New Lip Products from Dior - Review & Swatches (2017)*


For those of you who do not know this, besides my love of blush my second favorite make-up product are lip products and that is in large part due to the start of my blogging career. Before I became a beauty blogger, I had always stuck with my typical comfort colors - the light neutral baby pinks and mauves and never ventured out besides that realm. However, now that I have the wonderful opportunity of being able to test out and review various lip products that range in all spectrum of colors, I have come to learn that I can actually wear alot of shades that I would have been nervous to before, and that they actually look good! 

I recently was sent some new lip products from Dior - their Rouge Dior Liquid  and Rouge Dior Double Matte Metal Colour and Couture Contour Lipsticks. Both products retail for $43cad each.

Below I will first review the Matte Metal Lipsticks which as the name suggests, is a lipstick that offers an outer matte and inner metallic finish product. This creates an almost satin sheen that also delivers a subtle ombre finish to the lips. When applied - as you can see in the two swatch photos below, the ombre is very subtle - to me, it works more as a lip volumizer that makes the center of your lips look a shade lighter, and adds a 3D-plump-ness to the center of the lip. 


 
Left: 429 - Coup De Chic | Right: 590 - Dressed to Kill
I think that the ombre and subtle plumped look is more visible on the darker shade on the right in the picture above. As you can see, on the bottom lip, the center portion just looks a bit more raised and has more of a juicy pout to it. I love this subtle look that isn't too dramatic. It just looks more natural.


Next, we have the Rouge Dior Liquids, a long-wear liquid lip that isn't drying to the lips at all and is said to offer a 12-hour wear. It comes in three different formulations - Matte, Metallic and Satin. Wear them alone, or mixed to your own finish (as you can see that I've done below).

The wand in the Rouge Dior Liquids is a very innovative and new wand - it contains a concave portion on the doe foot applicator at the end that holds and houses the product to ensure that you only need to dip your wand in the product once, and then you get to have an even delivery of product on your lips. It also has a very fine precision tip that allows you to be precise and stay within the lines of your lip without having to use a lip liner.


  
Left: 334 - Vibrant Metal | Middle: 424 - Hypnotic Matte | Right: 895 - Fab Satin.

Above, I had mentioned that since starting my beauty blogging journey, I have the chance to try shades I'd never thought I'd look good in and that is shade 895 - Fab Satin. Of the 3 shades sent, this one is my absolute favorite and would be something I wouldn't have even considered before. It's vampy, perfect for fall and yet it looks classy and elegant at the same time.

I thought I'd include a photo of what a mixed concoction looks like - I applied 424 - Hypnotic Matte all over the lips, and then dabbed 334 - Vibrant Metal right in the center of the lips to add some dimension and volume. 

Of the two products, it is hard for me to suggest which one to purchase as it is up to your personal preference - a liquid lipstick vs. a traditional bullet lipstick. However in all honesty you cannot go wrong with either lip product as they both deliver and is worth the higher price tag. 

Until Next Time, XO - M.

*products were sent to me for review, all opinions are my own

August 2017 Favorites*


Cover FX - Enhancer Drops
This drops offer a beautiful natural highlight should you choose to have it subtle, and builds up to a blinding highlight wherever you please. I always choose to use this to achieve that JLO glow and I love it on my cheekbones, or on my lids - and even mixed with my foundation. 

IT Cosmetics - CC Cream
This has been my go-to foundation the past summer, as well as on my trip to the Dominican. It protected my face so well from the sun that my face didn't experience any sun damage, while my chest and shoulders experienced some minor sunburn. This stuff is amazing, it does not go on too thick, it photographs well and is unscented which works beautifully for me. In addition, I do not feel this on my face when applied and does not feel cakey or get oily throughout the day. I am so happy that they carry this in Canada now! I had to travel to the US to buy this before! That's how much I love it. Until October, you can use my code - ITGIRLCHAN on the Canadian IT Cosmetics website for 10% off! (I do not make anything off the code, so please feel free to use it!)

Urban Decay - Illusion Primer
This primer smooths out any enlarged pores on my face and creates an even canvas for my make-up application! 

Vita Liberata - Self Tan Bronzing Minerals
I have talked about this product before and I am still in love with it. It works as a bronzer, that actually works to provide you with a lasting tan as well. Therefore, please be gentle when you use this - you should not aim for an oompa-loompa look. A light dusting on the areas of your face where the sun naturally hits, and you will see that your face will gradually get more tanned through the day and it lasts for a few days.

Guerlain - Terracotta - Natural Brunette
Guerlain bronzers have always delivered a natural sun kissed look to the face that makes you look like you just came back from vacation. Do not get me wrong, this product does not come without a luxurious pricetag - however, if you do feel like spoiling yourself on a worth-it product, than this is for you.



