my new lazy makeup routine for work that has caused this or maybe it's my new outlook on blogging (Don't feel like it? Then, don't!), but I have found it more challenging to get mentally revved up for a full makeup look on days off. Last week, I suddenly felt like looking pretty around the house and just testing myself to see if I still knew how to blend in foundation and in doing so, I realized that the top half of my face is slightly more tanned than the bottom half that has been covered! I feel like I am on my way to something akin to a goggle tan! Despite this, I was still able to capture some of that golden sunkissed glow with the now not so new, fmg Colors of LOVE collection!

Press samples provided

MAKEUP | New Mary Kay Summer 2021 Collection

This is the first summer specific beauty collection I have featured here and it feels kind of nice! As I write this, it is a GORGEOUS and sunny day in Vancouver with the temperatures sitting at a comfortable 26 degrees complete with light breeze. Nothing like being in a heat dome AT ALL! My reward for finishing this post will be to sit on the patio with my new book "Midnight Library" in my sundress, hat and sunscreen (of course!), but for now let's dive into some new summer products from Mary Kay!

PR samples

MAKEUP | Natasha Denona Mini Retro Eyeshadow Palette with Makeup Look

While I was on vacation last week, I started "shopping" my beauty room as I tend to do when I have the luxury of time as well as the brainpower to think creatively. I'm always amazed at ideas and motivation for posts and content when I've had even just two days off in a row. Most days I come home from work and do my best to clean up after myself and try not to feel like too much of a slug. After playing around with some blue eyeshadows a few weeks ago, I wanted to get my hands dirty again with eye makeup and dug out my UNTOUCHED Natasha Denona Mini Retro Eyeshadow Palette that I picked up back in May. This was a fairly adventurous palette for me to pick up as I initially did not know how to use the shades cohesively, but after browsing a few makeup looks on the ND Instagram as well as Youtube videos, I felt a bit more confident about applying the shades to my face!

Purchased by me

MAKEUP | Urban Decay Stoned Vibes Eyeshadow Palette with Makeup Look and Swatches

This palette stole my heart right from the photos on Instagram, but I wanted to see how these gorgeous bejeweled shades swatched and performed on the eye and I was not disappointed! I don't buy a lot of Urban Decay palettes anymore because I have quite a few through press samples and blogging, but I couldn't wait for this one! I ended up getting another one this month through PR, but the fact that I actually purchased my original Stoned Vibes palette with Shoppers points made me feel less sad about unnecessarily having to spend $68! Don't worry, I will be making sure my extra palette makes it into the hands of one fortunate reader soon so stay tuned!

Purchased by me

MAKEUP | Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Collection

Anytime Charlotte Tilbury releases new makeup, my social media blows up with products I need to have with beautiful swatches and wearable looks that I feel I can pull off because the colour stories are so cohesive. The newest addition to the Pillow Talk family was a big one and though I already owned the Matte Revolution lipstick and lip liner, after waiting a couple of weeks, I started seriously thinking of adding some of the newer products to my makeup collection which resulted in THIS post and makeup look! Suffice it to say, I have new go-tos in my makeup life!

 Both PR gifted and purchased by me. PR is indicated by *

MAKEUP | Urban Decay Naked Reloaded Swatches and Look

Last year was the year of SO MANY EYESHADOW PALETTES and while I was perusing my stash and trying to plan out some more makeup-based content (I am all about the skincare now it seems), I came across the Naked Reloaded Eyeshadow Palette. I had taken photos of it when I first received it in February of last year and now a year later, it feels like this palette was released years ago that I actually double checked my emails to make sure! As someone who picked up the original Naked Palette the week it was released in Sephora in September of 2010 and still adore it to this day, any palette in the Naked series is worth having a look at and though I wasn't completely onboard with Reloaded initially, I think we understand each other now.

PR sample

HOLIDAY | Sephora Collection Hits and Misses

Every holiday season Sephora releases their own themed collection (with a cute winter mascot) with this year being a frosted winter wonderland party featuring an active chubby little penguin. There were a lot of great value sets with my favourites always being the masks and advent calendars although this year I was both very excited and greatly disappointed and I think you will understand why!

 PR samples

MAKEUP | Lancome Monsieur Big Heart-Shaped Eyeshadow Palette

I realize as I am writing this that the last makeup look I did on here was also pink. I guess I'm just feeling girly this month, granted the Huda Neon Obsessions Palette is a bit more of an adventurous pink compared to today's romantically feminine palette! The Lancome Monsieur Big Heart-Shaped Eyeshadow Palette is a limited edition palette filled with 12 rosy and neutral shades encased in a metallic pink heart. Totally collectable, right?

PR sample

MAKEUP | The Urban Decay Game of Thrones Collection

After last Sunday's GoT episode, I was too unmotivated to talk about GoT because for any of you who tuned in, it definitely wasn't the best. Stories are feeling rushed, characters are doing some tragic things despite becoming better people these last 7 seasons and my biggest pet peeve with all of this is how seemingly easy the battle with the Night King seemed to be. This was an enemy that had been built up for so long and now it's over. I almost miss the bastard after seeing Sunday's episode!

Now, that we have one more episode to go, where I'm pretty sure Dany is going to have to be eliminated (she would have been a total dictator), we might as well talk about the only makeup collection that has gotten me excited for a long time! In general, I have definitely moved towards skincare as my vice, but the Urban Decay x Game of Thrones Collection got my blood pumping again so let's get into it! 

PR samples

HOLIDAY | Goodies from the Sephora Collection

MERRY CHRISTMAS! If you are a beauty lover, I am sure you have already shopped at Sephora three times over in the last month, but if you are still needing a few gift ideas, the Sephora Collection never disappoints and it is possible that I may have stocked up on a few of these for next year! It also may or may not have been the sheet masks LOL!

PR samples

HOLIDAY | Urban Decay Elements Eyeshadow Palette with Makeup Look and Swatches

It's mid-December and you are FINALLY seeing a holiday makeup post from me! I feel like I have had my blinders on this year when it has come to reading holiday posts for fear of overspending because let's face it, Christmas has become a consumer occasion and my goal this year is to focus on the feelings behind the gifting and making sure I am helpful to clients and kind to my brothers and sisters in retail!

I haven't done a lot of looks and palette reviews this year as I have really enjoyed being makeup-free on my two days off each week so if I am going to play with a palette, it is DEFINITELY going to be one worth having and that is EXACTLY what is happening today! The newly released Urban Decay Elements Eyeshadow Palette is indeed a sight to behold if you love metallic shades!

PR sample

MAKEUP LOOK | SUVA Beauty Block Party Eyeshadow Palette

The last time I went to IMATS Vancouver, I was veeeerrry tempted by the bright shades of Vancouver-based SUVA Beauty, but I figured "when would I ever use lime green in my daily life?" With a specialty for intensely bright and pigmented eyeshadows and eyeliners, SUVA Beauty has been on the backburner since I so rarely wear bright colours outside of blogging and though I have tried to phase in the occasional teal or purple eyeshadow at work, I mostly play it safe and stick with neutrals. The new Block Party Eyeshadow Palette is making me reconsider my makeup routine because my God was it ever fun to play with!

PR samples