Review: L'Oréal Professionnel HairChalk

When it comes to my hair, I fear commitment. I love changing things up but I can't get myself to spend hundreds of dollars on styling and colouring. A few weeks back, I was given the chance to test out L'Oréal Professionnel's new HairChalk.

This product is marketed as "the first colour polish for hair" providing temporary hair colour with pearlescent pigments derived from makeup. With its "maximum colour intensity" the pigments will show up even on dark hair. The "revolutionary water ink combined with micro fibre polymers limits transfer and ensure a colour that is resistant to water and styling with hot tools". This liquid "polish" does not leave a chalky texture, rather it dries on the hair leaving a smooth and natural finish. The colour will last through 2 shampoos, on average. Each bottle retails for $25 and there are 8 colours in the range.

For "at-home application" the instructions say to pour a few drops of product onto an applicator or makeup-sponge, then apply onto the desired section of hair. You are then supposed to brush out and blow dry the product into the hair. I applied these colouring products to damp, clean hair which had no other product on it.

5 Minute Makeup Routine

I added a bit of my E.l.f. Eyebrow Kit in medium shown the left image to complete the look. Big difference, eh?

Oftentimes I find myself scrambling to throw some makeup on right when I'm about to run out the door. I recently started using a new shade of my favourite foundation and a great Benefit concealer which make that rushed face of makeup much easier to apply. There is nothing better than an easy and (near) flawless base. Paired with some of my best cream colour products, this quick 5 minute makeup provides a natural and glowy look, fit for all occasions.

Geometric Nail Art DIY

This geometric nail art design was, hands down, the fastest nail art I've ever done. Not only was I pressed for time, but it is much easier than it may look. Although my results weren't the cleanest, this is definitely a cool option to try out next time you have 10 minutes or less to polish up those fingertips. Here's what you'll need:

Review: Revlon Colorstay Shadowlinks

Revlon makes my favourite foundation, nail polish and lip gloss (seen here). Sadly, I haven't had tremendous luck with their powder products in the past. I tried their PhotoReady eyeshadow palette a while back, which you can see a review on here. When I was offered the opportunity to create a little palette of their new Shadowlinks to try out, I got right to it. After some serious Google scavenging to find swatches of the available shades, I decided to choose the few that I couldn't find many reviews on. Who doesn't love a little mystery? Here are the ones I chose:

Dusty Rose Lipstick Dupes

Although I don't opt for lipstick every day, I really do enjoy a "my lips but better" look for more special occasions. After falling for the dusty-rose shade of Chanel's Mademoiselle, I decided to look for a few comparable options at a more affordable price point. Lots of testing ensued, and I managed to narrow down my results to three shades ranging from $1 to $40.

HowTo Master The At-Home Mani/Pedi

Almost once per week, I take a few minutes out of my day to sit down and properly paint my nails. I go through multiple steps, but my polish typically remains chip-free for at least 5 days on my fingers and 10 days on my toes. If this process intrigues you, read on!

You'll need:

French Connection Fall 2014 Preview Event

Last Tuesday, I was invited to see a preview of French Connection's Fall 2014 collection. The event was quite intimate, with only a few attendees and an informal runway. We were able to ask the models questions, look closely at the fabrics, and truly get a good feel for the trends to come. 

Although spring has just barely sprung, I loved seeing the rich hues, thick fabrics and intricate details of the colder weather pieces. Here are a few of the major trends I spotted:

1. Chunky Knits

2. Furs and Animal Prints

3. Bead Embellishment 

4. Pops of Colour

5. Belting at the Waist

They also brought out racks from the current  spring collection, and I completely fell for these adorable shorts. They could be thrown on with a white tee during the day, then dressed up with a loose black blouse for night. 

These shorts are in the Tropicana Check print and should be available in-store, but I was only able to find the trousers online, here.

I love wearing jewel tones all year round, but especially during the fall. This dress is in a crisp spearmint green which is just as fitting for springtime as it is for fall.

