Lipstick Shades For a Midnight Kiss

New years eve is just a blink away and I know we are all looking for that perfect lip colour. So if your anticipating a midnight kiss or if you were having a girls night here are my top lipstick shades. 

Reds

I think the most common choice for us ladies is the Classic red lip. If your new to the red lip new years eve is a great opportunity to try something new. If your a red lipstick veteran then rock away! 

Some of my favourite reds are YSL Luscious Cherry. Luscious Cherry is a great sheer lipstick which is perfect for red beginners (or just sheer lipstick lovers). However my all time favourite red is Chanel Gabrielle. Surprise surprise!!! I have a whole post devoted to this being my favourite holiday red here. 

The No-Lipstick Lip 

Also known as the better then your lip, lipstick. This choice is great for those who might be doing some late night kissing. If you don't fall into that "kissing" category fear not because this is ideal for who crave something hassle free. How to achieve this stress free lip you ask... the answer is not lipstick. I am cheating on this one by saying lip liner is the answer! 

The lip liner of choice is the Rimmel Exaggerate and the colour of choice is East End Snob. Personally I find East End Snob that perfect nudish-pink lip colour that really works with my skin tone. If East End Snob doesn't work with you Rimmel has a ton of nude shades to choose from. While I don't find these lip liners drying in the slightest, I do recommend caring a lip balm just to ensure your lips look as smooth as possible.  

The Lipstick Colour We Love, yet Fear!

I can't stress this enough but New Years eve is perfect night to experiment with make up. 

And I know we all have those lipsticks lingering in our stash that we don't get around to wearing. For me it's the super bright coral by MAC's Watch Me Simmer. While I love the colour and the formula, I can honestly say I am intimidated by how bright it is. 

For some of us this might be deep burgundy's, hot pinks or shimmery nudes. What ever is your feared lipstick colour is New Years Eve is a great night to have fun with makeup. 

So there you have it people my top reccomendations for your New Years lip. Whatever lip you choose I hope you have fun picking the perfect shade and a fantastic New Years Eve. 

Guerlain Holiday Look

From there dreamy finishing powders to there ultra luxe lipsticks when it comes to luxury cosmetics Guerlain sure knows what they are doing. Yes I admit with luxury comes a heavy price tag so for me Guerlain is always a treat that I like to spurge on during the holiday season. Since it's the holiday season is here I did a little shopping! Which brings me the the Holiday Look Trio set. 

I am so excited about this because Guerlain doesn't do makeup sets often, especially ones that might save you money. The Holiday Look set features the brand new KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Colour, a nail polish and a sample sized mascara. While all three products are excellent the set saves you $13.00 plus you get a free sample mascara. Win, win right?

The polish Rouge D'Eenfer is creamy and pigmented. This formula delivered through a effective wide shaped brush, which allows of easy application. As for the colour, this is the perfect classic red that compliments just about any look. 

Being a huge fan of Guerlain Lipsticks the real star in this show is the brand new KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Colour. This brand new formula moisturizes lips with mango butter while still remains to be long wearing. The moist intriguing part was the addition of one of my favourite cosmetic ingredients hyaluronic acid. These hydration spheres help to not only combat dehydration but they also do a great job at plumping too. The colour again it's that amazing classic red, which suits the polish spot on. 

The final bonus gift is mascara. This generously sized Maxi Lash mini is really really good! For a couple of years I was on a drugstore mascara kick, but this volumizing formula is seriously making me rethink my drugstore decisions. To make matters even more enchanting this mascara smells like roses yet doesn't irritate the eyes in the slightest. 

This set retails for $58.00, which is a great value for three wonderful products in my option. Also, because all three products are such classics staples this would be a great addition to any beauty lovers collection. I bought this from Shoppers Drugmart but I've also seen this on sephora.com.

Well I hope all of you had a great Christmas and are enjoying your Holidays. 

What are some of your favourite holiday gift sets this year?

A Christmas Eve Pamper

I am into the relaxed Christmas Eve, I like to view it as the calm before the “storm”. With only immediate family coming over I know it will be a laid back night filled with laughs and good food. And my mom is coming over! With my mom being quite the beauty addict herself I know a night of pampering along with a glass of wine will be greatly appreciated. So here are the goodies I am planning on using tonight.

