Guerlain - La Petite Robe Noire and Spring 2017 Collection - Review and Make-up Look*


Oh Guerlain, why are all the collections you bring out, especially the limited edition ones, just so utterly beautiful? The Spring 2017 Collection to start, is no different. It is comprised of four different items, all with a beautiful opalescent pearl finish packaging and gives off a baby pink sheen. 

The collection is called Meteorites Happy Rosy Glow that has launched on February 1. It consists of:
1. Meteorites Happy Glow Pearls ($89)
Multicolor shimmers combined with correcting and illuminating "rosy glow" pearls erase signs of fatigue and reveals the youth and natural rosy glow of the complexion. The pearls come in a range of sizes and has four different tones. Rainbow Glow (shimmery) - a light pink with multicolor reflection flecks to give an ultimate glow, Mauve (matte) - to catch the light, Pink (matte) - to refresh the complexion and Champagne (shimmery), to reflect light. The pearls are housed in a case that is reminiscent of a big pearl and inside of the lid has a mirror the size of the lid and a generous pink powder puff with a black bow. 

Here is a comparison of the limited edition packaging to the regular one. 


2. Meteorites Happy Glow Blush ($69)
Mini "raimbow glow" pearls with multicolor shimmers and reviving pink pearls boosts radiance for a fresh and rosy glow. I was unable to try this product, but the pearl inspired pink with a baby pink pearl reflection just makes me want to have it. This is like the Happy Glow Pearls above, but in a pressed compact with a pink tint to it so that it is a blush.

3. Meteorites Powder Brush ($51). 
I do not believe this is released specifically for the collection as I've seen this brush before, but the long densely packed yet soft bristles on the brush allow for them to gently sweep over the pearls to pick up the necessary product to sweep onto your face. The longer bristles also help to keep the pearls in the container as opposed to flying around everywhere or landing on the floor. 

  

4.  KissKiss Lipstick ($45) 
Two limited edition shades complete the rosy glow look to your complexion. The two shades are 564 - Pearly Pink (featured below) and 565 -Blossom Glow. These lipsticks are very buttery, pigmented and smooth. They are enriched with plumping hyaluronic acid spheres that helps your lips to achieve fullness and softness.
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Onto La Petite Robe Noire Make-Up Collection that is launching Nationally on April 1, 2017 and is pre-launched at Sephora on February 3, 2017. 

La Petite Robe Noire Lipcheek (seen above in the center of the picture), is a tint made for both the cheeks and lips. They retail for $35 each and is moisturizing, provides a slight plumping effect, is perfumed and flavored (as said by their site) and comes in a universal pink. The scent is a perfumed floral scent, and the flavor aspect, I wouldn't say it's flavored.. it tastes like perfume (yes I know what it tastes like as I've accidentally sprayed it in my mouth before). Haha! I personally prefer to use this as a cheek tint as it gives me a pretty flushed look that lasts all day. 

 
The above lipstick is from the La Petite Robe Noire Deliciously Shiny Lip Colour ($38). It comes in 3 new shades - 023, Ruby Ring - a dark red, 073 Orchid Beanie (shown above) and 043 Sunglasses - a pop of orange. This lipstick is a high shine lipstick as the name would suggest - it gives you a glossy finish and makes your lips look fuller. It's sheer to buildable and doesn't get patchy. 

  

If you've been to Sephora lately, you will see that La Petite Robe Noire Black Lashdress Mascara has hit the shelves. They retail for $32 cad and well... I know I've recently said that I've been leaning towards drugstore mascaras, but I am not lying when I say that I will actually re-purchase this when it runs out. The wand, the mascara formula...everything about it helps me to immediately volumize, curl AND lengthen my super short lashes. The little round tip on the end helps to finish your look by intensifying and defining the areas you want, 

LeftKissKiss Lipstick in Pearly Pink and RightLa Petite Robe Noire Deliciously Shiny Lip Colour in Orchid Beanie.


