Beautychokes

No more blurred lines.

2017-06-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

Its time to differentiate between these two very similar looking eye liners. The lines are blurred when it comes to their packaging, but there needs to be a clear distinction made. They are not the same.

I learned that after my best friend picked up on me liking the Kat Von D liner and surprised me with the Ink Liner, having no idea there are two different ones. I was so thankful I did not correct her, I took it as an opportunity to try the Ink liner since I've only been using the Tattoo version thus far. Upon trying it however I could tell they are not the same. The main difference between these two is that the original Ink liner is a felt tip "sharpie-like" applicator, while the tattoo is a thin unique brush tip applicator.

Now, if you've tried a firm felt tip applicator before you may either be a devoted fan or absolutely hate the way this goes on. I admit, I belong to the latter group. I find it extremely difficult to draw a smooth thin line around my eye with a solid tip applicator.

The tattoo liner's brush tip became unbeatable for me. It glides on smoothly, doesn't "bleed" outside of the line and is forgiving towards going over the lines to correct small mistakes without turning into a black eye. On that note, whether you prefer the Ink or the Tattoo liner, just don't mix them up while shopping as you may be disappointed. Know your preference and type of look that you're going for before grabbing one of these!

*Note: Due to numerous demands, detailed swatches and comparisons will be posted as an update to this post!

Spring Face

2017-04-16T19:08:00.002-07:00

Doesn't look like spring here in Montreal at all. In fact, there is still some snow here and there, but one can dream. I've been in the process of minimizing the amount of makeup products that I own to the very staples that I can play around with. I generally remain loyal once I find a product that works for me, but of course that comes from the endless trial and error cycle. For the much anticipated spring however, I think I managed to narrow it down to my liking. Found products that work for me and that I like. Some of them are on a pricier side but I rarely venture out and go out on random drugstore makeup purges of numerous items that I do not need. I stick to the staples and use my budget on those instead. So here they go !

Tarte Pro to Go Palette :

The internet and makeup stores are swamped by so many makeup palette options. Frankly, I've been sort of over large eyeshadow palettes for a while now because I rarely make use of every single color in the palette. (I salute you if you do!) I went for this travel size that I personally find more than sufficient for my eyemakeup needs. With my hooded eyelids there's not much color magic I can pull off, but these make me wanna try! The pigmentation of the shadows is insane, as in even as a makeup amateur you can tell the difference in quality. They also smell divine. Scented eyemakeup is usually a turn off for me but these make my smell senses tingle. What would make this palette even closer to perfection would be a pale highlighting color for my Casper skin tone. All of the colors are quite strong and nothing to blend them out into! The shades are lovely though so it gets a pass from me.

NARS creamy concealer in 'Chantily'

Did I mention my Casper skin tone? Yeah, this concealer is very light so not ideal for very dark circles without putting a darker shade first, but it does a great job in brightening. Blends extremely well and doesn't crease. I find it works best when applied with just your fingers.

NYX matte lip colors in 'Life's a beach' & 'Ibiza'

These two very similar shades are one of my favourite matte lip creams. The #17 is Ibiza, which is a shade from their regular matte cream collection. It is more muted than the next #02 "Life's a beach" from the Liquid Suede, which is a brighter coral pink. Both of these don't dry out my lips and have a great color payoff. I prefer them over some higher end lip creams that I've tried and they felt super drying. I have a feeling they may both make it into the summer as well.

Kat Von D Tattoo liner

This has become my staple liquid eyeliner. I already went through a whole bunch of these. The tattoo liner has the perfect felt tip that doesn't break time overtime or loses its sharpness. It is very thin and very forgiving when it comes to correcting your liner mistakes. I do very much prefer the tattoo liner over the Ink liner just because it is finer and easier to work with for me. If you're going for that pinup thick eyeline, the Ink liner may work great for you. As for me, I will be re-purchasing the Tattoo liner for sure. Blog post with more details on these bad boys coming up.

Tarte 'Let's partyyy' Amazonian Clay Blush

Never thought I would fall in so much love with something that came in my little Sephora Bday kit. This bluch is just such a perfect combination of ... coral/brick/salmon?...I can't even describe the color but it is beautiful and looks great on my yellow undertone skin. Already got my hands on a back up.

Until next time!

"I can see clearly now the rain is gone" aka New Specs

2017-02-13T11:46:00.002-08:00

I got a surprising amount of questions about my new pair of eyes so let's address them!

First off, yes they are prescription. I personally have mono vision, which is just a fancier term for one eye being far sighted and the other nearsighted. I previously wore a basic black pair of Raybans which let's just say were not the most affordable thing ever and I managed to just let them vanish during my moving apartments process *sighs*. For the longest time afterwards, there was no way I was going to dish out $$ on a new pair so I learned to live without it and trained my eyes, or so I thought. A year passed by and my eyes started getting really dried and tired rather quickly. It was time to face it and either get contact lenses for the first time in my life or invest in a new pair of specs.