Diptyque Epice 

I bought a little christmas candle as a special treat to enjoy along the holiday. Despite my hit and miss experiences with Diptyque I was enticed by the unique scent of this candle. Epice in a nutshell smells like the incense and a faint undertone of cologne, the two smell incredibly warm and soothing (perfect for a festive escape). 

If your wanted to treat yourself to a unique Christmas candle do try Epice. 

Guerlain Polish in Rouge D'Eenfer

I am painting my nails tonight because I know I will be pressed on time tomorrow. 

As for the Guerlain polish, who can't resist a beautiful red on Christmas day? Clearly this girl, because I picked this up the other day especially to wear around the holiday season. 

REN Glycol Lactic Renewal Mask 

I have been saving this sample especially for today, because I love this stuff! Out of the all the radiance masks I've tried this one has to be the best. REN's Glycol Lactic Renewal Mask chemically exfoliates this skin leaving it clear and luminous. What I personally love about this is it doesn't dry out or irritate your skin in the slightest. 

I really need to pick up a full size of this because it really works wonders! 

Rodial Glamtox Serum

Christmas can be a lot of stress and a lot of poor eating decisions and for me that means dry skin. To give my skin added hydration I am opting for a generous dose of the Glamtox Serum. This serum contains 10 different oils and anti oxidants, which make it a joy to use on dry skin. I have to admit this serum is rich, so preferred method of use is by adding a generous coat before bed and letting it soak in while I sleep. Speedy and simple! 

Are any of you doing a Christmas Eve pamper? leave me a comment!

    

3 Beauty Essentials: Christmas Edition

I think we can all agree here that Christmas is one hectic day. Truly I loving cooking and entertaining but I feel like I blink and the next thing I know people are already arriving. Having spent enough Christmas’s makeup less and in my pyjamas I have come up 3 beauty essentials that are my saving graces on Christmas day.

Dry Shampoo

Even with clean hair I guarantee spending the day over a hot stove will leave you with oily looking hair. We all know oily hair is not a cute so dry shampoo is a must! Not only does it leave you hair clean quickly but it can also add volume to your hairstyle too. I love the Dove dry shampoo but my all-time favorite is the Klorane Natural Shade Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk. The Natural Shade version is the same light weight, effective formula as the original but doesn’t leave that white cast.

Primer

I have fell victim in previous years from fading blush, dark circles and cakey foundation and I am here to say a primer can be your best friend. I think it comes down to I don’t have a lot of time to do my makeup Christmas day and I find even less time to touch up as I go, so for me a primer is a must. My primer of choice is the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, which aids to not only mask foundation last longer, but it also perfects the skin, fills wrinkles, moisturizes, illuminates, tightens…

Basically the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm makes any skin look like amazing skin with the added benefit of making your makeup last longer.

Lip Liner

Hate is a strong word but I disliked lip liner for a long time. It actually wasn’t until the whole lip liner thing became trendy that I found the amazing Rimmel’s Exaggerate range of lip liners. I did a whole review about these here but why I am opting for these on Christmas day is strictly based on one thing… wear time. I have been trying and testing these for the past couple of monthS and I have fallen in love with them. While the formula lasts forever they feel pretty comfortable on the lips. The longevity make the Rimmel Exaggerate lip liners =the perfect dinner friendly lip product.

The Amazing World of Drugstore Skincare

In the aisles of your grocery store and on the shelves of your drugstore there is a beautiful thing going on. The beautiful thing I am talking about is skincare people! Skincare is totally in right now am I am completely loving it. Years ago there were only a couple of brands the dominated the drugstore but now we see many different companies treating every skin concern possible.  Gone are the days where the answer to acne was getting a heavier foundation and the cure for dry skin was petroleum jelly. So with this skincare renaissance happening in your local pharmacy here are my top brands to watch out for.

Nip + Fab

This cutting edge line of products is founded the same people who brought to you Rodial. This brand thrives on giving naturally advanced skincare that is cutting edge, yet affordable. Sounds amazing right? They have some interesting sounding products like there Bee Sting line or there Viper Venom range but what caught my eye was the Glycolic line of products. There Glycolic peel pads have been in tons of magazines and hyped around the internet. The whole chemical peel pad trend has been prevalent in department store brands for a while, but there haven’t been many drugstore brands to compete. Judging by the incredible reviews online it seems like not only does NIP & FAB compete but they really hold their own.

