Guerlain Event / Meet the Skincare Expert - Dr. Bonte

I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend the Guerlain event at The Bay by the amazing Dave Leckie. At this event, we had the chance to meet the Director of Research for Guerlain's Skincare, Dr. Frederic Bonte and preview some items launching in the next few months.

He introduced us to the philosophy of Guerlain's Skincare line which works with the wonders of nature. Guerlain researches with partners worldwide including universities and research teams to utilize their expertise around the world to develop new and innovative skincare products.

What I found enlightening and refreshing was that Dr. Bonte reminds us that aging is not a disease.

They have dedicated research teams to study orchids, bees and different whitening products. Guerlain has dedicated 12+ years to study the orchidee imperiale. They have looked at orchids from various regions including Germany, China and Burma to see how the plants grow and differ from each region. What they have found was a breakthrough discovery that can assist with the renewal and protection of skin cells/mitochondria by extracting through different areas of the orchids - i.e. the roots.


Featured below in the golden bottle is a new product, Abeille Royale, derived from the black bee from Ouessant. An area benchmarked for its purity - untouched by parasites, pesticides and pollution which means the production of a pure honey or jelly can be made. A pure royal concentrate which has exceptional repairing powers. There has been a lot of product control to ensure the highest quality delivered. One would use this product to treat wrinkles, loss of firmness and to repair any UV damage. The two new products coming up are: 1. Abeille Royale 2. Repairing Honey Gel Mask. Dr. Bonte has advised that if you use a drop of Abeille Royale prior to the Honey Gel Mask, it can amplify the results delivered to your skin.

Finally, featured above on the right is the Blanc de Perle. We had the chance to preview the product before its launch in Jan 2015 (YAY!). Results are said to be shown as early as 8 weeks and the pearls are derived from the South of Japan.

Below is a picture of me and the amazing Dave Leckie :)

On top of the several skincare samples we got to take home, we also got this compact mirror (which is definitely too precious to use so I'm adding this to my collection of pretty items)

Lunch was provided to us that day as well - delicious!

Picture with Dr. Bonte


Until Next Time - XO, M.  

*all information noted above was delivered during the event - I try to keep the utmost accuracy in the details provided with the notes I have taken. Apologies if there are any errors.

Ipsy August 2014

Sorry about the super delayed IPSY bag post - I think that it may be due to the fact that I really wasn't that excited about this month's bag. The only thing I liked would have to be the double ended crown brush. I will most likely be giving away the Cailyn lipgloss to a friend, the cleanser and hand lotion I will be saving to take with me on any future trips. 

TIP: I normally like to keep deluxe sample sized, or take regular sample sized products with me on vacation so that I can just dispose of them when I am finished. It beats lugging a huge containers of product with me there and back... this applies to lotion, shampoo, conditioners, body wash. Sometimes worse case scenario I will buy those small bath and body body washes, and then just refill them with my own body wash at home... It honestly simplifies a lot when packing and you save a lot of room! Try it out!


Not too sure how much longer I want to keep this subscription going - I am thinking of perhaps cancelling in the new year - we'll see.. maybe I will finally try memebox?

Thoughts/Suggestions/Recommendations?

XO - Miranda.

My First Makeup Tag !!

I have been tagged by Vibussha from Beauty Room XOX to do The Make up Tag! This is my FIRST tag so I am quite excited to share my thoughts and suggestions with all of you lovely readers :)
Alright... onto the questions!

1. What foundation do you use?

I am lucky that I can get away with light to medium coverage products so currently I have gone back to using the Bare Minerals Original Foundation in Medium Beige and if I am going out to somewhere special and want to amp it up I use the Diorskin Airflash Spray Foundation in Medium Beige 300. I shake the bottle, spray it to the back of my hand and apply it to my face with a flat top kabuki brush.

2. How about concealer?

I am obsessed with finding the perfect concealer. Currently, I am alternating between the MAC pro longwear or the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer - they are both quite amazing and I always set it with a powder.

3. What do you think of fake eyelashes? 

I used to be all about the fake lashes in my clubbing youthful days, but now the only time I ever put them on is during formal ocassions - weddings, company christmas parties etc. When I apply falsies, I usually go for the half strips, not the full ones - I just like my volume and dramatic effect on the outer corners of my eyes. Don't want to look over done, dramatic or like I have two caterpillars on my eyes.

4. What brand of mascara do you use?

Benefit - They're Real and if I want to use a fiber mascara I'm really liking the Maybelline Illegal Lengths masacara in Black - I scored this at Loblaws superstore for $2.88.. booyah!

5. Sephora or MAC?

Really hard to say - each store has its own specialties. Sephora is a kid in the candy store concept for me, I go in and all these different brands and packaging pop out at me (I am a sucker for pretty packaging) and I get to try some of everything. MAC does some amazing paint pots, blushes and eyeshadows. I don't believe that one store ultimately can answer all your prayers....need variety!! 

6. What make up tools do you use in application?

um... where do I even begin? How bout I just list out brands I use on a daily basis for brushes? Hakuhodo, Real Techniques, MAC, Dior, NARS and Sephora.