Luckily enough, a place opened nearby that offered less expensive eyewear if you knew your prescription. I know there are a lot of online store options that offer extremely cheap glasses but my face doesn't suit many frames so I always feel safer trying them on.

The place I'm talking about here is BonLook. They're a Montreal based Canadian company that makes great looking trendy eyewear for a fraction of the price that you would pay at the optician. Now, I still had to go to the optician and pay for an eye exam which still however came out way cheaper in total.

I went there a few times before I finally decided on a pair that I wanted and trust me I changed my mind about a hundred times. I had my eyes on a very pretty pair of rose/blush frames, but sadly they washed my face out even more. All of the pretty colourful ones I tried were a nono so I had to come to terms with the fact that I have to stick to basic black.

I must say, the service that I got was pretty amazing. And this post is not sponsored at all. Either I had good luck or they just have their customer service down to perfection. I paid for the eye-glasses in the store and since I did not receive a paper copy of my prescription from my optician they offered to call for me and obtain it from them. I pretty much got daily updates on how my order was doing which was pretty great. They later messaged me saying my order has been shipped to my house and they came two days later! Let's just say I'm a happy camper now. Bonlook often holds different special offers and discounts so I may stay on a lookout for an extra pair to switch things up every once in a while. They also offer non-prescription options for those who are lucky enough to have healthy eyeballs but still want to accessorize them;) If you're adventurous, there's been an increasingly large number of online eyewear retailers selling glasses at crazy cheap prices so if you gave them a go let me know!

Until next time💕

BITE Beauty ft. Influenster Collab Box: Grudge Makeup Conversion?

2017-02-06T12:29:00.000-08:00

Ok so, I'm not a lipstick/lip liner girl. I like to eat way too much for me to worry about lipsticks melting into a hot mess all over my face whilst enjoying my precious food. That being said, I've recently received the Voxbox, a courtesy from Influenster that featured the new BITE beauty lip pencils so I gave it a go.
I must say, as a heavy lip stain user I'm used to my lips being dried out by products but these lip pencils and lipsticks are probably the creamiest things I've tried (when it comes to lip products of course).

I love the Bite Lipstick tube packaging, always have, it's very sleek. The packaging of the pencils on the other hand, was quite average. I actually had a little accident where right after taking it out of the plastic seal the little colour end of the pencil just fell right off. Now, I know faulty products happen and it was only one of the pencils that seemed to have lacked the glue so I let it slide. The actual product itself is very good and extremely smooth to apply so I must give them that. The kit came with mini lipsticks to match the pencil shades. I also noticed that the pencils are made in Canada which is a refreshing thing to hear.

As far as the colours go, I was very intimidated. The two extremes I thought I could never pull off: The nude and the grungy dark lip. After trying these, I broderline converted to the dark lip look. I've always liked it on other people and admired how well they pulled it off. The #044 is this dark merlot tone that's easier to work with for me than let's say cool toned or even black lips. I sort of almost managed to not look ridicoulous...I mean, I donno.

Until next time!💕

She's Blogging Again...

2017-02-03T21:31:00.000-08:00

I don't really know how to put this, so I'll just dive right in.
I've missed blogging too much.
Although live broadcasting on Afreecatv gives me enough of an introvert bootcamp by putting me on the spot and allowing me to just have fun, the dorky creature in me screamed for more off-camera action...😂 Okay, just to be clear, by off-camera action I simply mean an outlet for me to keep this form of a public diary through which I can share a little more for those who are curious.

Lights, Camera, Splashes: Tarte's Waterproof Mascara Review

2015-06-18T20:22:00.002-07:00

As I left my house with no makeup on, I realized I was about to have a work meeting and I looked like one of those anti-drug promo posters. The "after" version of what apparently happens to you when you get even remotely close to drugs. Ironically though these portraits often require a lot of makeup work and photoshop to make them look as terrifying. I just needed some bad sleep to achieve this rather complex look.

Off to Sephora I go to find a good waterproof mascara that will last a while and won't start melting down my face when things get real. I have always gravitated towards Tarte when browsing at Sephora. I suspect the packaging of their products has a strong influence over my inclination, but either way their stuff is generally good. I rarely ever spill out a larger amount of money on mascara, even if it's cruelty-free. It is however, one of my makeup staples. Since I started reducing the products I use on my face, or the amount of makeup I wear, I chose mascara as one of those that I'll stick to even if I wear no other makeup at all. So there, I justified to myself a Sephora splurge. Heh.

After looking at the other cruelty-free brand mascaras, I ended up with Tarte's "Lights, Camera, Splashes". Here are my thoughts!:

Waterproof : YES, do not try to rub this baby of with just water, it won't work! Some good ol' coconut oil or oil-based makeup remover should work wonders though.
Cruelty-Free: Tarte as a brand itself is cruelty-free and has the cruelty free bunny logo on their packaging, HOWEVER they are owned by a parent company that is not all that cruelty free, which I understand throws many people off. As for me, such companies are huge and could have a lot of influence over the animal testing issue. If only the cruelty-free brands brought them profits I foolishly hope the parent companies themselves could eventually get pressured (for the lack of a better word) into being cruelty-free as well.