As you can see, this collection is gorgeous and I highly suggest that you go to at least pick up the La Petite Robe Noire Mascara, the two lipsticks and if you're a meteorites lover then you must pick that up as well!

Until next time, XO - M.

CLINIQUE X CRAYOLA - Review + Swatch*

 

Crayola and Clinique have come together to work on a pretty adorable collaboration. It is quite fitting to say that this partnership happened, considering the Chubby Lip Crayons always reminded me of a giant crayon :) They started trickling into stores the end of January and comes in 10 different shades. 
These are what I would consider as a true lip color balm - they are moisturizing and gives a light tint to buildable amount of color. They are effortless to use and you can get a perfect application even without looking at a mirror as it is very forgiving!
These adorably cute and nostalgic items are available for a limited time only (6 months) at Hudson's Bay, Sephora and online at clinique.ca for approx $21 each (cad).

  

I was kindly sent three products for review - the colors are (swatched below): Pink Sherbert (left), Mauvelous (right-top) and Wild Strawberry (right-bottom).


If you are a make-up lover and collector, I highly suggest that you at least go and purchase one of these to add to your collection. I really do enjoy them and keep one in my purse!

Until next time, XO - M. 

QUO - 2017 New in beauty - Make-up Look + Review*


Quo Cosmetics has been a staple brand in my collection since I was a teen and I have reviewed them a few times on my blog. They recently sent me a PR package with all the brand new goodies coming out Spring 2017 and I just had to give you a short review on each product as well as creating a make-up look for you guys :) 

If you're interested in learning more, just click the link below...

HASK - Superfruit and Chia Seed Oil shampoo + conditioner review*



HASK has been a line that I have been using on and off after being introduced to it last year. If you are interested in reading my thoughts on the two other lines - Argan Oil and Monoi Coconut Oil Hair, simply click those links and you will be directed to them. 

Last month, I was sent the Superfruit and Chia Seed Oil collection to review and I was really excited to give them a go as I really enjoyed the other two collections I had tried last time. 


Chia Seed Oil
Chia Seeds have gained alot of popularity the last few years, I know that I started making chia seed pudding last year and my husband started putting them in his smoothies. I have also recently tried some skincare with Chia Seeds in it and I must say I really love the hydrating component to it. Now, you can try it out in your hair care routine thanks to HASK! 

The collection is formulated with HydraBoost to enhance and enrich your strands. "Cultivated in South America, the tiny seeds of the chia plant are fortified with proteins, antioxidants, calcium and nutrients like omega-3s to boost shine, increase volume and lock-in moisture without weighing hair down." - as described on their website.

Shampoo - the scent is very subtle, it is hydrating and didn't weigh my hair down. My hair looked very healthy and bouncy and it felt thoroughly clean with no residue afterwards. As for the Conditioner - has the same subtle scent similar to the shampoo. It conditions evenly and leaves hair manageable and not tangled. It also does not affect the styling of the hair afterwards. 


Superfruit
This product is formulated with Brilliant Shine Complex, a conditioning blend that helps to maintain natural shine, fight frizz and restore resilience. This collection is packed with five essential superfruits to hydrate, strengthen and protect your hair strands. The fruits used contain vitamins, anti-oxidants, minerals and fatty-acids! You are literally just treating your hair to a tropical party. 

Shampoo - LOVE this scent! It is my favorite of the two. It literally takes me to a tropical place and my hair was very shiny, and glossy - super healthy looking. It made it look like I just got a professional blow-out. The one thing though is that I found my hair getting a bit greasier earlier than normal. I was a bit greasy around mid-day, when I usually can last a day (I do wash my hair everyday). As I have ultra thin hair, I do find that my greasiness may be due to the fact that it was just a bit too hydrating for my hair to handle. Conditioner - This is infused with Amazonian Capuacu butter to provide long lasting moisture. This product smells even more divine than the shampoo as it is even more concentrated. This really worked well to cure my fried dead ends from straightening my hair constantly. 


My perfect combo was to use the Chia Seed Oil Shampoo and pair it with the Superfruit Conditioner. Worked out so well!

