Clarins - Double Serum Review*


Clarins has released a new product, the Double Serum, which is said to be the most complete anti-aging treatment by far and retails for $120 cad. The serum is a dual-phase product rich in 20 different plant extracts that promote anti-aging components. The most focused ingredient is turmeric extract which is concentrated in turmerone to treat signs of aging by firming the skin, smoothing wrinkles and bringing back any lost radiance and evenness. In addition, it also works well to reduce the size of pores. 

The details of the packaging are below which shows the pump dispenser of the product as well as the dial that allows you to control the dosage that comes out.

Thoughts: 
I really like how this product does exactly what it says, I have oily combination skin in the t-zone and on my cheeks it's a bit drier during the colder winter months and I was afraid that this product would make me a bit greasy. However, this did not mess with my skin balance at all, it hydrated my cheeks and helped smooth out my face. By having a smoother surface overall, my make-up applied more effortlessly as well. It brought back a radiance to my face that was lacking from the winter weather and made my skin look more plump. I do not have any wrinkles yet (thankfully), but this did firm it up and I only used the small pump portion once a day at night. 

 

 

The product comes with a customizable pump dispenser that allows for either a smaller or larger dosage delivery. The Small Drop (right) would be more suitable for warmer months, the summer time or those with combination/oily skin. The Larger Drop (left) is great for the colder, dryer winter months when extra hydration is necessary and/or for those with dry skin. 

Until next time, XO - M.

*product was sent for my review and consideration, all opinions are my own


Chinese New Year Makeup Tutorial ft. Brand New Products*


I don't think that I have ever created a Chinese New Year Makeup tutorial on the blog before, so why not try something new this time around :) I have rounded up all brand new products to me (there are two that I've used before but I recently restocked on it) and decided to create a look with all these items. 

The products included in the tutorial are:
1. Primer - Lancome - La Base Pro Hydra Glow (Illuminating Makeup Primer)
2. Foundation - SHISEIDO - Future Solution LX Total Radiance Foundation (Golden 3)
3. Concealer - Tarte - Shape Tape (Light-Neutral) 
4. Under Eye Setting Powder - Too Faced - Kandee Johnson Banana Pudding Powder 
5. Setting Powder for the face - Givenchy Lunar New Year 2018 - Prisme Libre Loose Powder, Chinese New Year Limited Edition
6. Brows - Avon - True Color Glimmersticks Brow Definer (Brunette)
7. Blush - Marc Jacobs - Air Blush Contouring Powder (Flesh & Fantasy)
8. Highlighter - Lancome - Olympia Le-Tan - Cushion Highlighter
9. Eyeshadow - Urban Decay - Naked Heat Palette
10. Eyeliner - Stila - Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner (Intense Black)
11. Lashes - KISS - True Volume Lashes (Ritzy)
12. Lipstick - Givenchy Lunar New Year 2018 - Le Rouge Lipstick in "305 Égérie" 

For the Eyes: 

For the Face:

The Shiseido Future Solution Foundation and Powder comes in such beautiful and luxe packaging. It looks like an oyster pearl from above with the light gold logo/emblem embossed on top. Its so fancy! The foundation bottle is the first type I've tried - it's a gel liquid formula in a bottle, no pump or dispenser. You take the plastic little spatula/spoon to scoop the product up to apply to the face. I enjoyed this formula alot, especially for the winter colder months. It is really hydrating and dries to a satin finish. It is sheer to medium buildable and does not look cakey on the face at all. It looks very natural and does not oxidize on me.  The powder though translusent runs a little bit pinkish on me so I was very light handed with it - it creates a soft powder finish to the skin and makes it look airbrushed and seemless. 


For Chinese New Year, Givenchy has released two limited edition products in celebration of it (I am so happy about this!) The two products are below, the Prisme Libre Loose Powder, Chinese New Year Limited Edition and Le Rouge Lipstick in "305 Égérie". 

The powder, contains four different shades of finely milled powder that when mixed together creates a blurring, air brushed finish to the skin. I had previously used a similar product from Givenchy before (see post here) and I absolutely love it. This product did not let me down either. 

The lipstick, I was expecting to be more blue-based red toned for some reason, but this color is still beautiful. It is a coral pinkish red toned lipstick that works well for all seasons (especially the summer with some tanned skin). The formulation is hydrating, does not sink into any fine lines on the lips and is creamy and pigmented most importantly. It almost feels like a balm when applied but definitely packs a punch like a lipstick. One swipe is all it takes, and you can see from the image below that it is really pretty.