             I really think NIP & FAB are on to some fun, cutting edge drugstore skincare which is why I think its a brand to watch out for.

Indeed Labs

Another brand doing some amazing cutting edge things is Indeed Lab. Like Nip + Fab, Indeed Labs have been taking over beauty publications and the blog world alike. While there products are rich in science and innovation they are all affordable and carried in my local drugstore. What I really like about Indeed Labs is there straight to the point approach to skincare. Instead of offering a whole skincare regime they offer direct solutions, making it ideal for the person who doesn’t like all the fuss. Thus far I have only tried Indeed Labs Snoxin (review here), but there range of products thoroughly interest me.  

NSPA

This is a new brand here in Canada but what caught my eye was there Hot Cloth Polish. We all know the Hot Cloth/Polish trend has been around the department stores for a while, but I was impressed to see a variation at my local Walmart. NSPA has 25 years of spa experience and they take pride in transforming your everyday beauty routine into a lush, relaxing, luxurious one. There bath and body care range smells unbelievably lavish, the Hot Cloth Polish has me hooked (review here) and there hydration line of products looks amazing. So next time you’re at your local Walmart I highly suggest you pay attention to NSPA.

What are some of your favourite drugstore skincare brands and products? Leave me a comment! 

Gifts for the Beauty Lover

Christmas time is here so I wanted to share with you some of my favorite beauty gifts for the season. These presents would be perfect for any cosmetic enthusiast. But trust me I won’t judge if you happened to gift yourself this season. So here is my tried and test best Christmas beauty presents for the season.

For the polish lover- Louboutin Nail Polish in Louboutin Red

This beautiful, towering, ultra luxe nail polish is honestly a piece of artwork. In terms of quality the formula glides across your nails with consistently pigmented strokes. However as beautiful and lavish it is this polish is truly a splurge. It’s the kind of polish that you wouldn’t buy for yourself but you would be happy if someone bought for you.

For the body care lover- The Body Shop Vanilla Brulee Body Line
Move over Lush and Bath and Body Works because The Body Shop nailed it this holiday season. Among the seasonal launches is the limited edition scent Vanilla Brulee. Vanilla Brulee smells so amazingly yummy I have debating eating the bubble bath (it kind of looks like vanilla pudding). Seriously though sometimes with vanilla scents they can smell artificial and chemically, but Vanilla Brulee is just down right mouth-watering.  I have tried and tested the bubble bath, body butter and the body scrub and all 3 are amazing and come highly recommended.

For the Blush Addict- Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Pallet

I got this blush pallet back in October and I have been using it every day since. All three colours are pigmented, beautiful, buttery and some of the best among my collection.

If you can still find this pallet this will make any blush enthusiast happy this Christmas, trust me!

I did a whole review on this pallet here.

For anybody that happens to like beauty- Pretty Honest by Sali Hughes

This book is a makeup, skincare and grooming guide that everyone should own. This book debunks lies of the industry and gives a laid back approach to beauty. Fear not, because while the book jam-packed with information it remains light hearted by Sali’s fun, no-bullshit narrative. There are chapters for teens and sections devoted to anti-aging, making it the perfect gift for any women (or man). 

                                        An amazing read and I can’t recommend it enough!

Yes this is a late gift guide but I thought I would get it out there. 

What are some of your favourite gifts of the season? Leave me a comment. 

To Lazy for Beauty

I am never too tired to wash my face and I always find the time to put on blush. However laziness happens to even the best of us. While I consider myself a beauty obsessed individual lately I have been slacking in three particular areas. So while a totally plan on getting back on track there are some things I am kind of happy not doing. Here are the 3 things I have been too sluggish to do lately. 

Exfoliating

Before we get crazy here I "technically" have been exfoliating. However rather then the typical scrub I have been using the chemical solutions instead. I love chemical exfoliators and they do some fantastic things for the skin but the bottom line is I have missed using a scrub. For me nothing soughs of dead skin and makes your skin as soft as a physical scrub so back to scrubbing I will go. 