7. Do you use a makeup base/eyeshadow primer for the eyes?

  YES! If i don't use primer, my oily eyelids will have all my hard work melted away within an hour... If I need extra staying power I use the Urban Decay Primer Potion, if not, I normally use the MAC Paint Pots - they are amazing and give you a nice base coat of color to start with as well.

8. What is your favourite eyeshadow/colour/shade?

  I really can't pick - can I cheat and say I can't go without my original Naked 1 Palette? 

9. What do you think of pigment eye shadows?

  Pigment is so important. What is the point of applying eyeshadow if there's no pigment...However, I am not really a fan of loose pigment shadows I found those harder to control and I am all about being effortless.

10. What is your favourite lipstick?

Lipsticks - I love MAC and Inglot lipsticks... can't go wrong! Nice pigment and scent.

11. What is your favourite blusher to use?

ahhh... Blush is my weakness!! I have soooo many blushes. My favorite has to be MAC Warm Soul.


12. Do you like drugstore makeup?

yes - however, not in foundation. I have given up trying to find a shade that will match me...

13. Name a makeup crime you hate?

Alright...This has been bottling inside me for years and I finally have to say it. My biggest pet peeve is when people apply eyeliner on the middle of the eyelid. like drawing out a black line in the MIDDLE of the eyelid and you can clearly see flesh on the upper waterline.. not sure if I am describing this properly but it is my BIGGEST peeve!! ahh!!

14. Do you like colourful shades of makeup or neutral ones (lipstick, eye shadows, etc.)?

It all depends on how the mood strikes me that day. Typically on weekdays when I go to work, I go for the neutral look and maybe do a colored lip - If i go out to an event, I'll do the dramatic look, purple smokey eyes etc.

15. If you could leave the house with just one makeup item what would it be?

concealer. no one likes panda eyes.

16. Could you leave the house without any makeup on?

Yea - sometimes you just want to bum it out and be lazy! Ironically though, it's always those days that I bump into someone I know... and I look like a wreck.. :( sad.

17. In your opinion what is the best makeup line?

I don't think that there is a "BEST" out there - not one company out there makes the best in all lines of their makeup... eyeliner, shadow, lipstick etc... A company I am quite fond of is Bobbi Brown? but still there are some hits and misses... it is actually quite hard to pick one.. sorry!

18. What do you think of makeup?

I think that makeup is really up to an individual's perspective and liking to it. Some people look great with or without makeup. Some people use it to highlight their best assets.. I use it because I love the way it makes me look extra polished and lit from within...

I hope my answers weren't too long and that you all enjoy reading my thoughts to the 18 questions above...Thanks again Vibussha for tagging me for this post!
I'd like to tag the following people:
Fannie @FannieDiep
Meg @Megsmakeupbag
Samantha @gemstonebeauty1
Jake-Jamie @makeupbyjakej

Enjoy and Have Fun!
Xo - Miranda.


Xiao Long Bao Restaurant and Review


Location: Scarborough, Ontario.
Cuisine: Shanghai

I recently went to this restaurant with hubs for dinner to give it a try. I absolutely love Shanghai food so I will definitely give any new restaurant a try to see if they can hold a light to my favorite restaurant - Shanghai Dimsum at Brimley & Sheppard. After trying my regular staples - I would have to say that my heart still belongs to Shanghai Dim Sum.

The reason is that Xiao Long Bao is rather greasy in all their dishes. Their Dan Dan Noodles (pictured below - which is a peanut butter based noodle soup) had a thick layer of grease floating. The texture of the noodles however was amazing. Slightly chewy perfectly al dante. 

The Xiao Long Bao (soup filled pork dumplings featured below) were okay - the wrapper was really thin, which is good. Most places have a thicker wrapper. The thinner it is, the more impressive it is ...

I don't think I'd come back again unless Shanghai Dim Sum is completely booked and I am having a crazy craving for Shanghai.


Until next time - XO, M.

Inglot Toronto Beauty Bloggers Event

I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Beauty Bloggers Event last night to preview the Inglot store before it opens up this weekend in Toronto (Yonge & Dundas Square). 

When I walked into the store - I literally felt like a kid in the candy store! The walls were covered in every shade of nail polish possible, and the tables had shadows, lipsticks, blushes and powders all laid out (pictures below). 

I had never visited a physical Inglot boutique before, so for those of you, like me, may feel slightly overwhelmed when you walk in. Hopefully my following advice will be able to help you out. When you walk in, at the main table you will see black rectangular metal palettes. This is what you will use to place the products you want and when you are done, you can give it to a sales associate who will then pull the products out from the drawers to cash you out. There is a con about this though, if someone has taken a shade that you like, then you will either have to 1) track that person down so you can swatch it and remember the number or 2) you will have to wait for the product to come back to its home - so if someone (like me) who was holding a product debating over it for 10 minutes, you might get a bit frustrated with you.... 

