Sunday, June 29, 2014

June Favourites

Things are getting hot now that summer is among us! I have come to the realization that I wait all year for summer only to sit in the air conditioning while wearing an SPF 50. But besides my over usage of sunscreen (is there such a thing?) I have some summery favourites and some new discoveries to share with you today so lets get started.

NARS Laguna Bronzer

I love Laguna bronzer! So the story it I went back to using my Chanel bronzer and it just looks orange on me. There was a time where this looked very flattering but at the moment I’m far to pale. NARS Laguna is the perfect pale friendly bronzer and one that I continue to repurchase and repurchase. I now wonder why do I even own anything else?
While Laguna has a slight shimmer to it, it actually looks quite natural on the skin.

NARS Copacabana
I got this multiple in a NARS gift set a year ago and barley wore it since. In fact I forgot all about it and in my collection unloved it sat. I’m not sure what prompted me to start using this but into my makeup bag it went.
Copacabana is freaken amazing! This cream to powder highlighter blends so effortlessly onto the skin its almost magical. Although this has a slight sparkle it doesn’t feel disco ball-esk. Actually, dare I say it? It almost looks natural.  Application is a breeze just draw a line on your cheekbones, pat in with your hands and POW you’re done!

THEFACESHOP Design My Eyebrow
I wanted to include this in my last month’s favorites but I didn’t want to jump the gun. Now ready to express my love here we go! Not only is this product affordable, but it makes filling in your eye brows so easy. While other finer pencils make for good precision Design My Eyebrow slanted tip is great for thicker browed girls who want to fill in a large area quickly. 

Chanel Happy Glossimer

I did a whole review on this bad boy, which you can read here. But in a nutshell I love Happy. With it’s sheer Fuchsia tint it is easy to wear but looks really flattering too. While I swore off frivolous lip product purchases I am happy I bought Happy.



Saturday, June 28, 2014

Summer Skin Care


My skin for 80% of the year is sensitive and dry. But from July to August something crazy happens!! As the humidity raises my fights with eczema disappear and my skin appears to be healthier and luminous. Dare I say it maybe a little oily? While I like to keep up with the same nighttime hydration routine during the day I need a switch. The obvious reasoning being my skin doesn’t need as much moisture. However on the other hand due to increased sun exposure I want to make sure I use sun friendly products too.
So without any rambling here is my effortless morning skincare routine.

THEFACESHOP Pomegranate & Collagen Volume Lifting Essence
I was in THEFACESHOP and felt a little curious about there anti-aging lines. Personally, I am always weary of using anti-aging products especially in the summer. Lot’s of anti aging products contain ingredients (like retinal) that make you sensitive to sunlight. So wanting to dabble in a sun friendly anti aging product I picked up this serum. The creamy gel texture soaks into the skin instantly without any residue or tackiness. Yes this does have a scent. Some might find it too strong however I have had no sensitivities to it. Overall I like this anti oxidant rich serum, it still adds hydration but doesn’t feel too heavy.

Crème Prodigieuse (for normal to combination skin)
This is a basic moisturizer and a perfect edition to any skincare routine. Not only does it contain a long list of amazing ingredients, but also it feels ever so light on the skin. Even though my skin is temporarily “normal” this doesn’t dry out my skin in the slightest.  I love squeeze tube, I love the scent and I love the product. They even have a dry skin version! Come to think about it I might have to get my hands on it this fall.
If you need a basic, no bullshit moisturizer, this is definitely one to check out.

Avene Soothing Eye Contour Cream
Avene is one of those go to brands for me. I have been using the brand for years and product after product I have never been disappointed. If you’re looking for an age fighting powerhouse eye cream this might not be for you. I most certainly am not after many negative and painful experiences with anti-aging eye creams. Avene’s Soothing eye cream feels really great on the skin and sets in immediately. I love this product because although it’s very gentle it gets rid of those dreaded bags almost instantly. If your eyes are sensitive and you’re on the market for an eye cream this is one of my all time favorites.

With addition to my favorite SPF that is my summer skincare routine!

Leave me a comment I would love to hear what some of your favorites are.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Summer Nail Polishes


Cute summer dresses, perfectly curled hair and bright pink nail polish are not my things. While I love the summer heat between you and I, I still continue to wear all black even through the summer. On days I feel colorful I might wear some blue but most days it’s all black and grey for this girl. Staying true to my minimalist style but still injecting some “summer” into my look here are my summer favorite nail polishes.