Lastly, the packaging is elegant and luxe - it contains gold embossing on a leather like label/packaging on the top of the powder box and around the casing of the lipstick. It stands out on my vanity and is just so beautiful!


For the eyes, I used the Urban Decay Heat Palette, all shades are mapped out below. In addition, I used my long time Stila liquid liner to create a bold and defined line and cat eye. The liner is pigmented, one swipe gives you even color delivery that is black and opaque. 


As for my reviews on the other products used, please see below for my quick recaps!

Lancome - La Base Pro Hydra Glow (Illuminating Makeup Primer) ~ This product works exactly as it says it is an illuminating primer that makes you glow from within. I have used it applied under my foundation and mixed with it and both work fabulously. It also works well to hydrate the skin as well. 

Tarte - Shape Tape (Light-Neutral) - I still don't get why this product isn't for sale in Canada because I love the formulation. I use a pea size amount under both eyes and my panda dark eye circles disappear without looking cakey or settling into fine lines. It also doesn't suck out any hydration and does not leave it dry.

Too Faced - Kandee Johnson Banana Pudding Powder ~ This product was not for sale in Canada, so I ordered it online to see the hype. It worked well, as a setting powder but I do not think that it is any better than anything else I've tried that I could probably get at a better price point. I wouldn't go out of my way to repurchase this even though it was LE. 

 Avon - True Color Glimmersticks Brow Definer (Brunette) ~ This is a pretty good brow pencil, it is a gel pencil formula, a bit softer than I am used to (I typically use hard pencil types) but it works well to deposit color and stay all day without having to use another gel to set it. It looks a bit more natural I find and the color matches well. 

Marc Jacobs - Air Blush Contouring Powder (Flesh & Fantasy) ~ I already own one of these in another color, Lines and Last Night, and I love the formulation and want to own more! This is more of a subtle mauve nude color that works with any eye or lip color look you are going for. It is finely milled and deposits natural color on your face without having to reapply it a few times. 

Lancome - Olympia Le-Tan - Cushion Highlighter ~ In all honesty, I was skeptical about this product at first, but to my surprise it is one of the best highlighters I've used. I have had problems with powder highlighters before with it either not showing, or hardening and not applying after a while. With this cushion formulation, it is a liquid so as long as I keep the packaging on tight, then I know that the product will deliver the same results every time. This product can either give you a sheer highlighted look which I went for in the look above, or you can layer it (without any patchiness) and look like JLO glow goddess! This is my new fav highlighter as I can look naturally radiant with it!

KISS - True Volume Lashes (Ritzy) ~ This is a great drugstore priced item and find. It lists for under $5 on the site (I think in american, but still in Canadian it'd be under $10 I think) and it is great quality and looks just as good as my $30-$40 pair. I know I can get a few uses out of it too as the band is sturdy but flexible. It feels weightless on my lids and very comfortable. 

Until next time, XO - M.

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

Review of my NEST perfume collection*


Nest Fine Fragrances is a luxury line of fragrances created by Laura Slatkin. She began by making candles and diffusers in 2008 and later on expanded to perfumes after drawing inspiration in 18th century botanical paintings. I have been a fan of their candles and diffusers for a while now, my favorite being Apricot Tea scent. I currently have the diffuser in my living room and have had it for almost half a year and it is still half full. The price is steeper tan most other diffusers you can find, but you do get what you pay for. You get the high quality, unique scent that is not like any other in the market and it smells elegant and dare I say, classy? When I had the opportunity to test out some of their perfumes, I was super ecstatic! If they were remotely as good as my Apricot Tea diffuser, then I had nothing to worry about! 

If you're interested in reading my thoughts on the perfumes, or if you're interested in learning more about the notes of the perfumes, keep on reading below. 

Achieving smooth, revitalized and hydrated skin with Belif*


Ah Korean Skin Care, I love it so much! I had always heard about the brand Belif that is sold at The Face Shop - it is a brand that uses time-trusted apothecary and Korean skincare science and utilizes superior and natural ingredients. They carry a wide range of skincare products from face masks, cleansers, moisturizers to body products. 

I recently had the opportunity to try out three different products from Belif, the 1) Cleansing herb water - $29 cad 2) Peat Miracle Clay Mask - $49 cad and 3) First Aid Anti-Hangover Mask - $39 cad. 

If you are interested in my thoughts on the products and how they worked for me, then keep on reading below...

Birthday Makeup Look ft. Maybelline*


Another year has come and gone and today I am a year older! This year, I decided to use the products that Maybelline was kind enough to send over for me to try and create a birthday look with it. I won't be doing any partying as I am 37 weeks pregnant, so most likely I'll either go out for dinner with the hubby or just get some take out :) Whatever it is, it will be extremely low key! 