Packaging: Unique. It sort of reminds me of a fancy pen case. Could do without the faux snake skin look to it though.
Mascara wand: When I first saw the brush, I was not very impressed to be honest. It looked like it would clump a lot of product on and the bristles looked sort of weak and bent. To my surprise the brush does distribute the product quite nicely and is easy for applying on the lower lashes as well.
Formula: Thick and quick-drying. It goes on thicker than other mascaras, giving nice volume to the lashes. Careful with applying multiple layers if you don't want some serious spider lashes action going.

Overall, I've grown to actually like this mascara as it does coat the lashes nicely and is truly waterproof without being too drying.

Caffeine Kick Mondays: An Introduction

2015-05-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

Someone once told me that since I'm apparently a health nut, that I should give up coffee altogether. Um excuse me, I cannot do that unless our society adapts its time patterns to night owls. Yes, I'm a night owl. Waking up in the morning to me is torturous and before I've eaten anything or had my coffee, good luck having any sort of meaningful conversation with me...

Coffee addiction is one of those vices I will most likely not be able to eliminate completely, so I just try to remind myself that I need to drink more water since caffeine has a tendency to drive the water out of your body. I tried out all sorts of ways to make my coffee at home in an attempt to decrease my out and about purchases of soy-lattes and iced americanos. But hey, with all these amazing coffee recipes out there and my stubborn nature, it's worth a try. Very soon, Mondays shall therefore be dedicated to Caffeine Kick related posts where I take you on a journey of endless coffee drink discoveries, recipe options and tricks!

And in honour of this Monday...

Hot latte without a milk steamer?

With all the kitchen gadgets that I own, I am still reluctant about buying coffee making ones since I know those investments won't really decrease my spending on coffees outside of the house. Hence when I do want to make my own "latte" and my little cheap foaming gadget broke down, I decided to earn my lattes with a little arm workout. Literally. I put some warm nut milk in a small mason jar, close it up and shake until my arm hurts and it becomes properly foamy. I thought I was doing something cool and unusual and so did the people who saw me in the act, until I saw a few recipes with the same technique. It hit me afterwards that I was basically making a "frappe". Making a foamy base by using a little mason jar as a shaker is therefore not that unusual when you think about it. Oh well, no more original discoveries for today, but I guess I had an idea that others find handy as well.

*Tip: Before "shaking'' the almond milk, I sweeten it first with some stevia or maple syrup, possibly some vanilla extract if I feel like it. Then I add the coffee to the sweetened milk base. That way the foam comes out on top & stays there;)

There you have it! Now I shall conquer my Monday with a foamy moustache on fleek;)

Food Quickie: Creamy Avocado Pasta Sauce

2015-05-10T18:55:00.002-07:00

*Oh dear magic bullet, I cannot stress enough how much you come through when I need to whip up something quick and delicious!*

Yes, sometimes I'm only willing to boil some pasta or rice noodles when hungry and in a hurry. That doesn't mean I want to compromise on the flavour though. Your little magic bullet/nutri bullet or a blender can be a great helper in situations like these. This sauce is extremely simple on the ingredients, is filling and even raw! So you don't waste any nutrients:) It can be paired with regular pasta, rice noodles, raw zucchini noodles, gnocchi and even instead of mayo for sandwiches!

This one is therefore a perfect candidate for the weekly food quickie recipe:)

What you need:

1 avocado (ripe & pitted)
lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon
2-3 garlic cloves
salt & pepper to taste
1 Tbs olive oil
Optional:
1/4 cup fresh basil
2 Tbs ground pine nuts
*if not using basil, substituting olive oil with some sesame oil gives it a whole new dimension;)

What to do:

- Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy. Use as a pasta sauce, veggie dip, or a spread. Enjoy!

Yeah I'll have a vegan French Toast Smoothie please.

2015-05-07T14:38:00.001-07:00

Smoothies are those drinks for lazy people who don’t want to chew their food... Okay kidding, I absolutely love them. I actually prefer them over juices since you get to keep all of the fibre and nutrients inside. They can get a bit boring thought if you get into the whole vanilla/banana/chocolate routine. I almost always use bananas as my smoothie base, but since I had none at home and had lots of avocados, I decided to go for a rich avocado smoothie instead. I found a bunch of recipes for french toast smoothies and they caught my attention. “How the heck do you get your smoothie to taste like bread dipped in some sweet egg cream drizzled with maple syrup? And how do you keep it vegan?!” Well, it is possible with a few flakes of nutritional yeast and some nutmeg;)

*I went by the recipe from http://www.produceonparade.com/french-toast-smoothie/ and adapted it a little after making it a few times. Don’t get discouraged by those ingredients and in no way do not omit them in this recipe if you want that distinct french toast flavor.

