Guerlain has recently launched their brand new matte lipsticks that feel luscious and comfortable - KISSKISS TENDER MATTE, available in 15 shades and retails for $48 each (price subject to vary from vendor to vendor). The lipsticks are housed in a chic and sleek glossy black component that has a beautiful weight to it. Everything from the formulation to the packaging screams luxury and I LOVEEEE it!! 

Below are the three shades that I have received and have swatched both on the arm and on my lips for you to see how they are. 

Of the three shades sent, my favorite would have to be 775 a true red followed by 940, the cherry red which is a shade darker. These lipsticks truly glide on effortlessly and they are all comfortable on the lip, non-drying, and is pigmented - one swipe is all it took!

What are your thoughts on these lippies? I already checked the Sephora site and some shades are already sold out, so really go and buy yourself at least one .. or MORE to try out!

Until next time, XO - M.

Every Christmas, I always love to keep my eye out on the brow value sets from Benefit Cosmetics and this year the Magnificent Brow Show that is available for purchase at Shoppers Drug Mart, Sephora and TSC.ca. It comes in 4 shades (2 - Blonde, 3 - Light Brown, 4 - Medium Brown and 5- Deep Brown), it also contains 5 full sized items and retails for $66 (combined value of $160). This is such an incredible deal and you best get a hold of it if you're smart!

Attached below is a photo of the before and after of what my brows look like when I use the Benefit Good Proof Brow Pencil. That is my go-to favorite one that I've been using for a very long time and continue to repurchase. I love the triangle tip that goes from thick to thin so you can angle it how you wish to fill in the bulk of the brow and then use the thin tip to draw in the individual brow hairs. I then like to take the 24-HR Brow Setter to set the brow hairs and the small brush helps to get the smallest hairs and set them into place without giving it a crunchy texture afterwards. On days I am lazy, and just going for a natural look, I will only use the Gimme Brow that is a tinted brow gel and just run that through my brow hairs to fluff them out, give it some color and illusion of thickness and I'm ready to go!

 

Below is the list of all 5 brow products that come in the set - it is a great set that is perfect for anyone who wants to test out what brow products work for them and which formulation they want to work with, whether it be a gel/pomade formula, a thin tip pencil or the triangle angular one I spoke about above. Lastly, the two brow gels also let you see which one you gravitate towards, a small tinted one or the bigger traditional brush. 

It has been almost two years since my last empties post, so I have accrued alot of items to share with you all. As always, I will post the name of the item, a brief and quick round-up of my thoughts and whether or not I would repurchase it. I would say that this is about 80% of my empties? there are some that I have just tossed and forgotten to save, so below you will find a combination of baby, hair, skin, cosmetics and other misc products. Buckle up, it's going to be one long post!

This month, I bring to you from Belif, the Youth Creator - Age Knockdown Bomb, which is an anti-aging serum to help combat fine lines, wrinkles, enlarged pores and loss of elasticity of the skin. I always tell people that it is never too early to use anti-aging products (I started in my late twenties), I learnt this from my mom and grandmother. It is easier to help prevent, vs. trying to treat afterwards when you see crows feet developing around your eyes. This is a great product, it is light weight, absorbs quickly on the skin and has that wonderful spa-like scent that I love from belif products. I will be a continued user of this product and even gift some to my girlfriends and mom as well for Christmas. Lastly, I loved how hydrated my skin felt afterwards, so layering this in the colder months with your moisturizer would really help protect the skin from the elements. If you are interested in trying this product out, you can purchase it at The Face Shop or Sephora Canada - also! Sephora has their sale right now - the 10%/15%/20% depending on which tier you are, so what better time to try a new product out while being able to save a few dollars!

Until next time, XO - M. 

Benefit Cosmetics sure makes the cutest gift sets for the holiday season! I mean normally they're packaging is already beautiful, but their holiday stuff is always the perfect time to try various items at an amazing price point! The Benefit Brow Superstars! set is no exception, you get 6 full-sized items specifically tailored to help you deliver the best brows you can possibly attain at home for $79 canadian (right now it is on sale for $66 on sephora! woo!)