I have been on their site recently and am excited to try out their other lines: Coconut Milk and Organic Honey, Charcoal with Citrus Oil, Kalahari Melon Oil and and Mint Almond Oil. 

Until next time, XO - M!

An introduction to Teeez Cosmetics - Review, swatches and Try-On*


I learned about Teeez Cosmetics last year when strolling around The Bay in downtown Toronto. I used to work downtown so every so often, I'd check out the beauty counters and see what was new. This brand completely caught my eye with its bold, bright and colorful packaging. It was so unlike any other brand out there, however I never took the plunge to purchase something. When I was approached with the opportunity to try out the products a month or so ago, it was the perfect opportunity and I had to say yes!

Teeez was founded in 2004 on the principle of writing your own rules. They do not follow the traditional models of make-up and believe in creating your own trend, style and statement. 

For the first batch that was sent to me, it was 1) Spectrum of Stars Eyesshadow - Gunmetal Glow 2) Style Addict Highlighter - Berlin Sunrise 3) Mysterious Crystal Eyeliner - Smokey Quartz

 
 

The eyeshadow is a creamy ultra pigmented olive green that stays put all day. The highlighter as you can see is cream whipped like formula that is beautifully blinding if you do not use a light hand. A little goes a long way with this product, so make sure you start with a little and build it to the level of intensity you like. I am absolutely in love with this product and have zero complaints! It gives you that ultra J.LO glow! It'd be gorgeous in the summer with a tan! Lastly, the cream eyeliner, it comes in a twist tube to dispense the product, and the other side has a rubber tip to blend out the liner should you wish to. The other side of the rubber tip comes with a sharpener so even though it's a twist up, you still get to make sure you have the sharpest tip. I naturally am a lover of liquid eye liners, so out of the three, this was the product I used the least. This however though was creamy, pigmented and made my waterline ultra black.

Next up, we have the second set of products that were sent to me, which are the lipsticks :) 1) Eve's Ready to Wear Lipstick - Awesome Orchid and 2) Material Girl Lipstick - Tainted Love
 

Oh my goodness, I think I'm in love these lipsticks are BUTTERY smooth. They are creamy, hydrating, pigmented and pack a beautiful color payoff. The lipstick on the left (in the above picture) is a beautiful red called Tainted Love. In the swatch picture on my lips below it was only ONE SWIPE and it lasted until I ate - it was just velvety smooth! It leaves behind a little bit of a stain afterwards but still looks natural. Wild Orchid on the other hand is a more shiny and luminous finish that makes your lips look a bit juicy and pouty. Again, the picture of me wearing it below is only one swipe and it was very hydrating.

Here's a picture of all the products swatched.
 

Left: Wild Orchid | Right: Tainted Love
Liner: Mysterious Crystal Eyeliner - Smokey Quartz 

Overall, I am thoroughly impressed with these products from Teeez and I will actually be purchasing them and also will try out other products from the brand - like their liquid liner, lipgloss, blush, brow product, concealer and foundation (in powder and liquid form). It is very rare that I want to completely go out and purchase additional products right away after I try an entirely new product line, but seriously, out of the 5 products sent to me, all of them performed perfectly. 

Until next time, XO - M.

Beauty Counter - Winter Warmth Palette (Review, Look + Swatches)*


Beauty Counter is a new brand that was introduced to me at the end of 2016, while I do realize this review is a tad late, rest assured it appears that Beauty Counter launches these seasonal palettes as I see that they have a GORGEOUS Spring one up right now called the Desert Sunrise Palette that is totally screaming my name. It is a combination of warm tones that are shimmery tones that are right up my alley. 

Anyways onto the star of the show... the palette I am reviewing is the Winter Warmth palette - it is mostly a matte palette consisting of mostly cooler tones. To speak of the packaging - I really liked the sleekness of the palette, you can easily take it on the go and travel with it. The only downside is that the price point is around $75 and the packaging is just a hard cardboard which means it is not durable. 