Dior - Rouge Dior Lipstick
This is a great liquid lipstick that does not dry out your lips or settle in fine lines. It dries down without the metallic scent that some brands have (I know it sounds weird, but it is hard to explain the difficulties I have had with other brands). The colors are pigmented, and does not become streaky when swatched over.

YSL - Volupte Tint-In-Balm
These moisturizing lipsticks are lightly fruity scented and delivers hydration to your lip with a sheer wash of color. This is an ultimate luxury balm if you want to treat yourself! 

Burberry Cat Eye Liner - Jet Black
The liquid liner, though not immensely pigmented, I love it for how ultra fine the tip is. It works to create a very thin wing and even for any detail graphic liner work you would like to do. In addition, the olive cream/powder shadow on the other end with the smudge applicator allows you to take this on the go for any touch-ups.

Marc Jacobs - Highliner Gel Eye Crayon
These crayons, no matter the shade are AMAZING. Once applied, they do not budge at all. They are waterproof and never loses its color payoff. I want them in ALL colors.


Saje - Peppermint Halo 
I've recommended this product to friends, family and coworkers and none of them have regretted purchasing it. You put it on your pressure points, along the back and base of the neck to the hairline, and on your temples. This is wonderful! It eases any mild headaches to pounding migraines you may have within minutes. 

Clarins - Graphik Fall 2017 Make-Up Collection Review, Swatch and Tutorial*


Products swatched from top to bottom include (prices in Canadian):
- Graphik Ink Liner - $30
Love this! It is pigmented, opaque and one swipe gives me the perfect wing. 

- Ombre Matte - 09 Ivory - $26
This is a true matte - on my skin tone however, it did not show up at all - however that does not mean it isn't a good product. 

- Ombre Matte - 10 Midnight Blue - $26
This product is a beautiful metallic blue - I would not categorize this as a matte. It is a cream to powder product and has good staying power.

- 4-Colour Eyeshadow Palette - 06 Forest - $45
This is a beautiful metallic satin finish. They are pigmented and did not require me to use a cream color base first to have the colors pop. The green is suitable for everyday wear without looking overly dramatic. 

- Lipliner Pencil - 06 red - $26
Smooth, Buttery and pigmented. One swipe delivers color without tugging at the lip - what more can you ask for?

- Joli Rouge Lipstick - 755 Litchi - $29
This is a great everyday lip color - not too dramatic, a great my lips but better shade that leans towards pink. Again this delivers color in one swipe without tugging.

- Joli Rouge Lipstick - 754 Deep Red - $29
This honestly is a gorgeous red. I feel confident wearing it, and it is beautiful for fall and even the Holiday Season! Like the one above, it is buttery, smooth and opaque - one swipe delivers even color without tugging on the lips. 


The eyes was created with the 4- color eyeshadow palette in Forest. I used the lightest shade no the brow bone and inner corner. Then I used the second shade from the left, the mint green on the center of the lid, transitioned it to the darker green and finally the darkest green on the outer V and inner most corner. This creates a gradient halo shadow look and allows all the shadows to pop and show up. I applied the darkest green also on the outer bottom lash line to enlarge the eyes. 

I finished the eyes with a very thin liner with the Graphik Ink Liner. The fine tip allowed for precise delivery and a small wing at the end to lift the outer corner of the eye. 

 
 Left: Joli Rouge Lipstick in 755 Litchi | Right: Joli Rouge Lipstick in 754 Deep Red
Both looks are the same, just paired with a different lip color :) Which one do you like more? As you can see, a different lip color can take your look from day to night! 

Until next time, XO - M. 

*products were sent to me for review, all opinions are my own.

Marc Jacobs Makeup Tutorial - pop of aqua & color


Marc Jacobs is not just known for being a fashion designer, but is now also known for creating some of the best formulated make-up items in the cosmetic industry. The packaging of the product is sleek, elegant and luxurious and the products within are finely milled, pigmented and are amazing quality. To be thoroughly honest, and I know it is a bold statement to make, I have yet to try an item from Marc Jacobs Beauty that I didn't like. I know I haven't tried everything yet, but I am slowly trying to grow my collection. 

In addition to my already existing items from MJ beauty, I was recently given the opportunity to test out a few new items as well - and as always, I thought, what would be a better way to showcase these products and put them to the test, than to just do a make-up tutorial and review for you guys. 


The products that I have used to create the look in this post are below, I have also included swatches:
1. Foundation: Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Foundation - 46 Golden Deep
The foundation for me, has a dewy finish so while I like the sheer to medium coverage, I did find myself getting oily in my T-zone faster - I like to use this in the colder months as the oil production on my face is reduced and as a result this foundation is more hydrating.