With that being said, I used the City Mini Palette (Chill Brunch Neutrals - $11.96 cad) to create two different eye looks, one more neutral brown and the other a purple smokey eye and paired it with three different lip options from the SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick and Sensational The Loaded Bolds Lipcolor

The products used to create this look include:
1. Maybelline Master Contour - 010 Light - $12.96 cad
2. Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder - 15 Light - $8.96
3. Eye Studio Eye Liner - Brown - $9.96
4.  City Mini Palette -Chill Brunch Neutrals $11.96 cad
6. SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick - 10 Dreamer / 25 Heroine - $9.96
7. Sensational The Loaded Bolds Lipcolor - 800 Dynamite Red - $7.96


 
The lipstick above is the SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in 10 Dreamer. The color is a beautiful baby pastel pink that is a whipped formulation. It is a little bit drying in the sense that it will cling on to any dry skin patches you have, so please make sure you either have exfoliated your lips before hand, or that you apply it over a balm. The color is opaque and distributes evenly and I really enjoy it. The price point of being under $10 is also an added bonus. 

The lipstick above is the SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in 25 Heroine. This vibrant coral red is the same formulation as the pastel pink above. Same thoughts go behind this lippie. The color delivers a nice punch and is opaque in one swatch. If you go over it twice (like I did on the top lip) it does smear a bit, so I suggest you brave it and go over your lips with one sweep for that gorgeous result afterwards. 

Lipstick color above is Sensational The Loaded Bolds Lipcolor - 800 Dynamite Red. My favorite formulation is this lipstick. I have been using this formulation for years (see my post in 2015 about them). It is honestly the best drugstore lipstick I have used - the color delivery, the way it feels on the lips, the scent - everything about it is perfect! It is also under $8 so you can technically buy like 3-4 of them and it'd be the price of a regular lipstick of a higher end brand and it works just as flawlessly.

As for the other products, the eyeshadow palette works great in application, it is finely milled and deposits colors appropriately on the lids and stays all day. The contour stick is buttery and blends into the skin naturally. The finishing powder I was able to use as foundation, it was actually buildable from a sheer to medium finish without looking cakey. In the pictures above I did not photoshop my skin at all. Lastly the eyeliner, WOW - you must get it, it is under $10 and performs better than some of the high end gel liners I've used!

 

Until next time, XO - M. 

*products were kindly sent to me for review, all opinions are my own. Prices I have found on Walmart myself as they are the most reasonable ones I can find, the prices are subject to change at the store's discretion. 

Sekkisei - Treatment Cleansing Oil and Herbal Gel Review*


For those who have been following my blog will know that I am a lover of asian skincare - I was introduced to Sekkisei near the end of last year which is a two decade old brand that focuses on skin brightening products. They utlize centuries-old wisdom, modern scientific research and a combination of Japanese and Chinese herbal extracts. The name, Sekkisei, comes from the Chinese character "snow" which would explain their focus on brightening skincare products. 

I was sent the below two products to try out, and to find out my thoughts on them just keep on reading below

Attitude - Blooming Belly Collection and Review*


ATTITUDE is a brand of products that I have previously tried out and enjoyed. I even had a blog post about them, if you're interested in reading it you can find the link here. When I became pregnant, I knew that I wanted to use some products that were natural and hypoallergenic, made with worry-free ingredients. This is exactly what the Blooming Belly Collection does. This set retails for $63.95 and comes with the 5 products listed below:

If you're interested in reading my reviews and thoughts of the products in this set, then keep on reading below...

Bronzed and Natural Makeup with MUFE*


In the dreariness of the winter season, I would totally give anything to just jet away to a tropical island and get my tan on while being surrounded by pina coladas and margaritas. HOWEVER, being also close to my due date, that is quite impossible! The next best thing to pick me up?? MAKEUP!! Don't laugh, everyone has their own thing that helps pick their spirits up, mine is clearly makeup :) 

Anyways, I thought that the perfect look I could create would be a bronzed and natural look featuring one of my favorite brands, Make Up For Ever. I will be using some of the new products they sent me - which is the Bronzer, Blushes and the Aqua XL Color Paint. I utlized my existing MUFE products to create a complete look - for step by step instructions just keep on reading below!