I am in shade 4, and to be honest I have a use for each and every item provided in the kit! I don't do my brows the same everyday, I mean okay I use the brow gel everyday and the 24-hour brow setter, but sometimes I do alternate between the Goof Proof Brow Pencil, Ka-Brow and Precise, My Brow depending on how strong of a brow I'd like. What I am really trying to say that this kit is truly customizable to what type of brow routine you would like. 

You can even house the products in the stand it comes in and it'll look beautiful on your vanity!

The lovely team at Benefit Cosmetics Canada has offered two of my readers a chance to win their very own Brow Superstars! set!! The two shades available are shades 2 and 4 - the winner will get the chance to pick between the two shades. 

To ENTER:

1. Please do not follow just to unfollow on Instagram, it's unkind and dishonest! I will be checking if you have followed both accounts (mine @mirandachan and @benefitcanada) when the winner is selected. 

2. Giveaway is open to Canadian Residents Only! 

3. Winners have 48 hours to respond to my notification e-mail, failure to do so will result in me selecting a new winner (this is to just keep the ball rolling and not hold-up the process)

4. Prize pack is not mailed out by me, but I will be facilitating with the process with the winner.

Good Luck everyone!

Until next time, XO - M.

*prize pack is provided by Benefit Cosmetics Canada

Did you hear the news? Belif is now sold at Sephora! This is so exciting ~ and with that, Sephora is carrying exclusive items from Belif that you can't find elsewhere. I was recently lucky enough to be sent the Pore Cleaner collection (above) and if you're interested in learning more about it, then keep on reading below!

From left to right, we have: 

Pore Cleaner Foam Cleanser ($25cad) ~ as the name suggests, this is a foaming cleanser that has a very light whipped consistency. It is said to help balance the skin's pH levels while helping you remove dirt and makeup. Ingredients consist of dandelion root extract, known for its soothing properties, and rosehip, apple mint and eucalyptus to help control sebum production on the skin without irritating it during the cleansing process.

Pore Cleaner Bubble Foam ($45cad) ~ this is my favorite product of the three, it comes in a push top bottle that dispenses gel initially and it slowly bubbles to a foam and you feel it subtly bubbling on your face (nothing too crazy) but it feels like it's actually lifting the dirt from your face. It contains the same rosehip, apple mint and eucalyptus ingredients from the Foam Cleanser above. In addition, it contains moringa oil extract known for its detox properties. 

Pore Cleaner Moisturizer ($40cad) - this is a light weight watery gel moisturizer that is an all in one product. It combines toner and essence with the moisturizer and helps to reduce pores and sebum production. It contains dandelion root extract, rosehip, apple mint and eucalyptus (like the Foam Cleanser). This sinks into the skin really quickly and can be used both day and night without feeling heavy or affecting your makeup application. 

Belif is a brand of skincare that I have been using for quite a while now, if you're interested in reading past posts, you can find them here. I highly suggest that you try their products out because I'd love to know what you think!

Until next time, XO - M.

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

I still remember that the first palette and item I ever purchased at Sephora, was the Urban Decay Naked Palette. I loved it and gravitated towards it because of how neutral it was, filled with brown and gold hues that were just effortless to work with. When they decided to discontinue it, I was a bit sad about it but deep down I knew it was because they had to have something planned - something perhaps better? 

Well look what we have here! A brand new baby that is now available as of February 17th - the Urban Decay Naked Reloaded Palette, which retails for $55 cad. I must admit that the photos I had seen drifting on the internet before did not do this palette justice - when I opened the palette, I was so pleasantly surprised to see the range of colors within - both in its standard matte and metallic formulation. 

I am very excited to bring to you a few brand new items from NARS - particularly their newest eyeshadow palette that launched this month, the Skin Deep Eye Palette. It is limited edition (spoiler: so go get it!) and has a selection of mattes, shimmers and metallic finishes. What I appreciate most about this palette is that their larger eyeshadow pans contain the shades that are essential to any look, whether it gravitates towards a more cool or warm toned look. It works in conjunction with the colors in the palette and just comes together effortlessly. It is a well thought out palette, and even includes two smaller matte shades that work well as a brow powder.