2. Highliner Gel Eye Crayon*: Violet Femme - first half of inner bottom liner, Jazz Berry - outer half of bottom liner
These liners are a god-send - once applied, give it 5-10 seconds to set and they will not budge. Even if you have teary eyes, this won't go anywhere. I swatched it on my hand and tried aggressively to rub it off and it wouldn't come off at all - it only comes off with a make-up wipe (still you have to rub a few times with it). There is such a wide range of colors as well for these liners so you are bound to find something that will suit you.

3. Shadow - Style Eye-Con no.3 Shoe Gazer Palette* - the blue on the inner third of the upper lid and inner corner, the light champagne gold on the middle lid and bronze on the outer V and outer crease
MJ shadows have got to be one of my favorite shadow formulations. They are buttery, pigmented and delivers exactly what you need in terms of color pay-off. These babies last all day and do not crease when applied over shadow primer and does not lose its color intensity. 

4. Blush: Air Blush Soft Glow Duo: Lines and Last Night
Again, the blushes are also buttery, pigmented and provide a beautiful wash of color that is buildable if desired. 

5. Lips: Le Marc Liquid Lip Creme*- Slow Burn
This liquid lipstick was nourishing and not drying at all - it does not settle in fine lines on the lips and even makes your lips look more plump and hydrated. Love!



 

Have you ever tried Marc Jacobs beauty products before? If not, I really highly suggest you to go asap! The price is on the higher end, but trust me it is really worth it!

Until next time, XO - M.

*products marked with this symbol was sent to me for consideration, all opinions are my own

SEPHORA 2017 holiday preview haul & event re-cap

The most exciting time for me at Sephora (besides the VIB Rouge Sales) would have to be the preview events - especially the Holiday ones! When I received the e-mail invite to the VIB Rouge Holiday preview event weeks ago, I immediately responded with "yes" and started saving some money especially for this sale. 

Having gone for a few years now, I know that Sephora has some incredible deals on Holiday collections, and I typically wait until the Holiday season to stock up on anything that I may need for the remainder of the year (also I use the discount sale days to do that too - the one in spring and fall). 

Regardless, I was up at 8am this morning, and headed to Vaughan Mills to see what goodies there were - I of course had to include a few pictures for you to preview ~ and if you're interested in what I purchased, just keep on reading. 

The Sephora Skin Favorites Set was sold out within 15-20 minutes from the start of the event - at $69 it was an incredible deal considering the generous product sizes of the skincare items as well as a full sized First Aid Beauty Coconut Primer as well as a Foreo Electronic Cleanser that typically retails for around $49 I want to say. The set itself is valued at $209 and you bet I was quick to grab one of these.



 

Another great deal worth noting is the Benefit Brownanza! Blockbuster set  housed in this adorable packaging that would look fabulous on your vanity or beauty room - it contains I believe 4-5 full sized products and a few minis for $79 - a $200 value.



For those of you who love Beauty Blenders - a set of 4 was $100 with a BB holder as well.  This is called the Blenders For All Seasons set. To me, I opted out of this one only because I liked the prior year's holder more - the one with the pink jewels on the holder? This one seemed a bit cheap to me - it looked kinda like the acrylic powder nail holders at the salon? the crystal bowl thing? 


While I am writing up this re-cap post, I just got an e-mail saying some of these items are already on sale online for rouge members - like the Tarte - Limited Edition Treasure Box Collector's Set below - $77. 


Alright, as for the actual haul - the products I bought included: The Benefit - City Lights, Party Nights set for $42 which includes deluxe sizes of They're Real Mascara, They're Real double the lip, Dandelion Twinkle and a full size of Precisely My Brow in Shade 3 (my shade!) woo!

 
  

Of course as mentioned above, I had to grab the Sephora Skin Wonderland set!

 

Lastly, with the purchase of $50, we were gifted the below make-up bag that is actually REALLY good quality - it's thick and durable with embossed lips on the exterior. I would definitely put this one to use! It's probably one of the best make-up bags Sephora has given out! and within the bag, housed alot of beauty samples!


Were you able to attend the Sephora event today? If not, what are you most excited about getting this year? 

Until next time, XO - M 

Mary Kay Fall 2017 Collection - Review and Make-Up Look*


Summer has officially come to a close and the fall collections are gradually being released. The fall collection from Mary Kay contains smokey blue greys and mauve browns shadow palettes with a baby pink lipstick and richer berry one to add a bit more drama. 