Products used: 
1. Foundation - Water Blend Face & Body Foundation (Y405) - $54 cad*
2. Concealer - Ultra HD Concealer (Y33) - $34 cad*
3. Artist Face Color Highlight, Sculpt and Blush Powder  (B208 & S310) - $29 cad each*
4. Aqua XL Color Paint (L-54) - $31 cad*
5. Rouge Artist Natural Lipstick - N4
6. Pro Bronze Fusion Bronzer (20M) - $43 cad*
7. Pro Light Fusion Highlighter (1 Golden Pink) - $48 cad*
8. Various Make Up For Ever Eyeshadows



The steps in how I created the eye look are listed above and since creating this look, they have reformulated the shadows and can be found here. The shadows before already blended effortlessly, but I heard that the new ones are even more finely milled, buttery and pigmented so I can't wait to give it a try. 

As for the products used on the face ~ if you are a lover of sheer to medium buildable foundations, then the Water Blend foundation is perfect for you. It is weightless on the skin but gives it a nice even coverage/finish. The bronzer was the one thing I was most excited to try - it almost has a hard gel-powder finish that makes bronzer not look powdery at all - it just gives you a natural glow and no matter how much you put on, you still won't look like an oompa loompa cakeness. I love it and it thoroughly lives up to its reputation! It comes in 6 shades so you are bound to find one that will suit you. 

The blushes are pigmented and buttery smooth that you barely need to dip your brush in more than once to deposit color to your cheeks. In addition, the blushes are so finely milled that it almost feels like it becomes one with your skin and melts onto it. 


I hope you enjoy this look that I've created - it's a bronzed natural look hopefully helping you trick those around you that you just came back from a tropical getaway!

Until next time, XO - M.

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

Roger & Gallet - Aura Mirabilis Legendary Fluid & Thé Fantaisie Extrait de Cologne*


Roger et Gallet is a French company that was founded in 1862. They made a name of themselves when they created luxurious bath soaps in the shape of a circle and wrapped beautifully in silk paper and sealed, that is still in use today. The first time I was introduced to this product was when I saw it in my grandma's bathroom, I remember it specifically because of the extra care and touch that was put in its packaging. Now, I see it in various department stores and most recently at The Bay. 

I was recently contacted to see if I was interested in reviewing some of their products, and yes of course I had to give it a try as I had never personally used it before. The two products sent to me are listed below, the Aura Mirabillis Legendary Fluid, retailed at $40 cad and The Fantaisie Extrait de Cologne, retailed at $80 cad. 


Aura Mirabilis Legendary Fluid - is a light-weight, almost serum like in texture, daily moisturizer. It is said to even out the skintone and give you more radiance. It is also great for those of you who have fine lines, dullness or uneven texture. While I do not have those listed skin problems, I do find that this moisturizer has helped with the radiance factor, my skin appeared to be slightly brighter, I looked less tired and dull (which is something that can happen especially in the winter time) and my skin was definitely softer. I do like that this is weightless and absorbed very quickly on the skin and left no tackiness at all. The scent is floral and dissipates after about 15-20 minutes. It is also worth noting that this product is paraben, sulfate and phthalate free. 


Thé Fantaisie Extrait de Cologne - is, as the name suggests a perfume that is great for those of you who have the same scent profile as me. I love fragrances that are fresh, light and containing Citrus and Fruity notes. This perfume is exactly that with additional notes of black tree extract, cardamom, coriander, sage and vetiver. The secondary notes mentioned after mellows out the citrus component and adds almost a creamy note to it with the black tea - kind of like Earl Grey tea with the cardamom. 
Of the two products, though very different obviously, I prefer the scent of the perfume more and would love to try out their other fragrances!
Until next time, XO - M.
*products were sent to me for review and consideration, all opinions are my own

HOW TO EASILY CLEAN YOUR MAKE-UP BRUSHES*


Anyone who loves make-up, will most likely share the same feelings on cleaning make-up brushes when you see that dirty brush pile grow and grow and you finally realize that you're out of actual clean brushes to use. That used to be me, until I found a few key products to use that sped up the cleaning and drying process. Now, instead of cleaning my brushes once every 2-3 months (yes, gross I know) I now clean it every 1-2 weeks and I no longer loathe it. 

Products used to clean my brushes:
1. Dr. Bronner's 18-in-1 Eucalyptus Pure-Castille Soap
2. Avon Silicone Makeup Brush Cleansing Mat
3. Small Metal Bowl
4. Plate 

... and that's it! 4 simple products and you will no longer feel the dread to clean your brushes anymore. 