Nail Polish Canada Haul

For the past few months, there have been a few specific at-home manicure items that I've had trouble hunting down. After finding them all online at NailPolishCanada.com, I decided to make my first purchase. Shipping was free, no minimum, and the package arrived within 3 business days. The site has a points program, which allows you to cash-in points for products. Needless to say, I was very impressed with my shopping experience. Here are the items I found,

Items linked from left to right:

OPI Matte Nail Envy Nail Strengthener

My nails have been incredibly weak and peel-y for the past few weeks, so I decided that this would be the ideal time to try out OPI's famous Nail Envy. I decided to get the matte version of this strengthener since I plan on using it as a base coat, and polishes adhere to a matte base better than a shiny one. This is an expensive product ($18) but I have only read rave reviews on it. A good base coat will truly extend the life of a mani/pedi, eliminating chips for the first few days of wear. Since this is at a similar price-point to Butter London's Nail Foundation, I'm really looking forward to testing them out side by side to see if one holds on to polish longer.

Spring Fashion Haul

After doing some shopping in the US and Toronto, I've rounded up a few of my favourite fashion and beauty finds for the warmer weather. Some items are currently on sale, and others are brand-new and stocked in stores. 

My favourite beauty find has to be this wonderful Holika Holika Eyeliner. I gave up on the hunt for a burgundy eyeliner a few months ago, since the only one I found (from Make Up For Ever) made my eyes look red and tired. I stumbled across the new Holika Holika store on Queen St. West in Toronto last week and couldn't have been happier. The store is an absolute dream for the avid makeup collector, looking exactly like a candy shop. I left with the perfect eyeliner, swatched on the right. It makes my green eyes pop, and it doesn't move around throughout the day. Love it.

E.l.f. Nail Polish Remover Pads

Well, am I ever happy to have ordered the e.l.f. Essential Nail Polish Remover Pads. I tried these handy little things when I was on vacation, and I was aboslutely blown away. They have a bit of an oily feel, yet dissolve polish so well. Although the scent is a bit weird, the liquid they're saturated in doesn't evaporate as quickly as your typical polish remover. One small pad will successfully remove one hand/foot of dark polish and won't break down or rip. So technically you can get 12 uses out of a $2 container. If that isn't a steal, I don't know what is. 

I haven't tried them on glitter polish yet, but I'll be sure to document my results if I do. I couldn't see them working very well on glitter since they don't contain acetone. That being said, my hands are left feeling clean and nourished after removal, with no  dryness around my nails. The container weighs nothing and don't leak when travelling. I don't notice a real citrus scent, but they're definitely not as smelly as typical polish remover. Once the pads are finished, I'm sure you could even reuse the cute, small container for something else.

For just a toonie, these are now a must-have in my travel bag.

If you find yourself purchasing some e.l.f. in the future, definitely give these a try!

Styling A Bob Featuring The Conair Spin Air Brush

The Infiniti Pro by Conair® 2 inch  Spin Air Brush is a very interesting product, combining the heat of a blow drier with a self-rotating round brush. Sounds like an absolute dream to me. Despite the fact that the results can be very nice, it's a real pain to get to that point. Such a great concept, without enough thought put into the design. The handle feels very cheap and the actual rotating mechanism can seriously lag. Not to mention its balding capabilities since it tends to rip your hair out if you aren't careful. The trick to avoiding the rippage is by sectioning your hair off into layers, and placing only a small section of hair on the brush at a time- only on the bristles, no where else. If your hair gets into the actual rotating mechanism, which isn't hard to do, it will be ripped out. Once you get the hang of it, the results are wonderfully smoothing!

HowTo Embellish Shirt Collars With Crystals

Jewelled accents on clothing have been on my radar for a while, but I've had a hard time finding pieces that I truly love. J. Crew has some of the most gorgeous details on their jewelled shirts and sweaters, but they always come with a very high price tag. After rounding up some Swarovski Elements "rose pins" I decided to try out some embellishment myself. Here's how I did it:

A Day In West Virginia

Out of all the places I've visited in the United States, West Virginia's picturesque landscape truly made the biggest visual impact. During our stop at the Harpers Ferry lookout in Jefferson County, I was blown away by the storybook hills that stood before me. Now I understand why people retire here!

This particular spot had various cannons on display, in remembrance of the American Civil War. It also had an abundance of small fly swarms, which forced our visit to be quite brief.