Ingredients:

1 cup almond milk
1/4 avocado (frozen)
1/2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast (flakes)
1 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. ground flax seed
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg (I actually used the nutmeg flower flakes, of which you need even less since it is very strong)
pinch of sea salt

– Blend away to perfection and enjoy!

Wonton/Gyoza Wrappers (Vegan & Extra Easy)

2015-04-18T17:45:00.001-07:00

Veggie dumplings alone or in a wonton soup are one of my all-time favourites. I always wanted to make my own meatless version of dumplings and gyoza since finding it in regular restaurants was quite a pain. Most of them had meat in it and there were rarely any worthy vegetarian options. I was getting desperate.

One day I stumbled upon a pack of wonton wrappers in a store and got filled with joy thinking: "Ha! Now I can make my own dumplings super easily! All I need to make is the filling!", but my excitement dropped rather quickly after looking at the ingredients listed. No, I am not only talking about eggs and other animal ingredients my vegan friends would reject, but also a bunch of chemicals I found unnecessary. I remembered my mom making her own pasta, noodles and rising dumpling dough. Although she used eggs in some of them, there was no other crap, just a few ingredients and it always tasted delicious. I therefore assembled all my courage and decided to make my own wonton wrappers. Taking it a step further I wanted to make them gluten-free & vegan cause that's just how I roll and I like the challenge.

There was however no challenge since as I learned all you actually need is flour, salt and boiling water! I used my trustworthy gluten-free all purpose blend and it worked just fine. I also tried substituting half of it with buckwheat flour, which will give them dark grainy look instead of the typical white dough and will add a slight nutty flavour, but it makes them unique.

When I found how easy they are to make, my jaw dropped. I think I will never buy them again, unless I'm in some delicious veggie restaurant and they offer cabbage/leek dumplings...I can't resist.

Ingredients:

*Flour

*Salt

*Boiling water

(Yes, that's all! If you want to make it fancy add some buckwheat flour as I mentioned, or some flax-egg but I did not find it necessary)

Instructions:

Sift your flour, add salt and slowly start adding the water. You want the dough to become subtle and stay together in one piece. Go slowly with the water since even if the dough seems crumbly, once the water absorbs properly into the flour it will get together. So don't get tempted to add water unless your dough really won't stay together even if you fold it with your hands. Patience is the key!

Well, there you have it, super easy wonton or gyoza wrappers and now you can enjoy your dumplings cruelty-free and gluten-free all you want. After making a batch of these wrappers I keep making different creations, coming up with different filling ideas and as you may have guessed this dough can also be adapted into your homemade pasta dough for you spaghetti and lasagna lovers. ;)

Raspberry Banana Vegan Muffins

2014-08-30T09:27:00.003-07:00

I have become slightly obsessed with testing out different vegan variations of one of my favorite pastry: Muffins! It took a while before I got the right consistency since I always prefer to make them gluten-free as well. The trick is to make sure you have some decent replacement for eggs to hold these together. For this particular recipe, I combined two common egg replacers, which are banana and flax-egg. The banana adds some extra flavor and helps keep the muffins moist and fluffy, the flax adds some fiber to help you digest those bad boys ;)
Click the "Read more" button for the recipe

Once you get the right base, you can play with different flavors as much as you want. I have yet to make the exact same batch of muffins more than once. I always do something different, although I think these will make it to the permanent recipes list. Let me know how they turned out for you and feel free to share a picture on Instagram preferably tagged #beautychokes so that I can see it easily. Enjoy!:)

Where's the protein at?...Aka The HUMMUS Frenzy

2014-08-07T19:14:00.003-07:00

I have always been a huge fan of dips and salsas. When I got introduced to hummus, it was love at first bite. Once I found out how easy it is to make, I no longer bother buying it anymore. I just make my own batches and get to experiment with the flavours.
The main ingredient here are chickpeas, which are a very good source of a variety of essential nutrients such as iron, protein, folate & more (you get the healthy kick!). The second ingredient that makes hummus so magical is tahini, which is simply a sesame paste (also a source of great nutrients). Add some oil, lemon juice, garlic, spices and you've got yourself a pretty great concoction of deliciousness. You can add nearly any other ingredients you'd like to customize your hummus and needless to say that there are tons of recipes with flavor varieties out there.
Hummus is also versatile regarding its use. It can be eaten as a dip with veggies, crackers (sweetpotato & flax are my favorite!), as a filling for wraps, pitas, and also as a spread.
Feel free to share some of your favorite hummus variations and enjoy!

Turmeric & paprika

Roasted red beet & garlic

Click the "Read More" button for Recipes! :)

LUSH Haul?

2014-01-11T19:46:00.001-08:00

Hello there! So I allowed myself to another LUSH splurge, I know sigh, I know. No fun and colorful bath products this time, as I decided that I won't buy anymore of these until I use up the ones I already have. I wanted to get something useful that I could somewhat "justify" buying and that will last a bit longer than a bath. The names on my products are written in French, but I will put the English equivalents in the descritiption :) As far as the products go, the face cleanser is actually a second-time buy, because I love it so much and a review is coming up soon! I am also tempted to go out and buy the delicious smelling shower gel that I got as a sample. Click "Read More" for the full haul!