How I go about cleaning my brushes:
1. I fill my metal bowl with one squeeze of Castille Soap
2. I dilute the Castille Soap with about 6x the amount of water 
3. I dip the dirty brush in the soapy mixture and swish it around
4. Then I immediately swirl the brush onto the textured silicone mat until it foams and froths up and place that brush on the plate
5. After I have a few brushes on the plate (or all of it, depending on how many brushes I'm cleaning), I clean my metal bowl and mat and fill the bowl back up with clean water. 
6. I run the soapy brush under a stream of water and then finish by swirling the brush in the bowl of water to make sure all the soap is gone from the brush (especially inside the bristels where its hard to get to). 
7. Once thoroughly cleaned, squeeze the excess water out from the brush and lay to dry on a towel or paper towel. I personally like to angle my brushes down and have the handle be at a higher level than the brush bristels so that there is no water damage to the glue that holds the bristels and ferrule of the brush together. 


Until next time, XO - M.

*the mat was sent to me for review/consideration, all opinions are my own

SHU UEMURA X SUPER MARIO COLLECTION - HOLIDAY 2017


Ah, Super Mario... I have such fond memories of playing the game on Nintendo when I was young at my family friend's house (because I never owned a Nintendo then) - Mario, Luigi, the Star and Princess Peach all bring back such nostalgic memories. When Shu Uemura released their 2017 Holiday Collection online and I saw that it was in collaboration with Super Mario I Knew I had to get my hands on something. The one thing that I knew I absolutely had to have was the eyelash curler because of the adorable superstar charm attached to it and the fact that I knew it could last the longest. I am so happy that I bring to you in the blog post below, a review of some of the items that are part of the Shu Uemura x Super Mario Collection that I was fortunate enough to receive for review.


Skin Perfector Makeup Refresher Mist ($34 cad) in Yuzu and Sakura. I personally prefer the Yuzu one as the scent of citrus is so refreshing to me. I use this to set my make-up as well as to refresh it throughout the day, sometimes in the afternoon. This would be perfect even in the summer to keep in the fridge and to spritz on the face for a pick-me-up. 


These drawing pencils ($28 cad each) are no joke, they pack a serious color payoff in one swipe and they swipe on like butter. You can see from the swatches below, which is only one swipe just how beautiful the pigmentation is. You can use these as either shadows (smudge it all over the lid and let set), as a base (smudge all over the lid, let set then apply other shadows on top), or as a liner on the top lid or in the waterline. These actually do not run at all if wet. Even on the back of my hand I had to use micellar water, then soap to get it off. My favorite color is light orange which is almost like a champagne gold on my skin tone. 



Left: Invincible Superstar Eyelash Curler ($25 cad) ~ Shu Uemura makes the best eyelash curlers to date. The first ever curler I splurged on was from Shu and I have not regretted it and still continue to recommend this to people. Mine has lasted for years and the performance has not changed. Keep the rubber band clean and you will be fine :) I think I've had mine for over 10 years now! 

The Booster Protective Moisture Primer ($48 cad) - If you are looking for a tinted primer that will brighten and hydrate your skintone before make-up application than this is for you. This primer will not "blur" out your skin or fill any large pores though, so if that is what you're looking for then I will not recommend this for you. This primer for me worked well to even out any minor skin discolorations and added some brightness to my complexion. This is great for me on my natural days, I just apply some concealer and powder over it and I'm good to go. 


Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil ($49 cad for 150ml / $99cad for 450 ml) is a great cleanser for the winter months as it is a cleansing oil that contains 8 different oils and delivers great skincare benefits. It effectively cleanses the day's worth of make-up and dirt off the face without stripping it and leaves it feeling soft and hydrated. I often find that I can even get away with not having to moisturize my face afterwards because it leaves my skin feeling great afterwards. However, at night I do like to apply a night cream to let it sink in. 


Peach's Eye and Cheek Palette ($125 cad) - This palette is pricey but come on, look at how beautiful the shades are. These shades are what I naturally gravitate to - either warm tones or purple ones and the pigmentation, as you can see from the looks I've created below are great. 

The first look I did is with the right side of the palette, and the second look is with the left side. 


Look above is created with the right side of the palette, and the coral toned blush. I used the first shade in the inner 1/3 of the lid, middle copper shade on the middle of the lid and the burgundy brown shade on the outer V and blended that shade on the lower lash line as well. 

The above look is created with the left side of the palette - again the inner 1/3 of the lid is the light pink shade, followed by the lilac shade in the middle and the dark purple on the outer V and then smudged on the outer half of the lower lash line. I followed it up with the light pink blush on the cheeks. 

Which look do you prefer? I would love to hear from you!

Until next time, XO - M. 

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