MAKEUP | I Turn the Big 4-0 Today!

The day has finally come and I cannot believe that 10 years ago I posted this giveaway celebrating my 30th birthday...I am in a much better headspace for 40 than I was for 30 I will tell you that! I feel like there was a lot of pressure for 30. When I turned 30, I wasn't married yet (engaged with TBA wedding date) and my career was still up in the air as I was finishing a second degree at UBC and still wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life. 10 years later, I am so much more content with my life than I was with no plans of going back to school or switching careers (unless it's in the world of LEGO or cats!).

MAKEUP | Cheekbone Beauty SUSTAIN Liquid Lipstick, New Brow Gel and Limited Edition Gold Body Shimmer

It has been a snowy week here in Vancouver with a 20cm dumping of snow happening last night, but I happened to request today off so I got to stay at home! I only had to go out to return a library book and pick up some cat food so other than that, it was very much an indoor day. Last month, I received an unexpected package from Cheekbone Beauty with some of their new releases that I wanted to share as this is a brand I admire and respect for what they stand for and the actions they take to achieve what they say they will do! They are now in Sephora which is amazing, but I still prefer shopping from their site directly. Cheekbone Beauty has done SO MANY things to ensure their products are kind to people, animals and the Earth (read more about their sustainability practices here) with their packaging having changed a little bit from my last review to reflect these new and improved policies while still making sure the product feels and looks luxe! 

Press samples

MAKEUP | Natasha Denona Chromium Liquid Eyeshadows in Scarab, Ultraviolet and Infra Nude

Today is a scary day in the US and though we are all going to be on the edge of our seats for probably the next couple of months, let's take it in stride, get through Christmas without COVID and take the remainder of 2020 day by day. I have to go through some clothing as Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver has just resumed clothing donations and I came across a few things during Lockdown in April that needed new homes so will get to that later today (I have vacation days today and tomorrow). While on vacation, I do this scary thing where I have time to check out what's new in beauty and then BUY IT! This is what happened with the Natasha Denona Chromium Eyeshadows back in August and I still can't stop raving about them!

MAKEUP | Mary Kay Spring 2020 Collection

I unboxed the Mary Kay Spring collection back in February on Instagram and quite honestly, was not sure if I would ever get to play with it let alone feature it here because of my work schedule as we were wrapping up the end of the fiscal, but things have changed and here I am on what is one of the longest blog post runs I have had since last year! I have NO IDEA how many people are reading, whether they are even on their computers or phones, or better yet reading blogs, but I have found that I often go back to past entries and feel so nostalgic because I am immediately transported back to that time in my life and often times feel relieved to have moved past a certain point! Hopefully, that will be the case with now and the next few months when I look back at Cosmetic Proof later on. I will also have a whackload of content for reference so that sort of satisfies the "gotta get this out there" side of me, but I hope you know that I only talk about things on here that are of interest to me and if anything, the last year has been very much focused on products I enjoy as opposed to what the masses do. Obviously that might mean lower viewership, but it's hard enough to get noticed now even if you do all the right things so I've pretty much just focused on being a little selfish and just talking about what excites me. Now, that I've done my daily monologue we can move on to the real matter at hand - the makeup!

 PR gifted

MAKEUP | Dior Glow Addict Spring 2018 5 Couleurs Edition

I just went on the Dior website to get some information on these Glow Addict Spring 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palettes figuring that by clicking "NEW" I would get these. Well, of course not! Why? Because it's time for summer! The summer collection is already up and I'm just starting to talk about Spring. 2018 is starting to kick my ass and this coming week is one that I am just dreading, but let's look at pretty things and forget about what's coming shall we? 

PR samples

MAKEUP | Urban Decay x Kristen Leanne Collection with Swatches & Look

I ain't gonna lie. I had no idea who Kristen Leanne was. Sure, I watch YouTube, but I only know the really big guys like LustreLux, Desi Perkins and you know, those people who go to Bora Bora with Tarte. I also only tend to know more bloggers since that is the space I choose to reside in so when I attended the launch party of this collection in Vancouver back in January, I was more excited to see the collection in person than the meet and greet with Kristen Leanne. Then I found out that she was the brains behind the hair colour Arctic Fox and it all made sense! A number of my saved photos for coloured hair had people with Arctic Fox hair colour so it was reassuring to find SOME sort of connection to Kristen as I was feeling like I had been living under a rock!

PR samples, Affiliate links

MAKEUP LOOK | The Maybelline Total Temptation Collection

I will admit that even though I normally go for eyeshadow palettes first, with the Maybelline Total Temptation Collection, I went eye-first for the coconut-scented mascara! This new collection is all about bold brows, full lashes and smokey eyes that can be worn during the day and at night. I have always had good luck with Maybelline so I was anxious to dive into the collection and give it a test drive!

LOOK | A $17 Face Full of MINISO Makeup #LunarFebruary

Like many of you, I was pretty excited when Japanese lifestyle designer brand MINISO made its way into Canada and when it finally came to Vancouver I was there with the crowd to shop this brand with a reputation for low cost, but high quality goods. I can attest to their underwear, T-shirts and pantyhose being fantastic, but their beauty department was what I was MOST interested in trying because there can be some surprises (good, bad or ugly) when it comes to inexpensive beauty products so in honor of #LunarFebruary, I put my face to the test and had some surprising results!   

HOLIDAY | Lise Watier Glam Celebration Makeup Collection

When we caught a preview of the Lise Watier Glam Celebration collection at the London Drugs Beauty Event back in October, we were all very excited about the amount of shimmer that was coming our way!

HALLOWEEN | Here Comes the Bride of Frankenstein!