- "Let the Good Times Roll"

A warming and soothing face cleanser with polenta (corn) cleanser for all skin types. Did I mention it smells like cake? It may not look very appealing on the picture, but it smells wonderful, has a creamy texture and gently exfoliates the skin.

- BB Seaweed

Another skin care product, I got the fresh face mask with seaweed, aloe vera & rose absolute. It has calming properties and again, is suitable for all skin types. I tend to have more of a combination skin, but since we are in the middle of winter here, my skin was in a drier mood, hence all the soothing goodies;)

- Grease Lightning

A spot cleanser that I heard so many good reviews about that I simply had to buy. It has tea tree, thyme, and aloe vera and other great ingredients that all help to heal redness and blemishes. I get occasional breakouts here and there, so I may give this one a try:)

- Vanilla Puff

I have been wanting a good dusting powder for a while now. This one smells amazing and does soften the skin. I use it mainly as a body powder, but I've heard people using it as a shoe deodorant and many more!

- Rose Jam

This one is a sample that the super nice girl from LUSH gave me, saying that I may like it. I am generally not a big fan of floral scents, but this one became an ultimate exception right after I smelled it. It has a very rich rose petal smell that I simply can't get enough of! I am pretty sure this will be my next shower gel:)

That is it for my little haul! Thank you for reading and don't forget to share some of your splurges with me!

Much love<3

#Beautychokes

Bloglovin begins :)

2013-11-12T09:56:00.000-08:00

Hello there! So I decided to join Bloglovin and am still kind of figuring it out. I do like the concept, as you can have posts from all your favorite blogs in one feed and you do not even need to have a gfc account to follow people on bloglovin if I am not mistaken. Since I just embarked on the whole Bloglovin wagon, late as usual, I will need some follow suggestions. I have a lot of favorite blogs, but I love discovering new ones and going through blogs that do not receive as much attention yet.
If you have suggestions, let me know.

Also, feel free to follow me on * http://www.bloglovin.com/beautychokes * & I'll return the favour :)

Much love!

Liebster Award Nomination!

2013-08-05T09:10:00.002-07:00

I recently found out that I have been nominated for the Liebster blog award by Emily from EmilyThinks - (Thanks so much!!!)

This award is pretty much a form of "shoutouts" to blogs with less than 200 followers that may be worth checking out. I think it's a great idea, since I know that many great blogs often go unnoticed. As Emily mentioned, the word "Liebster" is German and means kindest\sweetest\nicest :)

The rules are the following:

You have to answer the 10 questions that your nominator gave you
You then have to nominate 10 bloggers who have under 200 followers and link them in the post
Come up with 10 new questions for the nominees to answer
Finally, inform the nominees so they can do their responses

Time to answer Emily's questions!:

If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be? -- Oh my wanderlust has no boundaries, but recently I've been dying to visit New Zealand.
If you could only use 1 brand of beauty for the rest of your life, what would it be? -- Well that's tricky. I'd say something like L'oreal or Benefit simply because they have a bit of everything from skin care, body care, to makeup, so I'd be set haha.
Straighteners or curlers? -- Straighteners. Just because I'm a lazy girl and I use straighteners for both to straighten OR curl\wave my hair.
Foundation or tinted moisturiser? - Tinted moisturiser. Before the whole boom that BB creams made on the market, I would actually mix foundation into my moisturiser. Although I feel like there are some misconceptions about the tinted moisturisers\ BB creams. Many of them aren't all that nicer to your skin.
Favourite high street brand? -- Balenciaga purses, Steve Madden shoes...I could go on, haha.
One lipstick you couldn't live without? -- I don't really have that one staple lipstick , but if I had to chose I'd probably go with Yves Saint Laurent's Tea Rose since it's quite wearable at any time.
If you had to describe yourself as an animal, what would you be? - A bunny. Yes, people even call me that even though it's mainly because of my name. I can seem somewhat distant, one second I'm calm just chilling there & the other I'm jumping around like crazy. Did I mention I like carrots & being cuddled? xD
Favourite high end make-up brand and why? - Dior cosmetics for their lipsticks & mascaras. Tom Ford for his lipsticks just because I just love the sleek look & feel of them.
What is the wackiest hair colour you've ever had? - It was purple on the bottom, brown in the middle, blonde on top...Yupp...Eek. I posted a photo in my Hair color journey post a while back, haha.
What is your make-up Summer staple? - Lip balm, mascara (waterproof) & the water spray.

