Halloween Inspired Makeup

With Halloween just a few days away, I thought that this would be a great time to test out my new Revlon Colorstay eyeshadow palette in the shade Wild Sauvage. I immediately thought of a pretty pumpkin when I saw these shadow colours and decided to try something a bit out of my comfort zone.

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10 Things I Can't Live Without

After surviving a pretty gross cold, I've decided to highlight some of the essential items I hold most dear to my heart. It's in the darkest of times that we come to realize those things that we truly cherish. Along with our loved ones.

In no particular order, here are mine:

1. My iPhone

Isn't this everyone's #1?
#firstworldproblems.
But being real here, this thing has a great camera, a good calendar, decent notifications and has a nice notes app. I also wouldn't be able to get anywhere without my Google map. The battery life on the other hand... questionable.

2. Bicks Mini Crunch-Ems in Definitely Dill

Cold mini dill pickles. That is all I need.

3. Nivea Creme

This stuff is heavenly. A legend in skincare, Nivea has the ability to soothe and heal chapped skin without feeling heavy and suffocating. It's my go-to for dry lips or the dreaded nose pain after experiencing the plague (aka common cold). Read more on my lip-savers here.

4. Mustard

When it comes to my moutarde, I'll really do any kind. Especially with a sausage. But I've been loving some fancy dill varieties lately. This one in particular is a Canadian brand that I picked up at the Delicious Food Show last weekend.

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Review: Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy Nail Polish

High Stakes (green), All or Nothing (pink) and Diamond Top Coat

Revlon's new Gel Envy nail polish is supposed to be the at-home equivalent to a gel manicure, without the UV light. The claim: "2 Steps to Total Gel Envy - Create salon-quality colour in 30 vibrant shades with our revolutionary 2-step system. Brush on the base + colour in one, and then finish with the protective ColorStay Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat™ for superior strength. Together, they create vivid colour, brilliant shine and gorgeous life-resistant wear." - Revlon Site

Day 5, chip-free nails wearing High Stakes (no filter)

I initially fell in love with this dark, forest green shade called "High Stakes" after it applied flawlessly with only two thin coats. I decided to follow the 2-step system and omit a base coat, even after reading some reviews claiming that the darker polishes can stain. I followed with the "Diamond Top Coat" which is a great, thin consistency that dries shiny and quick. Only downside- the bottle is black so you won't be able to tell how much you've used.

These polishes are a bit thicker than your typical Revlon Colorstay enamel, so be sure not to shake them before application since that will cause annoying bubbles to appear on the nails. The colour pigment and formula seems to be very consistent and I can't see it separating easily.

My nails lasted pretty much chip-free for the entire 6 days. I'm no construction worker, but I definitely don't take it easy on my nails so this wear time is impressive. To remove I used a generic acetone-free nail polish remover, and everything came off easy except for a bit of the green colour which collected around my cuticles. Fortunately, after 6 days my nails were still pretty bright with no major staining.

Day 6, slightly chipped nails wearing All or Nothing
(no filter)

I just applied some of the "All or Nothing" shade last week, which had a slightly less appealing application. The polish is pretty thin, so I had to do three thin coats to get this semi-opaque finish. Overall, the wear has been pretty impressive, although the pink did chip more than the green.

I'm looking forward to checking out the other Gel Envy shades during my next trip to the drugstore. I noticed that both of these colours have a subtle glittery sheen to them, which you can only see in bright light. Super-opaque polishes tend to chip really fast for me, so this could be one of the reasons why these polishes have been working so well.

I've only had one gel manicure in the past, and I'm really not interested in getting any more. My nails grow pretty fast so after the week is up, I'm always due for a cut, file and fresh polish.

Have you tried Gel Envy? There's a coupon on the Revlon website if you want to! http://www.revloncolorstay.ca/en/

xx

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Skin Wonderland - The Sephora Set You Need

Shop Sephora's Skin Wonderland Set here

Nothing cheers me up during midterms like some miniature bottles of top-notch skin treatments. To be completely honest, that itsy bitsy bottle of AmorePacific Treatment Enzyme Peel is the reason why this holiday gift set made it onto my loves list in the first place. You can read my review of that product here, along with L'Occitane's Almond Shower Oil here.

There's an ongoing promotion at Sephora for either 10% off, extra points or some free products by playing the fun matching game linked here. After scoring a 10% off coupon code, I decided to seize the day and order (IMO) Sephora's best skincare box set to date. 