I used both shadow palettes and paired them with different lipsticks to create the below looks for you: 

1) First, is a blue grey smokey eye with a more subtle baby rose pink toned lipstick. 

I chose to pair a more neutral lip with this eye look because I wanted to draw attention to the eyes - I do not like to create overly contrasting looks for myself - so I would very rarely ever do a dark smokey eye with a dark/red lip. I prefer either a look like the below - OR do a more neutral eye and a bolder dark lip like the second look I created. 

 
Products used: Simply Smoky eyeshadow palette and Rose Blush lipstick

2) Second, is a subtle mauve/plum shadow, mostly neutral on the lid with the deep berry lipstick

It's funny that when swatched, it first appears to be a bit more purple in tone but when applied to my lips it showed up to be a bit more red in berry tone. It worked out differently with my skin color, so I always suggest that you try products directly on your face as opposed to your hand or wrist - same goes with foundation! Match it to the base of your jaw/neck vs. on your hand (that's a tip I learnt).

 
Products used: Rose Nudes eyeshadow palette and Mulberry Muse lipstick

The shadow palettes (rose nudes and simply smoky) retail for $27 cad each, the lipsticks (rose blush and mulberry muse) $19 cad each and the nail polish (pink escape, rose blush and violet silk) are $10 cad each.  The shadows are buttery, finely milled and pigmented and the lipsticks are opaque, pigmented and delivers even color distribution with one swipe. 

Until next time, XO - M. 

*products were sent to me for review, all opinions are my own.

perfecting your pedicure at home with emjoi micro-pedi and avon*


When summer comes to and end and the weather gets a bit colder, the idea of going out and getting a pedicure seems that much less desirable. When it actually starts snowing, forget about it - the ease of slipping on some flip-flops after your pedi and running out the door won't work. On the other hand, for those of us who can't think of splurging on a $35+ pedi every few weeks, will be happy to know that you are able to achieve similar results at home! 

For me, the most nerve-wrecking part of doing your own pedicure at home, is the callous removal part. I can definitely cut and shape my own toe nails, I never cut my cuticles because I've never had a problem with dry ones, my primary concern is the callous part. I would never take a blade to my callouses, (the potential for any accidents, or accidents leading to infection could be high!) and sometimes buffing it with a pumice stone isn't quite enough. 



In comes the Micro-Pedi ~ an electronic buffer that gently removes and buffs away hard, rough skin from the soles and problem areas of your feet. The rollers that you see above (can be replaced), spin at 360 degrees and 30x a second working fast enough to polish the callouses through a few times of use (see below images). 

 

After you are done with the polishing, you have to also maintain and take care of your feet or else your callouses will just grow back again and your feet will become dry. I like to either put a balm or an oil on when I am sleeping at night, and wear a pair of socks so that the two moisturizing products can work its magic without being disrupted through the day - i.e. by wearing shoes etc. 

 

If you want, you can always pair your newly done pedicure at home with a nice coat of polish ~ the Gel Finish polishes from Avon are great - I can usually get away with one coat and it lasts me 2-3 weeks without chips! 


I highly suggest that you try doing your own pedicure at home, it may be intimidating at first but honestly once you get the hang of it, it takes me about 20-30 minutes (including polish application) and I end up saving alot of money! 

Until next time, XO - M. 

*products were sent to me for review, all opinions are my own.

YSL - Volupté Tint-in-Balm - Review + Swatches*


YSL has created a hybrid lipstick that combines a balm with a tint to deliver a light wash of color to the lips while delivering hydration - everyone, meet the Volupté Tint-in-Balm which retails for $42 cad each. 

These lipsticks contain the signature YSL pomegranate fragrance and contains a super adorable lip imprint in the middle of the lipstick that contains the conditioning lip ingredients such as apricot butter and jojoba oil. The outer part of the lipstick, surrounding the lip-shaped core is the colored portion that delivers the tint/color to the lips. This color is sheer to buildable, however it will never become opaque. For those of you who enjoy the natural wash of color, this product is for you. Lastly, this product also delivers a high-shine finish so your lips will look more plump and youthful.




As always, YSL is known for its gorgeous and luxurious packaging. If you bring this out of your purse and apply it, or if anyone sees it, they will definitely be in awe of the packaging. I love the attention to detail, the outside color under the YSL logo is the color of the lipstick in the casing (you will be able to see it below). It leaves the guess work out of picking the lipstick on your vanity.

 
 

As you can see in the picture above, the lip balm is inside the lip-shaped core and the outside is the product that delivers the color to the lips, which as you can see from the swatches above. While these lippies are pricey, I do suggest that you pick up at least one just so you can feel ultra glam using it! :)

Until next time, XO - M.

*products were sent to me for review, all opinions are my own.