Essie Cocktails and Coconuts
 I am so late to the natural nail polish party. I’m not going to lie I use to think they made hands look like mannequin hands and in some ways I still do. The trick to nude nails is the shade that contrasts with your skin tone. Essie’s Cocktails and Coconuts happens to perfect contrast for my pale skin! While it makes my hands look clean the slight shimmer makes the polish look interesting.

Essie Turquoise and Caicos
 This polish takes four coats to put on but that doesn’t take away the fact I gravitate towards this each summer. The jelly like formula and the perfect turquoise color make this summer must have in any polish collection. I just wish the formula was thicker but I guess that’s what gives it that cool jelly finish... This is what we call a polish brainteaser!

Essie Resort Fling
This was not an intended all Essie nail polish post but Resort Fling happened. Resort Fling is the perfect muted coral, but still coral . Because I wear so much black brighter corals can look a little orange which makes my overall outfit look a little Halloween-ie. If your not into the whole bright nail polish thing this is a great alternative.

What are your favourite nail polish colours, leave me a comment! 



Sunday, June 22, 2014

Chanel Happy

I don’t consider myself to have a favorite makeup brand.  However there are brands which hold a soft spot in my heart like NUXE, Avene, Clarins and of course Chanel. Chanel is one of those brands that remain on top of the newest trends and yet always remains classic.

Yes, I told myself only last week that I would start buying less lip products and limited myself to only 5 a year. Somehow the jelly formula captivated me. Plus the fact that this is limited edition made me suddenly think ‘it’s now or never’. Chanel products do that to me there special edition products just sell out so quickly. 

First off I love glossimers right down to how long they wear to the jaw dropping colors have to be my all-time favorite lip gloss. Glossimers can be sticky and thick but since they sit on your lips without sliding all over your face it’s a sacrifice I am willing to take. As for Happy, it makes me ever so happy (bet you didn’t see that coming). While this looks like a hot fuchsia in the tube it wears more like a very glossy lip tint. The fuchsia tint itself looks very flatting as where the super shiny formula makes lips look juicy.



While this was rather of an impulsive purchase I have to say I don’t regret it at all. Happy is flattering and application is so simple you don’t even need a mirror.  I love bright lip colours but it’s honestly these sheer easy to use colours I wear every day. If you’re into the whole low maintenance thing but want a summer take on your favorite tinted lip balm definitely check Chanel’s Happy.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Beauty Made Lazy

While I don’t consider myself lazy in all avenues of life I am particularly low maintenance when it comes to makeup. Lazy equates to efficiency so I always look for easy to use products that really work.
 So here are my top  tried and true lazy beauty products!

Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Brightening Toner
 This has to be the easiest way to exfoliate ever! With one splash on a cotton round and a quick swipe to the face you are done, no sinks, no ponytails, no scrubbies required.  This contains a cocktail of acids like glycolic, salicylic and tartaric acid. These acids slowly eat their way through dead skin cells and leave you with luminous bright looking skin.  While 3 acids might seem too extreme I can assure you this doesn’t burn, sting or irritate at all.  I love this product it’s gentle, simple and effective.

By Terry Ombre Blackstar
There are those girls that wake up in the morning curl their hair, iron their tops and blend eye shadows dreamily together… then there is me. Most mornings I have a battle with my alarm clock, struggle getting out of bed, whip my hair into a ponytail and slap enough makeup on to look decent. My saving grace on rushed mornings is the By Terry Ombre Blackstar’s. I can’t specify how messy I draw this on but blended out with a fluffy brush and BAM you have an eye look. Partnered with a generous coat of mascara and no one will ever know this took seconds to create. The Ombre Blackstar’s are amazing and well worth there expensive price tag.

Dior Lip Glow
This is the quintessential lazy girl product. I personally have to limit my use on these because I go through them like crazy. I’ve rave about the Lip Glow once a month so I really need to keep this sort and simple. Basically Dior’s Lip Glow adds the perfect touch of color while feeling like a rich balm.  So if you’re ever on the go/wake up late/don’t want the maintenance of a lipstick this is the perfect mirror-less lip product.