Click "Read more" to see my nominees & what I asked them!:)

My 10 nominees are:

CONGRATULATIONS! These are the questions I'd like you to answer:

What\who made you get into blogging?
What would you consider to be your most worn beauty product of all time?
Do you have a morning beauty regimen? If yes, do you stick to the same routine & products, or do you like to switch it up?
Any fashion or beauty pet peeves that you'd like to vent about?
What is your favorite designer brand and why?
Do your friends or family know about your blog\channel?
Would you consider yourself to be rather an introvert or more of an extrovert?
If you could only wear one makeup product , such as foundation, mascara, lipstick,etc...what would it be?
Are you an impulsive or a careful shopper?
For how long have you been blogging?

Thanks again for the nomination! Can't wait to read the answers from all my nominees, have a wonderful day!<3

Goodbye Pore Ever - Etude House (Review)

2013-05-10T13:00:00.003-07:00

I've been on a hunt for a good, but also somewhat affordable face primer for quite a while now. The goodbye Pore Ever primer may not be too far from fulfilling that criteria. It is often compared to Benefit's Porefessional, and the Benefit's version may be a little better at controlling oil but eh, just a little detail it's almost 3x cheaper. Yeah. So let's get into the review!:

What it claims: Moisturizing makeup primer masks pores to subdue sebum and improve makeup coverage

MY THOUGHTS:

Texture: A gel-lotion like, not too "silliconey" as some primers feel.

Finish: It has a matte finish. It doesn't dry right away, it is meant to be moisturizing after-all, but it does end up having a matte finish and make your skin super smooth.

Long lasting?: I'd say a mediocre longevity. Not sure if it would handle an all-nighter dancing party, or a spicy meal party, depends on how oily you get.

Price: ~8-10 CA$ (Can get a decent deal on e-bay but of course make sure it's authentic!)

Packaging: Can't even stress enough how cute that packaging is! The silhouette of a face on a box is really neat. The tube that the product comes in is very practical, hygienic and is filled to the top.

I do find the tube kind of small (20ml), but as I've learnt a little goes a long way with this one.

I do like this one quite a lot, but won't give up my hunt for the perfect one just yet!

Physicians Formula - Shimmer Strips Gel Creamliner ( Review)

2013-04-07T15:11:00.003-07:00

When my mom brought me these from her drugstore shopping spree, I did't think nor expect much of them. My reaction was some kind of "Meh, I'll give them a try". Well let me tell you, I'm glad I tried them. I've never been into gel liners too much, just because we all have a preference and mine is usually liquid eye liners. I also shied away from gel because it tends to dry out in the pot or gets messy after a while.

Now, on to the review!

Click " Read More" to continue:)

What it claims:

Product website claims:

Three custom shades provide a glamorous look to define and enhance your eye color.

Unique gel cream formula glides-on effortlessly and smoothly while providing the definition of a liquid eyeliner.

Long-wearing, water-resistant and smudge-resistant formula provides 24-Hour definition.

Stackable eyeliner pots can be pulled apart for individual use on-the-go.

My thoughts:

Pigmentation - Amazing. The shades are strong, especially the black. I love the black one and I wish they made it separate, so that I could always restock on a black gel liner from them without having to buy two other shades with it.
Texture - Creamy, applies smoothly like butter and do not transfer onto your eyelids.
Long Lasting? - Yes! These stick to your eyelids very well. And do not count on lazily washing them off with a bit of water, it just won't happen. Can be used as a cream eyeshadow as well and it works wonders. Many compared it to the Maybelline Color Tattoo shadows which are also great, and said it lasts even longer :)
Price - about $10-$12 at a drugstore. Some people pointed out that they find it kind of pricey for a drugstore product, but I think that for the quality, it is worth every penny and could easily beat some high-end expensive brands.

Show&Tell:
- I got the trio for hazel eyes, even if I have green eyes but oh well, mommy didn't notice haha. Let's hope she just didn't notice the label and that she knows what her daughter's eye color is haha.

- It comes with a little brush, but yeah...Not a big surprise that I probably won't be using it much, even though it's ok, the swatches were made using that brush it's just that typical not so good brush that they throw in with a product. But the way I see it, I'm getting it for the gel liners so no stress.

- I find the packaging really cool & practical. You can detach each little pot with the gel liner to take them individually or stack them on together ( like Lego haha). It's also great cause when you open it, you can attach the lid at the bottom so you won't lose it.

- I don't find it as much of a big deal that I have green eyes and got the hazel eyes trio, because well there is black and brown, which are pretty much suited for any eye-color. And the purple is always a nice touch of colour for any eyes as well. I guess blue eyes might have a struggle with purple eyeliner though.
-It comes in pack of 3 and I've heard some people compain that they'd like to have the neutral colors like black and brown separate, since they find some of the colors daring or don't really feel like pulling off a colored eye-liner. I understand that and also would welcome a separate black, but since I can still find use for these as cream shadows, I don't complain.

