MAKEUP | Rimmel Oh My Gloss! Plump Review and Swatches

Thanks to some well-timed days off, I feel like I have been able to reset and get back some motivation to blog a bit more regularly. Yes, we are only just past the middle of January, but I am still giving myself some credit for having some posts prepared and actually doing my makeup! I've realized that I no longer like doing a full face of makeup on my days off because IF I need to wear a mask or go out at all, I just hate getting my lipgloss/lipstick all mucked up. I also don't like getting my masks dirty and now with my opting to wear N95s that seem so hard to come by, I want to conserve and reuse them as much as I can. I guess there is nothing wrong with using a mask with some makeup on the inside, but I just feel *blergh* about it now especially because I'm in one for 8-9 hours. For this reason, I have been accepting much less in the way of makeup press samples or prioritizing posting about them because lipsticks and lipgloss are not a big part of my life anymore (and my wallet seems happy!). However, I got bitten by the "makeup play bug" over the NYE weekend and wanted to try ALL of the new Rimmel Oh My Gloss! Plump Lipglosses! It has been awhile since my lips have felt the tingle of a plumping gloss so I got all dolled up and tried on each of these pretties!

Press samples

MAKEUP | Natasha Denona Bloom Blush & Glow Palette

It's #PinkWednesday again and yes, I have yet another Natasha Denona blush palette, but it was just a coincidence that the scheduling of last week's post was also one of her palettes and boy was it a beauty! I have been waiting to photograph the Bloom Blush & Glow Palette ever since I purchased it last Fall, but time seemed to always be a factor and there was no way I could bring myself to put my hands on the creams and powders before immortalizing its perfection in a flatlay. Now, that I have done so, I feel like I must have ALL of the other Blush & Glow Palettes, but then the rational part of my brain keeps asking "How many highlighters do you REALLY need?!"

Purchased by me

SKINCARE | For Beloved Girl Skin Renewal Mineral Cloud Silk Mask

My boss asked me the other day at our staff dinner "Do you basically wear a mask every night?" and I had to respond with "Yes, yes I do". I actually time sheet masking with NOT washing my hair because I have a bit of a ritual when it comes to my hair and trying to get everything done at night in one fell swoop is actually a bit stressful which is the opposite of what you are trying to accomplish when it comes to using a relaxing sheet mask!

Two years ago, Taiwanese brand For Beloved One officially launched in Canada through T&T supermarket with science-y skincare that made me quite happy. Last Spring, a little sister was born with the launch of For Beloved Girl - a collection of 6 cloud-silk masks targeting various skin concerns (focused away from anti-aging) for the younger 18-34 demographic at an affordable price point. I have all 6 masks to share with you, but I think it's less overwhelming to go through them one at a time. It's also easier for ME to keep track of any differences so let's start off with the Skin Renewal Mineral Cloud Silk Mask* (3 pcs/$12.99 CDN)! 

SKINCARE | Kalleis Cosmetics - Made in Italy and New to Canada!

It is pretty clear that I am a serious skincare lover and I was recently introduced to Italian brand, Kalleis, at the end of August and have been using a couple of their products for the last two months. Founded in 2008 in the city of Vicenza by Maria "Carla" Cattaneo and her husband Gianfranco Baldo, the word Kalleis comes from a blend  of the words "kalos" and "eleis" meaning "beautiful" and "olive". Extra virgin olive oil is at the heart of the formulations for each Kalleis product which historically was used to soothe and in combating the signs of aging.

While most of the ingredients used by Kalleis are plant-based, the brand does not shy away from technology and using what scientific innovations have emerged in the world of skincare to ensure that their products are effective as well. I have been using a couple of products over the last two months now and I think I have a pretty good idea of what has been working for me and hopefully some of you!

SKINCARE | *New* Dermalogica Precleanse Balm + Halloween Makeup Removal +GIVEAWAY!

Double posting! This is something I haven't done in years, but I have had four days at home to catch up and do what I love most - writing about beauty products. It almost feels like a vacation because usually I'm so tired that all I do is yawn at the screen and one sentence seems to take minutes to write because I cannot seem to put a subject and a predicate together. Let's all enjoy it while this lasts because today I am going to tell you guys how I took off all of that fun green grease paint from my Bride of Frankenstein Halloween makeup with the help from my friends at Dermalogica!

SKINCARE | Omorovicza Midnight Radiance Mask First Impressions + GIVEAWAY!

Oooh, have I got a treat for you guys today! Earlier this year, I was given the opportunity to learn all about and meet  Margaret de Heinrich de Omorovicza, one half of the founding duo of, Omorovicza. Based in Budapest, all products are made with the healing thermal waters from the family owned Omorovicza spas in Hungary. When Margaret was in Vancouver, she did a wonderful job of explaining the science of why Omorovicza's products work, but in such a luxurious way that I wasn't bored at all. Historically, the Hungarian thermal waters were found to have healing properties due to the mineral content of the waters themselves as the Earth's crust is slightly thinner in this area of the world, allowing more minerals into the water. Everyone at the table was just riveted with hearing the story of the brand and the love story that started it all that I cannot do it justice in just this one post! Luckily I have many more products to share with you, but today I will start off with a brand new product - the Midnight Radiance Mask* ($155 CDN/50mL)!