THEFACESHOP Raspberry Root Sleeping Mask
The cute packaging, my love for raspberries and the whole sleeping thing I was sold on this product before I even read a review. The jelly like mask is meant to firm up skin, tighten pores while nourishing all at the same time. One knock most overnight masks I’ve tried is they make you face feel sticky, so sticky I fear my pillow might stick to my face.  With The Raspberry Root Mask I don’t get that its lightweight gel makes it comfortable to wear all-night and easy to apply too. As for the performance I wake up with noticeably clear, brighter, baby smooth skin. If you go to THEFACESHOP this would be on my top 3 things to try (I sense a blog post coming) …. It’s just so darn easy slap on before bed and wake up with amazing looking skin.


Thursday, June 19, 2014

Mango Seed Cleansing Butter Review

I like simple cleansers. I have always preferred the one-stop shop varieties, which leave skin clean, eye makeup removed all while not being irritating in the slightest. If you would have asked me 3 months ago what my thoughts were on the double cleanse my response would have been along the lines of ‘pointless’ and ‘wasteful’.
But you beauty bloggers are persistent bread. Post after post, double cleanse this and my skin looks so amazing that… I caved in.

Walking into THEFACESHOP for the first time I felt like a child in a candy store. Cute packaging, affordable prices, a wall of facemasks and helpful staff of course added to the Disneyland for makeup lover’s effect. Taming my inner shopaholic (1 point for me) I left with a couple things and the Mango Seed Cleansing Butter. Wanting to dabble in the “double cleanse” and a brand new brand this $12.00 butter cleanser seemed like experimentation at a good price point.

This thick cleanser smells absolutely amazing first off. I can’t put my finger on it but it kind of smells floral yet still smells like mangos. I know perfume can be harsh on skin however I had no sensitivities to this. As for the product this “butter” melts immediately on to skin, making it easy to message. Actually the whole message part of double cleansing is really nice. While facial message helps work in the product for a deep clean it also encourages circulation and a handful of other great things. THEFACESHOP suggests you remove this by a tissue. If you’re cool with having left over tissue on your face go for it, but I highly suggest you use a face cloth. This cleansing butter is a true two-step cleansing process. While this leaves you face nourished and moisturized this also leaves your skin with a slight residue. To remove the excess product I follow with my Clarins cleanser.

I don’t think this double cleanse is for everyone even though it should be. Yes, it takes more time and you use more products but personally my skin has never looked better. In conjunction with the Clarins Energizing Gel (review here) my skin looks and feels better then it ever has. I am completely hooked on the double cleanse ladies. If you wanted to dabble THEFACESHOP’s Mango Seed Cleansing Butter is an excellent choice.


Have you tried the double cleanse? Or have any beauty tips? leave me a comment!

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Office Essentials

 In a perfect world I would have fresh flowers on my desk daily, only drink cinnamon dolce lattes and only use colour coordinated stationary. In reality my desk is more practical then glamorous. To make my desk fit for a beauty addict but without being too feminine here are my office essentials.

Body Lotion
I don’t know about you but offices, schools and most work spaces are crazy dry. To combat the dryness I always keep some sort of lotion kicking around. One of my favorites among them all is the Philosophy Body lotion. While these boast hydration super ingredients like macadamia nut oil and olive oil I find these to be completely non-greasy. The one I have the Mango’s & Cream go right now smells absolutely summery and delicious.

Hand Sanitizer

I am not a germaphobe any means but… you know when you shake someone’s hand and it’s sweaty? Well let’s just say having some hand sanitizer close by can’t hurt. I always use the Bath and Body Works PocketBac’s they come in a ton of great scents and I find they are moisturizing too.

Perfume
I don’t bath in perfume at work but I do enjoy a quick spritz after lunch. I usually keep a couple of samples floating in one of my drawers or a perfume mini. I love patchouli and heavy rose fragrances but I avoid spraying these during work. Instead I opt for “crowed pleaser” fragrances like the somewhat clean, somewhat flowery and always very pleasant Philosophy Amazing Grace.

Lip Product
Putting on lipstick and waiting on hold go together like cookies and milk. I always have a lip product floating somewhere around my desk. Usually it’s a lip balm but this time it happens to be the Lip Fusion double ended lip plumping thing. Both sides of this lip set are moisturizing and leave you with that minty tingle.  The Lip Fusion XL side makes my lips look so amazingly shiny it’s crazy.