- Also, they're apparently a bit "less harmful" as I like to say when it comes to ingredients:D

Covergirl Lip perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm : quick review

2013-03-24T18:37:00.000-07:00

Ok, I've heard quite mixed reviews on this one so I decided to add my two cents to the discussion.
First of all, I only own one shade of these,which is the 215 Watermelon Twist. I think the choice of colour is probably what mainly defined my liking of this product. Yes, I like it...a lot!
To me, it does all that it is advertised to do. This is a gloss balm, which should give away the fact that it will be on a sheer pigmentation side.
Click "Read More" for the review & pictures:

Colors : I am not too excited about the other shades, but I love the Watermelon Twist. It gives a slight pop of color when I'm not wearing much makeup and it makes my eye color (green) stand out.
Pigmentation: It is sheer, but that is how it's supposed to be and I find that you can build it up, at least the darker shades. (Especially the pink\red ones can really pop and look as a lipstick.)
Moisturizing?: I was actually impressed to find that a bit later after applying it, my lips didn't feel as dry. However, if you already have chapped lips, it won't serve as a saviour lip balm and it might accentuate all the chopped pieces of dry skin on your lips.
Packaging: The balm twists out which is a regular thing for this type of products I believe.
Smell: It does not have a fragrance, but it does have a slightly chemical smell to it. You'd really have to sniff it to smell it though, so I don't consider as that much of a big deal.
Price: Affordable, compared to other brands. (~$8 - $10)

Until next time!<3

Confessions of a BB creamaholic: 'Good Afternoon Tea' by Skinfood

2013-03-14T14:55:00.005-07:00

Skinfood has a whole collection of the Good Afternoon Tea BB creams that are " infused with skin-revitalizing afternoon teas", all of which have SPF20. I will be reviewing them rather in general, based on the two that I have tried. Sure, they all have certain different specific properties, but I find them very similar. You simply have to pick the one additional property that appeals to you, based on your skin type and what you expect from it. Click " Read More" to continue:)

After receiving the Good Afternoon Honey black tea bb cream sample,I think I was sold right after trying it out. It smelled delicious and felt like if it really had honey in it, without the stickiness. The honey one was very moisturising and made my skin feel extremely soft and healthy looking. I purchased it and when I started running out, I went ahead and bought the Peach Green Tea one to try something different. The Peach green tea is meant to be more mattifying, oil-controlling and it feels a bit lighter and fresher on the skin with a slightly lighter texture.

- As you might have noticed, I purchased two extremes, one that is meant to nourish a drier skin and one that is meant to control oily skin, but somehow, I am happy with both of them.

Coverage: Very light, but does the job and has a nice natural and dewy finish.
Application: I love how easily it applies onto the skin. I use my hands and it doesn't streak or patch.
Smell: Pleasant smell, but has fragrance so beware for those who are sensitive!
Durability: Long-lasting. After hours at school or work, my skin still looked fine.
Price: Affordable compared to other brands ( 8-15 CA$) Can be bought online, but make sure you're getting an authentic product especially on e-bay or amazon.
Quantity: A handy 30g tube, that actually lasts a while. (A little goes a long way)
Packaging: Simple yet adorable. Comes in a cute cardboard box and the tube has a rubbery like feel , doesn't break or anything.

Swatches\before & after pictures:

There's a slight, but barely noticeable difference in the shades. They both suit my skin tone once blended in.

Ready?....

There goes my review on the Skinfood Good afternoon tea bb creams, I personally really like them but I also understand that they might not be for everyone. The light coverage might bother some people, but with a bit of concealer, it is a great replacement of a full face foundation:)

I got Naked too!

2012-05-18T12:04:00.001-07:00

I simply couldn't help myself with the title, but most of you hopefully got the hint that I am talking about makeup here...
Quite a while ago (in February to be more precise), I finally got the Naked 2 palette by Urban Decay as a birthday present from an awesome friend of mine. I think by now the buzz about this product calmed down a bit, but I still had to post about it anyway. I loved the first edition but did not get my hands on it, telling myself that I already have enough nude and neutral eye shadows. In fact, way too many, so I did not bother getting this palette thinking it's a bit overrated. Something changed when I was staying at my friend's place and had no makeup on me. I borrowed her Naked palette since it had all the colours I usually wear, and something inside of me just started lusting for it. Shortly after, the Naked 2 came out and I knew I have to get it since the packaging looked a bit more sturdy and the eyeshadows looked pretty similar to the previous edition. I was excited mostly about the change in packaging because knowing my messy self, the suede material packaging would just go nasty after a while of my usage.

I went to my local Sephora all excited, only to see the first edition selling out and being told by the sales lady that in it will only be available in Canada sometime at the end of february. I was sad but looked forward to buying it for myself as a birthday gift. You can imagine my excitement when I got out this beauty wrapped up as one of the presents on my suprise birthday party that my friends threw me. Yayy!

Enough talking now, here are the pictures, not perfect, but I think most of you have already seen tons of them.

Well, well, well...what brings you here young lady?

2012-04-18T17:24:00.001-07:00

I usually don't like the cheesy comebacks where people excuse and justify their lack of posts by simply not having enough time, etc.. but since it's been a WHILE I might as well tell you that I started college, did not stop working and it just accumulates. Must not forget a new bf and a cat that both require lots of attention...*sigh

I haven't been slacking off completely and the blogger in me manifested from time to time in form of capturing all the silly things with my camera and reading some of your blogs before going to bed.