This palette is a neutral make-up lover's dream. The shadows are buttery and smooth and even offers you a pop of purple if you want. I used the purple shade with a bit of the darker purple right next to it in my look below and added some of the darker matte brown on my lower lash line. I placed the neutral matte bone shade on my brow bone to highlight them.  I wrapped up my look with a combination of both the blushes (a sweep of each color) and used the middle highlight powder on my upper cheekbone. 


 

As you can see, the look really is quite neutral, but paired with the lipstick that is moisturizing and a beautiful nude, I find it just perfect. The gloss isn't sticky or tacky and I could easily wear any of these shades to work everyday. 

Until next time, XO - M. 

Cocoon Apothecary - thoughts and review*


I was contacted in the middle of December to try out some products from a brand called Cocoon Apothecary. They started in 2004 and created products that are ideal for sensitive and aging skin. It is a plant-based line that is vegan, biodegradable and contains certified organic and ethically-sourced ingredients. They have a huge following and have recently featured on the Marilyn Denis Show. Anyways, with all that being said, I naturally had to say yes and try out this new brand! If you're interesting in reading my thoughts, then just keep going....

Get Ready with me Valentines Day 2017


It's Valentines Day today and while I'm not personally doing anything major (also I'm sick with a cold that everyone seems to be catching around me), I thought that I would still post this blog up that I had prepared a while back. I love to keep things low key, also this is perfect as well if you're just spending the night in with either yourself, with some girlfriends or with your special someone. All of the products listed helps to make you feel pampered, smelling yummy all while still being comfortable. 

First things first, a face mask to start! What better than an organic chocolate face mask from Inlight ($65). ~ for those of you who do not want to necessarily consume chocolate, you can go the healthier route by just lavishing yourself with a chocolate facial. The three star ingredients in this face mask are: Cocoa Seed Powder (quality organic cocoa from Grococo in Grenada), Argan Oil and Evening Primrose Oil. This mask is ideal for all skin types, including those of you who have sensitive skin. Argan Oil also makes it ideal for dry and tired skin. 

This product is 100% organic, has a shelf life of 28 months, and is free from synthetics and chemical fragrances. Their website states the following about the product: 

"An intensely nourishing, indulgent and uplifting mask with organic cacao for sensual luxury; argan oil to nourish, refine and detox pores; rose to restore and balance the skin; and baobab - the 21st century superfood to gently exfoliate and deliver a burst of antioxidant protection."

 

I have to say that I agree with what the product claims, since this mask is oil-based, my skin was baby soft and hydrated afterwards. Typically I have to follow up my masks with a face oil, moisturizer etc. But I didn't have to do either if I wasn't so excessive. I used the mask and then applied a light moisturizer on top and it was more than enough. The mask gently smells of chocolate, but isn't overwhelming. 


 

For Shampoo and Conditioner, I've been using the Coconut Miracle Oil Shampoo* and Shea Soft and Smooth Conditioner ~ both by OGX. I have been a fan of OGX products for a long time now, particularly the coconut water and 02 line. I wish that they had the Champagne one in Canada! If you're interested in my other reviews, just do a search in the upper field of my blog and it'll take you there.


Here's my thoughts on the:
Shampoo - this smells like a coconut butter cream icing! It's sweet and makes me want to eat an entire coconut cream cake. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing? Anyways, this product is ideal for those who have thick or coarse hair as it works to help to deeply hydrate and revive damaged hair. For those who have read my blog frequently, will know that I have very thin, lack volume hair, so while this product was hydrating and smells amazing, it was a bit too hydrating for me and my hair became greasy faster than normal. 

Conditioner - This product smells of a tropical paradise, like a warm subtle scent of almost like a sunscreen type smell, but not the tacky kind. This is more like well, like the name suggests, shea butter with a touch of brown sugar. This paired with the shampoo just leaves your hair smelling sweet and delicious.  This product worked well to repair my dry ends (from straightening my hair frequently). 