The amount of pigment and the quality of the products is exceptional. The price of the products compared to its competitors is also lower - double bonus! I ended up picking up a few Freedom Systems which is their version of the build your own pallettes. It comes in a sturdy magnetic case that can either be pulled open or swiveled open - the cover is see-through and frosted so you can still see your products which is really helpful when you're rifling through your makeup drawers. (I included pictures of the few palettes I got below). 


 

As you can see, even their concealers and foundations come in a large range of colors.





Bentley surveying my haul and not looking too impressed...


Each product is vacuum sealed individually with a piece of paper that lists the ingredients.



I picked up the 4SS Brush as well - it's a perfect size for setting powder under the eye or for highlighting your cheekbones. 

lipsticks

Sculpting Powder and blushes. The pink duo colored one is a blush and highlighter!

Eyeshadow Freedom Palette

Swatches of the eyeshadows and a picture of my new polish and much needed coffee!

Decided to rock my new Inglot makeup this morning!
     

Thank You again Inglot for this amazing opportunity and I look forward to seeing you guys again soon (since I work only a 5 minutes walk away) and to the next bloggers event!

Until next time - XO, Miranda.

Girls Weekend Getaway at Blue Mountain Resort and Scandinave Spa

My friends and I decided to do a weekend getaway trip away from the city and to Blue Mountain this past weekend for some R+R. We got to enjoy the resort amenities like soaking in the hot tub and using the pool, wish the weather was warmer though! It's getting quite chilly lately. The hotel staff were exceptional at Blue and coming back here since my last visit 3 years ago brought back such good memories. 

Side Note: My husband actually proposed to me at Blue Mountain in April of 2011 and this resort will always have a special place in my heart. He rented one of the suites and surprised me by cooking and preparing all of my favorite meals and then proposed to me ... aww... we really should come back one year during April and bring our little furbaby I see so many people with dogs at the resort! I think that would be an amaizng treat :)

Anyways - I hope you guys enjoy the pictures below ...





Our bachelor suite was upgraded to a one bedroom - I forgot to take a picture of the king bed in the bedroom but it was super soft and comfortable with a TV and also had a kitchnette area if you wanted to bring your own food up and cook. 

We headed over to Magnone's Italian Kitchen for dinner - appetizer was alright, the calamari was a bit more batter than calamari. Bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar was brought to the table which was great.


I had the Lamb Brasato ($26.95 pictured below) it was absolutely delicious - the portion was really generous and the picture just doesn't do it justice, the lamb was succulent and juicy and the pasta was cooked perfectly. It was great comfort food.


Below is the Salsiccia Pizza - my friend Nina liked the thin crust, generous toppings and the caramelized onions were done perfectly. It is a big portion for one person, so you can bring this home for a midnight snack after.


Below is the Penne Salsiccia ($19.95), Natasha really enjoyed this, there is a hint of Gorgonzola (Blue Cheese) so for those of you who don't enjoy the taste of Blue Cheese, you might want to avoid this. However, Tasha loves it so she gobbled it all up. Again, like my pasta it was a big portion that will leave you happy and full. 



When you walk out of Magnone's you get a nice view of the pond area - we took a brief walk around here to walk off the dinner and to work up some room for dessert.  The village area is lively and beautiful at night filled with families who are also taking their time outdoors. 


Look! An entire store dedicated to Christmas - I wanted everything in there it was so magical !


One of my favorite stores in the village is the Candy Shop below. I always have to visit it everytime, they have so many different flavors and types of candy you cant typically find elsewhere. I bought a bag of Green Tea Latte candies, which tasted like Green Tea icecream...mmm...

And, time for the best part... dessert.... Beaver Tails... mmm.. they have an actual Beaver Tails store front, not just a truck. 



We went to the Scandinave Spa on Sunday and was there right at opening to make sure we got a spot - this place is first come first serve, wait times can go up to 4 hours once it's full! Be sure to get there early if you want a spot! Their website is: http://www.scandinave.com/en/bluemountain/

What we actually did was I booked our package on the Blue Mountain website and picked the Scandinave spa package, it includes a day pass to the spa with your room and it works out to be about $20-30 cheaper then if you were to book both things separately. The day pass to the spa is $50+taxes which allows you unlimited all day access to the hydrotherapy pools, eucalyptus steam rooms and sauna, meditation rooms.

All the pools are different temperatures varying from hot and cold - the basis of these pools are to relax your tense muscles by exposing them to different temperatures. One of the warm ones even have a waterfall so it feels amazing on your shoulders when you stand underneath. 

The two red roofed buildings are meditation rooms. The room off to the left with the brown roof is the sauna, and the metal circular building in the middle is the eucalyptus steam room - my favorite!! It clears all your sinuses and it's so calming. 


Around the spa, there are campfires, lots of muskoka chairs to relax on and hammocks. My girlfriends and I fell asleep on the hammock and took a very relaxing nap for about an hour. I would definitely recommend this place for anyone in need of some R+R away from the city. It's quiet and tucked away in the forest - it's about a 5-10 minutes drive from Blue Mountain Resort.

Until Next Time! - XO, M.