The Skin Wonderland Set is an incredible deal, featuring some deluxe samples and full sized versions of their best-selling skincare products. The 0.5 oz bottle of ExfoliKate is $25 on its own!

My new enzyme peel is now in my travel bag, shower oil on the ledge of my tub, and I've begun to test the Lavanilla deodorant. I couldn't be happier with the purchase since I've heard great things about each and every one of these products. The total would definitely add up to $184 if each was purchased individually, so at $70 for the lot, I'd say it's a steal. Although there will be another sale sometime in November (see my Sephora sales list here) I don't know how much longer this set will last. For any skincare lovers out there, take note because this would make a fabulous gift.

Happy Wednesday!

xx

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HowTo Organize Your Scarves

While getting dressed in the morning or looking for a specific accessory, if I can't see it, I'll probably forget that I have it. Creatively displaying everything might be a bit excessive, but keeping my most frequently used items tucked away in a drawer really isn't practical.

In the fall and winter, scarves are a daily staple in my wardrobe. I love how unique patterns and styles can take a simple outfit from drab to fab, while also adding some necessary warmth. The one issue: storing them. I've tried the folded in a drawer idea, circular "scarf hangers", etc. But nothing has seemed to work just right. I wanted to be able to see the colours of my scarves, and only the ones pertaining to the season. 

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Paula's Choice Resist 4% BHA

All hail, Paula's Choice wins again.

It's a rave day. If you haven't read my previous review of Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid, go do so now!

Salicylic Acid is one of the most widely used active ingredients in skincare, since it has the ability to dissolve the oil and residue which clog our pores. Over the years, nearly all Salicylic Acid containing products have irritated and dried out my skin- not because of this one ingredient, but because of the other "oil-controlling" crap they throw inside to fill the bottle.

Paula's Choice products are formulated to work on even the most sensitive skin. Their BHA treatments (Salicylic Acid) are actually somewhat moisturizing, and never irritate or cause redness for me. This is a huge benefit, and proof of the thorough research backing up the products.



My daily treatment is the 2% BHA Liquid, and I use this 4% foamy treatment once per week - whenever I feel as if my pores are extra congested (more blackheads and bumps). All you do is smooth on one pump of product after cleansing (at night) to the desired area - not the eyes, and follow with a light moisturizer.

I'd almost guarantee that after using this treatment, you'll wake up the next day and notice a significant difference in the texture and brightness of your skin. Pores will be smoothed, blackheads will be reduced and there could be an improvement in breakouts. Their stuff answers all your skincare wishes... it's a bit miraculous. Also, their return policy is quite forgiving so don't fret when buying online.

One precaution: chemical exfoliants speed up the natural shedding of the skin's protective layer of dead cells - it is VERY important to wear an SPF of at least 30 when using these products, especially if you're planning on staying outside. This exfoliation increases the probability of getting burns and sunspots. Don't risk it! See my favourite SPF's here.

UPDATE: Unless you would like a swollen, red, flaky irritation, DO NOT apply this product even close to the eye/lid area. Believe me. It sucked.

To Get $10 off your first purchase, feel free to use this link: http://goo.gl/Mh9dPk (referral link)

xx

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Berry Stained Lips & Après-Ski Cheeks

Are you in a makeup rut? Sometimes a fresh, new look is just one product away.
That "less is more" motto really comes into play when considering everyday makeup. I find that eyes take the longest in my routine, so playing up the cheeks and lips has been a definite go-to this fall.

First off: I love multitaskers. There's nothing simpler than using one fab product for lips and cheeks, especially since you only need to tote around one product for touchups. Also, you can do all the applying with fingers if you don't have suitable brushes. Watch out though- this deep pigment will stain!

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Review: l'Occitane Styling Cream & Heat Protectant

Not only have the French mastered wine and cheese, but they also know how to make great pamper products. I was recently introduced to l'Occitane's Aromachologie hair care line, and I couldn't have been more intrigued. Does their crème cheveux live up to their iconic crème mains? 

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Black Skirts and Jean Jackets

The jean jacket and the black skirt: two staples that I definitely don't wear enough. I decided to pull together some unexpected tones in this look, incorporating classic blue jean, warm tan leather, an autumn inspired scarf, and pops of black and white. This was a perfect fancy-ish outfit which kept me just warm enough for a final September night out. 

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