Here's a few snapshots I took during my blog absence:

> these were the Xmas cookies that are faaaar gone now:)

> struck by the beautiful sky

click "Read More" to continue:)

> dining with a dinosaur. my favourite person <3

>Shirley Temple, non-alcoholic drink that I adore

>have a wonderful duck hunting! :))

September favorites

2011-10-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

Hi beauties,

I know it's a tiny bit late, but here's the few things that I've been using\wearing and most of all, LOVING! a lot throughout the month of September.

Face stats:

The Body Shop bronzer03 from the Honey Bronze collection. Yes, this just warms up my face perfectly without making my pale skin orange;)

Scent wise:

G. Armani Essence of Joy ( travel size)-I was thrilled when I found out that they carry the travel size of my favorite perfume at Sephora. It's just so neat and this is one of my most worn perfumes ever I think:)

Nails:

Eternal Optimist nailpolish by Essie - I really love this color, it's the perfect muted pink

Lips:

Airy Fairy lipstick by Rimmel - believe it or not, this shade is actually very close to my lipcolor and I love it:)

Hair:

Powderful powder Got2b by Schwarzkopf - perfect for days when my hair is super flat & I don't have time to tease or blow dry them:)

Randoms:

>> This stuff makes my skin feel and smell great:)

>> OH and I'dd almost forget about one of my most important September favorites!! Meet Marcello, our new kitty:)

Until next time,

much love!<3

Hair color journey!!

2011-09-24T21:42:00.000-07:00

They say that before making a change to your hair, you should ask yourself what do you wanna do with your life. I can be a creature of habit and stick to one hairstyle and color for ages, but then there comes a breaking point in my life where I suddenly decide that I need a change.

I had an awesome hairdresser back in Europe and I miss him so! He used to play with my hair for hours and I felt ''re-born'' every time I left the salon. He was also the person who colored my hair for the first time and that's probably when I fell in love how different each hair color can make you feel. Don't take me wrong, you're still YOU no matter what, but playing up your hair color can truly make you feel like you can rule the world for a while:)

Enough rambling, here's the new hair! I went from light strawberry blonde to dark burgundy\auburn color. In case you're wondering, my natural hair color is kind of medium hazel brown:)

I do like the new look and I can't wait to get a new hair cut & low lights as well! The purple tones are mostly visible in daylight, while indoors it looks more just like a brunette which I actually don't mind at all:) Burgundy hair is usually a trend for fall, which is a bonus, but I didn't get this color for that purpose and I think it might last throughout the winter as well if I don't get bored. Who knows!;)

- Click the "Read More" button for some more pictures & my hair journey!!:)

>>This is how my hair looked before:)

>> Most of the time, I always had just added highlights to my hair:)

>>close to my natural hair color

>> my crazy hair-do back when I was 14...oh well:D

Until next time,

much love!<3

Lise Watier 3-IN-1 Miracle primer

2011-09-18T23:09:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you to one of my top favorite primers. I'm a bit of a makeup primer junkie so I have tried quite a few of them, but this one has made its way to my heart. Before I start raving about this, let's see what it claims:
>>"MATIFYING. COLOUR CORRECTING. ILLUMINATING"
>>"1 product, 2 formulas, 3 actions! With its innovative concept and formula, this one-of-a-kind product is sure to join the
ranks of the great classics next to the original BASE MIRACLE. "
My thoughts & Stats
So, this primer comes in three different shades which are banana (great for pink undertone), lilac (brightening) & apricot (tan enhancing). Each of them is a combination of a translucent primer and color correcting primer. I own the lilac one and it brightens my skin wonderfully! No, it won't make you shiny, unless you have very, very, very oily skin I would maybe go for the other type.;)
It is also enriched with vitamins A & C, makes you ''silky smooth''(insert an accent from Meet the Zohan movie hehe) and yes, I feel it does help your foundation to stay on a bit longer:)

It might be a bit pricey (35CA$), but you have to take into consideration that this will last you pretty long time. It lasted me for about 4-5months, which I don't know whether is even acceptable to keep a primer for this long, but you get my point right?;)

Thank you for reading!

Until next time,

much love<3

Demi Lovato ALMA Awards makeup:)

2011-09-17T07:10:00.000-07:00

Hi loves,
This is a makeup look inspired by makeup that Demi Lovato wore at the Alma Awards 2011. When I saw the pictures I knew I had to recreate it. I mean, wasn't she stunning? Whoever did her makeup did a great job:)
It's a very neutral look because of the colors, yet it still looks pretty glamorous because of the dark brown eyeshadow winged out in the outer corner & the gold shades. Here is my take on it, hope you like it!

And here's the tutorial!:

Please comment & tell me what you think it means a world to me.

Also, feel free to subscribe to my youtube chanel if you like or add me to friends, I'dd love to see your videos as well!

Until next time,

much love!<3