MAKEUP | MAKE UP FOR EVER Water Blend Face and Body Foundation ("You Took Some Time to Love, My Friend")

I never thought the day would come when I would have more than 50 foundations on the go. Then again, as I have gotten older I have started to lump foundation into skincare so just like I collect serums like potions in a video game raid, I hoard foundations for every mood and season. I have always had really good luck with MAKE UP FOR EVER foundations and most of their makeup in general, but when the Water Blend Face and Body Foundation* ($54.00 CDN) came out last year I wasn't quite as impressed as everyone else seemed to be. At least initially.   

MAKEUP | Rouge Dior Couture Colour Lipsticks with 16 Hour Comfort (Yes, Really!)

I'm a little annoyed with myself at time of writing this as I have just discovered an additional three shades of the Dior Rouge Dior Couture Colour Lipsticks ($43.00 CDN) in my office. It obviously goes to show you how unorganized I was and that I need some sort of intervention. I even have a list on my phone of things that I "need to locate". Thankfully, these Rouge Dior lippies were not limited edition and were repackaged and reformulated to include a matte finish and an updated satin formula.

MAKEUP | Shu Uemura Lasting Soft Gel Pencils

Of all the things that most people want in a good eyeliner, I'd say that longevity and smoothness of application are probably what we want the most. Liquid liners are one thing, but when it comes to some of my first pencil eyeliners, I thought tugging at my eyelid was normal or that having the colour be gone by the end of the day was just something to expect. The beauty industry really has come a long way in developing formulations that do what we want without feeling like we are applying industrial strength chemicals.

While some brands are flashy, bright and full of glitter and unicorns (not that I hate unicorns or anything), I've always found Shu Uemura to be this silent, but steady brand with consistently good, solid products. Everyone has heard of Shu, knows how cute their packaging is and is aware of their luxury quality, but the brand doesn't seem to have the same Instagrammable shareability of more millenial-targeted brands. If anything, I hope Shu never goes in that direction, but we are going to try something different in addition to the standard review for today. If you have seen the atelier makeup done by Shu makeup artists, it always embodies the innocence of Asian style makeup with the appeal of something daring you'd see on the runway. There is also no fear of colour whether it'd be on the eyes or eyebrows so in addition to reviews, I will do my best to attempt some more avant garde looks that may turn out to be complete fails so tips will be appreciated!

SKINCARE | Blend & Boost - Super Science-y Algorithm-Determined Customizable Skincare

Back in March, I received an invitation to attend the launch of fully customizable skincare brand called Blend & Boost. I have A LOT of skincare on my plate because I love it so much, but I have slowed down in what I choose to review and learn more about because frankly, innovation and novelty are getting harder to discover. I understand that it gets hard for brands to pump out new skincare products every season, but as much as I adore skincare, there really is a lot of "noise" that you need to filter through to find something different.

SKINCARE | The New La Roche-Posay Micellar Water Ultra with Glycerin

If you haven't heard of micellar water, well I won't make fun of you because when I would speak to people at Sephora about their skin, a lot of them truly thought this was just water repackaged with fancy skincare marketing jargon. Before I launch into small science talk, I use micellar water quite often for cleansing and there are some I absolutely adore and some I feel could be better. I have always thought of La Roche-Posay as one of the more "derm" brands not only in the drugstore, but in the overall skincare world. They go beyond the basic cleanser, toner and moisturizer with a focus on skin conditions like psoriasis and rosacea and sensitive or reactive skin. Earlier this year, La Roche-Posay debuted a brand new micellar water formula combining the cleansing power of micelles with hydrating glycerin termed "glyco-micellar". The addition of glycerin is intended to provide better adhesion to makeup and dirt, a smoother glide leading to less rubbing and lasting comfort so that skin does not feel stripped or dry.     

MAKEUP | Quo Cosmetics Matte Revolution Foundation with Before and After Face Shots

Foundation is probably one of the last makeup products I really got into (after brow products) because it is one of the most terrifying things to apply on your face. It isn't a product like an eyeshadow or a lipstick that is just a small fraction of your face, but involves ALL OF YOUR FACE. If you have the wrong colour or less than stellar blending, there is no coming back from it. For years I stayed away until I discovered roughly what colour family my skin was in and though I still prefer a more natural finish to my skin, I have come to love foundation to the point where I treat it like skincare. I have probably 30 foundations that I rotate through on a daily basis and with new foundations, BB creams and cushions coming out all the time, I find myself always up for trying something new!