Nail Polish 

In October I was wearing a lot of red nail polish, so in return I was gifted with some gorgeously stained nails... not. This whole yellow stained mess made me give up nail polish for a while. At first I was itching to paint my nails but now my nails my nails have never looked better. The whites of my nails are white and I've also noticed my nails are stronger. I do plan on painting my nails again but I am throughly enjoying having them au natural. 

Eyeliner 

My basic makeup look use to be composed of mascara, lip gloss and eyeliner. I wore eyeliner daily for years and years! As of late maybe due to rushed mornings, change of tastes but I have neglected this beauty product entirely. While I use to throw the winged eye liner look every morning I am kind of liking the minimal look. For me my perfect basic look is sheer wash of eye shadow and a good coat of mascara. I might throw on a liner every now and then but I don't see my self going back to my old liner self any time soon. 

 For me using a scrub twice a week is a must and something I know my skin loves. As for the nail polish I love my naked nails but  I will be itching to paint them soon. However, on the other hand there are those things we don't do because we just aren't into it anymore, like eyeliner. Some might call it slacking but it's in those times where we forget or ignore a product we see how much we really missed it. 

Have you been lazy with a few products recently? Leave me a comment! 

Christmas Red

Red lipstick has a super power to it. It can make one feel pretty, sexy, empowered and beautiful all at the same time. However, unlike fun fuchsias, barely there nudes or vampy plum shades, red lipstick is a classic colour and suits absolutely everyone.  This timeless, beautifying, power colour makes it the perfect lipstick to wear around the holidays. So here are my tips and tricks to mastering the red pout.

A Touch of Red

If there you’re not comfortable with a full-on red lip then start off with a sheer wash. You can do this by adding good coat of lip balm to the lips then adding your favorite red lipstick on top. Not only is this method hydrating but it looks stunning too!

Conceal Those Spots

Always, always, always conceal spots (especially around the mouth) or any red areas (like around the nose) if you’re going to wear red lipstick. Red might make your teeth look whiter but it can make those spots appear redder and bigger. You don't need perfect skin to rock a red but I highly suggest concealing anything that worry sum. 

Blush Baby

I think so many people find red lipstick hard to wear because they don’t use enough blush. So my tip to you is always to apply blush after applying your red lipstick. This sounds like such a silly tip but you will be blown away about how much blush really ties the whole look together.

Chanel Gabrielle

Gabrielle is my classic holiday red. Some explain this colour as orange red, while others swear its blue based, I describe this color a timeless true red. Because this color is fairly neutral I honestly haven’t met someone this didn’t suit. The pigmented formula is balanced by a subtle almost glossy finish, which makes this lipstick incredibly easy to wear and very flattering. If you wanted to spurge on a little Christmas treat this year go for Gabrielle.

So ladies put that bubble gum pink lipstick’s down and pack up the nude lip gloss and give a classic Christmas Red a try this festive season.

Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liners

 Lipsticks, lip-glosses, lip balms and jumbo lip crayons are all things I can get into. However is it just me or does anyone find the new lip liner trend incredibly hard to wear? Most lip liners are so drying the make my lips looks dry and thin. Often compared to high end brands Rimmel Exaggerate lip liners come so highly recommended that they are impossible to ignore. So I followed the online hype right to drugstore and purchased two of these for myself. 

I’ve tired Stila, Doir, Mac and the cult status NYX but nothing I’ve ever tried compares to the Rimmel Exaggerate lip liners. The formula itself is creamy and opaque which is perfect for creating that solid line. I must add I am a total fan of the mechanical sharpener but what really does me over is the slanted tip, which allows for really easy application. I love finding gems at the drugstore! I have to give you a heads up that the packaging is not exactly the same at the color. So if you’re looking at the Rimmel Exaggerate I highly recommend trying these first hand or looking at online swatches before purchasing. 

The first color I bought was 070 Enchantment. This full on raspberry color is stunning and I can totally see this becoming a summer must have for many. 

I was then enticed by 063 Eastend Snob which is a nude pink. In reality this this the closest color to nude I can wear and I totally am digging it. 

Usually I compare a drugstore brands to a high-end brand, but there nothing I've tried that compares to the Rimmel lip liners. They last forever on the lips, application is a breeze and they are relatively creamy too! If you wanted to get your 90’s lip game on I can’t recommend the Rimmel Exaggerate enough.