The products used to create the look you see below include:
Primer: Lancome - Blur and Go Stick*

Foundation: NARS - Natural Radiant Long-wear Foundation (Santa Fe)*

This foundation is brand new to me and oh my goodness I think it is quickly becoming a new favorite. It offers a very buildable coverage that does not look cakey, it is a thin formulation so it glides on effortlessly and just covers any imperfections and makes me look airbrushed in my photos without any touching up (I did not do any photoshopping to my face in the images below). I used one layer in my look and it gave me a light medium coverage.

Concealer: NARS - Radiant Creamy Concealer (Crema Catalana)*

This is also a brand new shade to me, typically I use the shade Custard during my lighter skin toned months (winter) and Ginger, during the summertime when I'm a bit more tanned. Crema Catalana is a brand new shade exclusive to Sephora and it's a tad darker than Custard leaning more peach and it works so well in combating my under eye circles. Again, in the photos I did not do any retouching under my eyes!

Bronzer: NARS - Laguna

Blush: NARS - Impassioned

Eyeshadow: see each look/photo for specifics listed*

Brows: Skin Deep Eye Palette - Coconut Grove*

Mascara: NARS - Climax*

Eyeliner: Tarte - Tarteist Double Take Eyeliner (Black)*

Lashes: KOKO Lashes - KOKO

Lips: NARS - Sheer Lipstick (Damage)

Crease: Undressed and Sophia
Lid: Unbuttoned

Defined Crease: Sophie and Bali

Browbone: Taunt

Lower Lash Line: Unbuttoned and Whipped

Diffuse any harsh lines: Whipped

Crease: Undressed and Sophia
Inner Half of the Lid: Icon

Outer Half of the Lid: Faster Pussycat

Outer V: Whipped

Browbone: Taunt

Lower Lash Line: Bali and Faster Pussycat

This palette really is a neutral lover's dream - you can easily transition from something natural and effortless to something smokey and dramatic and you bet I will be taking this with me on my next vacation! 

Until next time, XO - M.

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

In the past 5 months, I am quite proud of the amount of products used up. As usual, I have separated my review in different categories for convenience - facial wipes/puffs, cleansers and moisturizers, body products, haircare, makeup and miscellaneous. 

This Holiday Season, Sephora launched a wide assortment of make-up and beauty items ranging from sponges, lip sets, eyeshadows and more! I was kindly set a few items to review and play with and I have them all swatched for you below! So if you're interested in reading about it, then you know what to do!

I'm sure that some of you may know that Sephora is not just a place where you can buy beauty products from many different brands - they actually also have their own in-house beauty brand called Sephora Collection. They carry a wide variety of items from skincare to makeup and other beauty related items like tools, brushes and adorable make-up bags. I have been a user of Sephora Collection items for MANY years and they are always solid, reputable and reliable (and at a very reasonable price point compared to its similar competitors that they carry).

If you are ever on the hunt for some good quality and reasonably priced makeup brushes, look no further than the place that you already get most of your makeup - Sephora! Sephora themselves, have always carried make-up brushes, and I feel like they are not talked about enough! I had started using the Sephora Collection Makeup Brushes just before I started to pursue my passion in make-up by starting my blog - that was about 4-5 years ago. Their brushes then had the silver handle as you can see in the photo above, and then it evolved into the all black packaging on the left and the finally to the perfect combination of black and silver now. 

I had used the original foundation and concealer brushes almost everyday for the first 2-3 years and on occasion now, and you can see that through all the cleaning and use it has still remained in excellent shape. These brushes are honestly such a good investment if you are thinking of purchasing some make-up brushes and you do not know where to start. They sell them individually, but also in bundles and in all these pretty patterns and packaging especially in the holiday season, so this would make for a great gift as well!