Tea
Yes, this is non-beauty but yes, it’s essential. I like deferent teas so I always like to have a few varieties at my desk. In the mornings I like black tea (after my coffee of course) and after lunch I really like something fruity or with mint in it. If I’m stressed, grumpy or angry there is nothing hot mint tea can’t fix.

Honourable mentions…
Glass mug- this might be my old lady personality shining through, but everything tastes better from a glass mug
Glass Water Bottle – same as above
Hand Cream- Which is more of a purse must have but I use it every day at work so I thought I should include it in.

On days where I get crazy you might be able to find a lipstick or two on my desk too!

What are your office essentials leave me a comment!

Sunday, June 15, 2014

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation Review

NARS Sheer Glow is such a favourite among bloggers. But this non-sheer and kind of glowy foundation puzzles me.

I have had two bottles of Sheer Glow sitting in my collection for a while now. After breaking one of the lids I came to the conclusion that for me to use this I need a pump. Dramatic Tanya you say? Perhaps, but I feared leaks in my makeup bag so I just took the dive and got the lid. On a side note, why doesn’t this foundation come with a lid? For $55.00 I personally think it should.

As for the actually foundation Sheer Glow is not really sheer but more of a medium to full coverage foundation. As for the Glow factor it is definitely something you don’t notice off the bat, but in a couple of hours it transforms you skin into such a healthy looking finish. It’s truthfully incredible!

There is a darker side to Nars Sheer Glow ladies. 9 times out of 10 this looks beautiful, but then there’s that dang 1 time! If my skin isn’t hydrated NARS Sheer Glow can sit on dry patches of skin. Which makes the overall impression look somewhat cakey in places yet luminous in others. The harsh contrast between the two can make one look a little ill.

Should you buy it?
Well if you have oily or combination skin yes, the color range is amazing and so is the finish. Just keep in mind there is no pump! As for my dry skin sisters I can’t stress this enough use a good moisturizer before application or even better try this on before purchasing.

So while I will be finishing these bottles of Sheer Glow I think there are better stress free options that better suit my skin.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Thank You Giveaway!

Last summer I decided to start blogging on the regular. My first post I ever wrote was a note to myself about skincare, hesitant to post I pushed publish anyway. Why so reluctant you ask? I suppose a part of me was shy to put myself out there to be honest, which on a side note is strange. Truth is I’m not a shy at all!



I think all of us blog for the different reasons for me it’s to share my passion for makeup, skincare, nail polish, hell I’ve even did a post on napkin rings. At the core of it I blog to connect with you guys…
Yes this is turning into a ramble, but I am so thankful. Thankful for the support of my family, friends and new friends I've met through blogging, the comments, the tweets and the likes.
To show my appreciation I thought I would do a little giveaway. 
Surprise surprise  it's from THEFACESHOP! 

If you have read my Bebe Lip Essence and Bebe Lip Mask review you will know I have been loving this duo. If you haven't you can click here to read it.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Lip Product Overhaul

It is with tons of embarrassment that I bring you this post today. The truth is I have never considered myself a lipstick aficionado. However, there is something about trying different lipsticks that is so much fun/ addictive. I’m sure there are more of you lipstick addicts out there who want to scale back your collection. So here are my tips:



1.       Toss out the old ones. The best rule of thumb is if it looks different and smells gross throw it out.



2.       Give to friends and family! I was on the hunt for the “perfect” nude and I have come to the terms that most wash me out. Luckily I happen to have a cousin that loves all nude shades. On the other hand I also have another friend who loves blight colors. The combination of these two ensure every lipstick gets some love.



3.       Rule number three is DON’T forget your Mom. My mom is a lipstick addict! I’m telling you I’ve never seen someone go through lipstick as quickly as she does.Which basically means she always gets lipstick too!


4.       Try on before purchasing.

Dearest Tanya you tend to be picky about formulas and colors, so don’t waste your money and try them the heck on! Anyone else have this impulsive "looks nice must have" philosophy? From now on I vow to myself before I purchase I must try (when possible).



5.       Limit yourself… I did this to curb my nail polish obsession a few years ago. I made a promise to myself to only buy 5 nail polishes in a whole calendar year. In return I got some well researched beautiful shades, got use out of my preexisting colors and saved money. So I plan I plan on doing the same method for my lip product infatuation.


 Hopefully these 5 tips on scaling back will help. If you have any tips feel free to let me know as I will be needing them.