This year Quo Cosmetics released the Matte Revolution Foundation* ($24.00 CDN), a foundation and concealer in one that provides full coverage while feeling absolutely weightless. The formula is creamy and promises to blend seamlessly to even out skin tone and give skin the ultimate matte finish. This kind of finish is foreign to me as I prefer my skin dewy, but as I have been getting more and more into matte lipsticks, maybe a matching foundation might be interesting?

SKINCARE | Naruko Jing Cheng 60 Actives Routine

Alrighty, do you have a cup of tea on hand? If not, go boil some water because this is going to be a bit of a long post, not because I talk too much (if I do, please tell me to hush), but because there is a whole skincare routine to discuss! Last month, I reviewed a couple of masks (here) from Taiwanese skincare company, Naruko, and had such a great experience that I moved right into the hardcore stuff - using them as my main skincare exclusively for 6 weeks!   

PR samples, Affiliate links

MAKEUP | Avon Oval Makeup Brushes

First there was applying makeup with squishy sponges which we are now ALL on board with and then last year I saw people applying foundation with what appeared to be large hair brushes. It looked like pure lunacy that this would be better than brushes and sponges, but after trying the new Avon Oval Makeup Brush Set* ($50.00 CDN), I can understand the hype as well as the pure fascination of how the hell these apply makeup! 

MAKEUP | Cougar Beauty 24HR Liquid Lipstick in Rioja and Mulberry Review with Swatches

Cougar Beauty is a new-to-me brand from the UK with a number of makeup, skincare, hair and teeth whitening products. I used to follow UK cosmetics quite closely when I first started blogging and I really don't know why I stopped. The UK pumps out some amazing products so I am getting back on the British bandwagon with these Cougar Beauty 24HR Liquid Lipsticks!

MAKEUP | Make Up For Ever Artist Acrylip Review with Lip Swatches in #201, #401 and #501

Make Up For Ever has released so many new and/or improved products over the last year that I feel like I will forever be talking about them! Though the Artist Shadows are still my favourite launch (I mean, I have not come across a shade I did not like and that didn't feel like butter), lipsticks have also been a massive launch this past year. Though I will be getting to the Artist Rouge lippies soon enough, I could not resist trying out the new Artist Acrylip Lip Paints* ($29.00 CDN) because I've always been a sucker for a good gloss and a cute tube!

MAKEUP LOOK | "Office Chic" with Maison Jacynthe

I'm as office chic as I can be with my mermaid hair in today's Maison Jacynthe look! I work in a pretty conservative environment and deal with vendors who are pretty serious so in the last two months I have received comments of praise and wonderment that I have been "allowed" to get away with this. Honestly, you only live once and if you actually style "fun" coloured hair and not let it look grubby, you can wear a suit and look perfectly presentable. Obviously I don't wear blue or green lips to match as the hair is enough, but it has been interesting to see how people react!

SKINCARE | Acure The Magical Wonderfluff Overnight Hydrating Booster Mask

Last fall, I was introduced to the brand ACURE Organics and honestly I didn't know what made this brand so special. In the last two years, I have felt inundated with seemingly organic skincare that when I get the opportunity to try something new I really want to make sure it's something worth talking about!

ACURE is family-owned and operated having been founded by husband and wife team Kristy and Jon Guerra. In addition to having ingredients typical of green beauty products, a number of the ingredients in the more complex products are based on published clinical studies. I have never been a fan of throwing coconut oil and whatever else I can find in my kitchen into a jar and calling it "natural skincare" so I really appreciate when green beauty brands understand that consumers nowadays are looking for MORE. I found "MORE" with ACURE's The Magical Wonderfluff* - a mask that acts as a booster, moisturizer, your best friend or whatever else you need it to be.

SKINCARE | Deciem Hylamide High Efficiency Face Cleaner Review

It's about time I talk about Deciem again! Skincare reviews are both my favourite and most hated posts as even something as basic as a cleanser needs a bit more research than a coloured cosmetic product like a lipstick or eyeshadow. There is also something about what you apply to your skin that gives us all cause to have a look at the ingredients. We know that in the short time that Canadian company Deciem has been in our lives, they have changed, evolved and reinvented the way we look at the skincare industry and ingredients. They are doing things that no other company has done and I believe will continue to surprise us with pricing that is crazy (The Ordinary!) and uncommon ingredients. 

MAKEUP | Marcelle Rouge Xpression Velvet Gel Lipsticks - The Karine Vanasse Collection

I am far more familar with Marcelle from the skincare standpoint with my most enthusiastic review going back to 2012 when Marcelle was one of the first North American companies to debut a BB cream (review). I still use all of their BB, CC and DD creams on days when I just need some light coverage, but never went beyond skin when it came to Marcelle makeup. This is one of those times when if it weren't for a press package, I would never have discovered something new and AWESOME. Say hello to the Rouge Xpression Velvet Gel Lipsticks in five wearable shades!