Happy Halloween everyone! I honestly was not planning on doing any Halloween makeup as I have been rushing to share all of my Fall beauty posts with you before December descends, but I was determined to do something with the MAKE UP FOR EVER Flash Palette that I was given last year by MUFE as a prize for participating in their Halloween campaign. This palette is a rainbow of grease paints that can literally turn you into anything you wish to be and this year, I wished to be the "Bride of Frankenstein"!

MAKEUP | MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua XL Ink Liners with Swatches

I love that what is in right now is COLOUR. Lots of it whether it'd be unicorn hair, lipstick or eyeliner. Yes, neutrals will always be necessary, but never before have I picked up products and gone "Is this for the eyes or for the lips?" I am fairly conservative with my makeup only because I don't know what to do when given the powers of colour and doing something truly creative. I usually end up doing something I know how to do already, but with a bolder colour. I just don't have the same confidence with my face as I do with my nails, so I like products that make it easy to create something a bit more daring.

MAKEUP LOOK | Dior Metallics Fall 2017 Collection

If you haven't guessed already, metallics are in on all fronts whether it's lips, eyes or nails. While I have classically had a bit of a love/hate relationship with metallic finishes, I have to admit that the makeup world has been creating some very tempting products that have me wanting to wear metallic blue lips with a "neutral eye"!

This season's Metallics collection from Dior is all about contrasting colours mixed with an element of sensuality that exudes confidence. What I loved about this collection was that yes, it was metallic, but it wasn't vampy like a typical Fall collection. It was warm and cozy with a few key pieces mixed in that gave the collection an edgier feel.

MAKEUP LOOK | Shu Uemura Tokyo Trends Cut Crease

I don't think I'm ever going to be the one with fierce and trendy makeup as I can still barely get my winged eyeliner game on. Working with the brand Shu Uemura has gotten me out of my box a bit more over the years in terms of trying more colour, but not many of us think of this brand when it comes to cutting edge or trendsetting, even though there are some crazy cool and work even on what little surface area an Asian eyelid allows! When it came time to try a cut crease, I was scared, but according to the folks at Shu, it was indeed possible with the proper tools.

MAKEUP | Dior Limited Edition Metalizer Metal Lip and Eye Creme Shadows

Fall has dropped and this is actually the first Fall item that I have decided to use because it seemed fitting for summer as well! Metallics are not going away and Dior is making sure of that with the limited edition release of the Dior Metalizers! Coming in seven ultra pigmented shades, these Metalizers can be worn on both the eyes and lips and have a creamy, long-wearing formula that will still metallic for as long as you need. 

MAKEUP LOOK | mark. Havana Sol Collection "You CAN Pull Off Blue!"

I haven't posted nearly as many summer looks this season and I have to kick myself a lot of the time because there are some collections that I am definitely discovering far too late like the mark. Havana Sol Collection! Not only do the bath and body products smell like some of the best things I've smelled since fresh McDonald's fries, but the makeup collection is so perfect for getting you in the summer party mood! I, on the other hand, had to clean and get groceries while I was experimenting with the collection so the only people that got to enjoy this look were the meat and deli folks at Loblaws!

MAKEUP LOOK | Hard Candy Spring/Summer 2017

Hard Candy is so nostalgic for me and I am happy that they are still around because reading about them in the late 90s issues of Seventeen magazine was always a monthly highlight for teenage Jayne. I wasn't really allowed to wear makeup until I was 17 or 18 so being able to play freely with whatever the hell I want now makes me SO HAPPY. No more strict Asian parents asking you what's on your face and what the boys at your school will think! It's ok though, I may not have had makeup, but I had every Nintendo gaming system from 1988 until the Wii!

MAKEUP LOOK | Clarins Sunkissed Collection Summer 2017 with Swatches

Every summer, I always look forward to the Clarins release of their limited edition "big" bronzer in addition to a couple of other products that I know I can easily phase into my existing makeup routine to make it truly feel like summer. I am already starting to see Fall items and it makes me a little sad to think that this beautiful weather is only in my grasp for another two months at most. I swear, we wait all year for summer only to fast forward to Fall and the holidays! I can see why people live half the year in Arizona just to keep that summer feeling going!

MAKEUP | Mary Kay Summer Time Jewel Look with Swatches

Typically, summer looks are all about fairly neutral shades because it's all about showcasing that bronzed goddess glow. It's kind of nice because I feel like I can be a bit lazier in the summer months because heavy foundation and eye makeup just don't feel comfortable. I have already been living in ultra light foundation with SPF this month and it feels pretty good to be wearing less on my face. One thing I rarely do in the summer is pull out colour so when I saw that the new collection from Mary Kay focused on emerald jewel tones I was intrigued as to how I could make it work because I can definitely say that I have never thought of green as a summer shade!

MAKEUP LOOK | Teeez Cosmetics Mini Reviews with Swatches

Dutch company, Teeez Cosmetics, launched last year at Hudson's Bay in Canada and initially, I wasn't too crazy about it. I found the packaging a little "too cool" for me and thought that I was just too old for this type of branding. Then, I TRIED the products. And shut my mouth because the products were freakin' awesome! Graphic packaging aside, the actual product quality was impressive and is another example of not judging a book by its cover! 

MAKEUP LOOK | Green Beauty with Zorah Biocosmetiques

Last Fall, I reviewed eco-certified skincare from Montreal-based company Zorah Biocosmetiques (here) and was thrilled with the story, ingredients and efficacy of the products. The Ecocert stamp of approval is an extra that I know not all companies do because of the extra cost, but when I see it, I feel completely assured that the products I am using are not just safe, but actually GOOD for my skin.

In addition to some awesome skincare (more reviews to come!), they also have some great eco-friendly makeup!