Makeup Items that have a sweet valentines touch, include:
1. Christian Dior - Miss Dior Silky Body Mist*
2. Guerlain - Happy Glow Pearls *
3. Laneige - Lip Sleeping Mask*
4. L'Oreal - Infallible Lip Paint in Wild Rose*
5. Teez Cosmetics - Awesome Orchid Lipstick*
6. Too Faced - Justify My Love Blush*
7. LACC Beauty - 1992*


Pair everything with a cute shirt, some leggings and you're good to go! This shirt was sent to me for review by sammydress.com - if you're interested in it, you can find it here . The best thing is that this shirt was only $7.49! you heard me! It looks exactly like the picture and I would have to however let you know two things 1) the shirt fabric is a bit thin and 2) They do run small in sizes. I typically wear a medium or large but on this site I was in an XL. 

Here's a picture that I took of me wearing the shirt a few months ago (yes, it took me 3 months to review the shirt - I have been so behind.. sorry! Plus I never really do fashion posts)! that's why the lipstick in the picture is also not the one featured in the above. 

I hope you all are having a wonderful Valentines Day, regardless of what you're up to!
Until next time, XO - M.

Mary Kay Spring 2017 Collection - Review, Swatch + Make-up Look!*


Toronto was hit with so much snow this weekend - it was only supposed to be a few centimeters on Friday but it just kept coming, and on Sunday I think we got another 10cm? This past weekend was also super busy for me but I just had to find some time to get this post up! These beautiful pastels from the Spring 2017 Mary Kay Collection can hopefully help chase the winter blues away!! 

So in the picture below, you can see the flat lay of the collection, if you're interested in my thoughts, just keep reading! I've included swatches, a make-up look and of course a review.


First things first, the two shadow palettes. They are both limited edition and retail for $26 each, breaking it down it's $6.50 a shadow and the left one is Sunlight and right one is Glistening Horizon.

 
Above are the two shadow palettes swatched on my bare arm without any primer. As you can see, they lack pigmentation for the matte shades, but the shimmer ones are GORGEOUS. HOWEVEEEEEEEEEER - when I created my make-up look, I knew I didn't want to give up on the product so quickly and decided to prime my base with a white shadow primer stick from the drugstore. And that solved my problems! In the picture below of the look I created, you can see how pigmented it really is - that's only one layer on top of the white base and it's beautiful.

Next, we have the limited edition Mary Kay Glossy Lip Oils - retailing for $19 each. It comes in three shades, from left to right - Magenta ray, Sheer Pink and Brilliant Violet.

These oils are hydrating and glossy - they smell slightly fruity and subtly sweet and delivers a beautiful wash of color. The two darker colors are very pigmented and sit beautifully on the lip. The lightest color, Sheer Pink is the only one that I find that kind of sinks into the fine line of the lips and looks a little obvious. The two darker shades don't settle though. 

  
I love the slanted fuzzy applicator!

Lastly, we have the limited edition nail lacquers that are $10 each. From left to right we have - Brilliant Violet, New Blue, Luminous Mauve and Vivid Sunburst.


Above are the polishes swatched! You can see how beautiful they are! glossy, pigmented, not patchy at all and they are all with two coats. My favorite color is Luminous Mauve followed by Brilliant Violet. Can you tell I love my purples? I think Vivid Sunburst would be beautiful with a tan though, perfect if you're going on vacation, and of course for those of you who love the Tiffany Blue, New Blue would be a good choice for you.


I apologize for the lighting in the pic above, I lost a lot of daylight this weekend due to so many things I had to do - but I really wanted to get this look done and uploaded for you in a post. Usually I like to take my photos in natural daylight - however I used the softbox today!

I used the Glistening Horizon eye shadow Palette on my eyes - I patted the dark blue all over the lids, put the purple on my outer crease and used the light pearl shimmer on the center of the lids. Next I used the Sunlight shadow palette, and instead of using it on my eyes, I used it as my blush! I combined the pink and coral. Lastly, I applied Sheer Pink all over my lips. 

What are your thoughts on this collection? Would love to hear your thoughts!
Until next time, XO - M.