Sephora also does a wonderful job packaging the brushes when you purchase them. They come in plastic protectors that you can actually re-use when you take them to travel with you, so do not throw them away! I really appreciate this aspect of the packaging as most brands would just come in a cardboard box and you toss that when you get home. Having a re-usable protector case just makes everything better. It isn't extra bulky either so it is practical. 

I tend to be a visual person so when I purchase my brushes, I do like to see how they fit on the face as a size ratio perspective, so I hope that the images above will help you. From left to right we have the Sephora Collection: 1) Pro Contour Brush no.79 ($43cad) 2) Pro Highlight Brush no.98 ($35cad) 3) Pro Concealer Brush no.71 ($28cad)  and 4) Pro Airbrush Crease no.31 ($27cad). 

The contour brush is soft but firm enough to pick up the contour powder to buff evenly onto the skin. The highlighter brush actually picks up enough highlight to apply it on my cheekbones - I have had such a difficult time finding a good highlight brush and this one has been so great! The concealer brush is flatly tapered on one side making concealer application and diffusion a breeze. It can pack on the cream or liquid if needed and just buff it out to look airbrushed. Lastly, the crease brush is tapered on the tip so I can really get into the crease/fold of my eye to deliver and distribute color. When I add a bit more pressure, it just blends the colors out to my brow bone leaving behind no harsh lines.

Above you will see my collection of individual brushes from Sephora, labelled for your convenience. I do own a few bundle sets as well, if you're interested in seeing them I can upload a photo or do a separate post!

Honestly, are these worth it? Yes, 100% yes. I am a brush snob - seroiusly, I love makeup brushes and I own too much of it. I have high end ones that I bought made from handmade Japanese artisans when I was in Tokyo and I also have drugstore brands. In my honest opinion, a good brush is not defined by the brand name - high end ones aren't always better, you can also find great ones at reasonable prices - which is what we have here. I would say buy the Pro line from Sephora, you won't regret it!

Until next time, XO - M.

*makeup brushes from then newest pro line (black and silver packaging) were sent to me for consideration, all opinions are my own

It's been a while since I really did a haul post or have purchased a few things all together, so I thought I'd switch things up and share with you my purchases from the summer from the Jaclyn Hill Vault Collection, these amazing Japanese makeup brushes and last of all my Sephora VIB Rouge Event haul. Typically in past years, I would do some serious damage in the Sephora sale events, but being on maternity leave now, I eased up and just bought a few items as a gift to myself.

First, we have some items from the Jaclyn Hill Vault Collection. I purchased the Armed & Gorgeous Palette, the Master Case to hold makeup brushes and two brushes, the Inner Corner Highlight and Carve Your Crease brush. I have heard such mixed reviews of the palettes so I really could not justify purchasing all four of them. I bought one with unique shades that I don't currently have and its mostly the ones in this palette. The makeup brush case is excellent for travel, it has a magnetic type closure that shuts and won't become loose. It's big so you can hold alot of things and has a hard case to make sure your contents are protected. 

Next, a totally unexpected purchase, but I had to do it to support someone I had met a few years back, Bo Vanders - he is a talented make-up artist and had worked with this company called Rephr to create a few classic make-up brushes that are handmade by Japanese artisans. I have always been a user of Hakuhodo brushes, for about 8 years now? and honestly these are so comparable to them, but at a much lower price point, making it very affordable for anyone who wants some high quality brushes to add to their kit or collection. The bristles are so soft, and it picks up pigment and blends out powders like a dream, diffusing it effortlessly on the skin making it look like second skin and natural. I highly suggest that you purchase a few brushes for yourself! Last I saw, one of the eye brushes was already sold-out, so act quick!

Lastly, below are the items I had purchased from the Sephora VIB Rouge Sale. I have the Beauty Blender Sapphire, the Hourglass - Veil Prime & Set Travel Set and lastly the Buxom - Powerplump Lip Balm in Big O, a sheer pink that adjusts to your pH level to give you a customized pink perfect for your lips. 

What have been some of your purchases this summer? I'd love to hear about them!

Until next time, XO - M.

While we are well into September, I couldn't go without sharing with you my August favorites! Once again, I have limited it to 10 items and spread it across a good range of beauty related items. If you're interested in finding out what they are and my thoughts on the items, then keep on reading below.

It's time to round up some of the products I've used up in the last 3 months and I've sorted them into categories below - skincare/bodycare, foundations/primers/concealer, mascaras, misc and makeup. Keep on reading below to see what I will repurchase again and what I really enjoyed. 

It's been a while since my last favorites post - so I thought I would share with you my newest loves i have been keeping in my rotation for the past few weeks. As always, I narrow it down to 10 items and for convenience I have also seperated them into categories - makeup, skincare/misc & lipsticks. 

MAKEUP:

Clarins - Everlasting Compact Foundation - in the summer, I love to keep my makeup as minimalistic as possible. This Clarins powder foundation has been a godsend. It offers a sheer to medium buildable coverage (I still tend to just do one sweep on the face and keep it to a light layer). It makes my face look flawless and imperfections are diffused. 

Sephora - Bright Future Skin Tint - on days that I want a bit more coverage I will go for this skin tint. It is cooling to the skin and just covers a bit more than the powder above and lasts all day. This also makes my skin look beautiful and airbrushed.

L'Oreal - LUMI Glotion - who doesn't want to look tanned and glowy in the summer? I know I do and this is a great product to use in the summertime and is a great price point too. If you want an overall glow, I like to use half the amount of Glotion mixed with foundation and apply that concoction on the face. In addition, you can of course apply the highlighter to the high points of the cheeks.

Touch in Sol - No Poreblem primer - this has been a saviour for the hot summer months. It keeps my oil control at bay.  It also smooths out my face and allows for a good base for further makeup application. 

Dior - Diorshow On Stage Liquid Eyeliner - it is hard for me to find a liner that delivers an even line with a semi flexible brush tip thats super pigmented. My ride or die has always been the Clio Kill Black liner but this one is a great alternative on the luxury end.

SKINCARE/MISC:

L'Oreal - Micellar Water - I have been telling everyone about this Micellar Water, I apply this to a cotton pad and it removes all traces of makeup with one pad. It is amazing! It is a great duplicate of the Lancome Bi-phase makeup remover. 

Avene - Eau Thermale - I like to use this to refresh my makeup or just to make me feel refreshed throughout the day. Also, my friend told me this is great for eczema prone skin and I have been using it on my hands. 

ThisWorks - Deep Sleep Pillow Spray - To relax in my beauty room,  I love to use - one spritz is all it takes. I wish I could use this in the bedroom but I currently have baby in my bedroom so it says I cannot use it just yet around babies. 

LIPSTICKS:

L'Oreal - Colour Riche Shine Glossy Lipstick - These are AMAZING! If you love lipbalms and want something a bit more pigmented then this is what you need. It delivers beautiful color that keeps your lips looking glossy and moisturized. I literally want these in every color possible!

Givenchy - Le Rouge Lipstick - Couture Edition - this is another gorgeous berry toned lipstick that is a true pigmented buttery one. It's great for summer with my tanned skin, really makes it pop!

Until next time, XO - M.

*this post features products that were sent to me for review, all opinions are my own

Spring is here and it's the perfect time for a light and natural look with sheer washes of color and a subtle highlight to make yourself glow! I have used the following products listed below to create the look in this blog and have also added a short review of the items as well! This entire look is created with brand new make-up recently launched, so if you're interested in this look then keep on reading below.

I have done this type of post before where I like to post my haul from the Sephora VIB Rouge Events. If you would like to see my previous ones, click here. This time, I restocked on some of my favorites (which proves how much I really do love it, like the Nails Inc 45 second caviar top coat). In addition, it was a great time to try some new items out that I've had my eye on in a while to see if it works for me or not. If you're interested in my thoughts below (I also did a small review of the products I got since some time has passed now), then keep on reading below...