CKK Beauty

Models Own Fuzzy Peach Nail Polish and Comparisons

2010-09-06T21:59:00.007-04:00

Hey Ladies!

Hope you all had a wonderful Labour Day weekend! I spent my time visiting with a friend from out of town. Lots of eating, drinking and shopping. So much fun, but now its time to get back to the daily grind. I find at this time, work really ramps up! I'll also be attending French language classes, so goodbye free time! I promise I'll still keep posting. I have several reviews coming up.

Tonight I just wanted to post some photos of a new nail colour I have been loving! Models Own Fuzzy Peach polish is such a gorgeous pale orange colour. I received tons of compliments on my manicure! I've also compared this colour with other similar polishes in my collection. None of them were dead on dupes. . . but definitely in the same colour family. In fact after taking these photos I left the different polishes on my nails for a day and no one really noticed! :)

Pictured from left: Models Own Fuzzy Peach, Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Sunset Orange , Pure Ice Twinkle & Chanel Orange Fizz

The Rimmel Sunset Orange is obviously the most different colour. It is a more red leaning orange colour and much darker. The Pure Ice Twinkle actually looks to be a shimmery combo of Models Own Fuzzy Peach/Chanel Orange Fizz. While the Models Own Fuzzy Peach and Chanel Orange Fizz are the most similar, Orange Fizz is more pink toned.

I apologize for my mangled cuticles!! I've since purchased some Solar Oil and I'm happy to report that they have greatly improved!

What polishes have you been loving lately?

xxoo,

Kasia

August Favourites

2010-08-31T15:59:00.010-04:00

Wow - the summer months have passed us by. . .

I return with an August Favourites post! Mostly makeup products. I have been testing some skincare products with mixed results, so I'll save those for another post :)

Estee Lauder Matte Bronzer - Although this bronzer doesn't appear matte in the pan, it certainly doesn't shimmer on my skin. I highly recommend this products for fair skinned ladies like myself (I'm an NW20). The perfect bronzer that you can easily swipe on in the morning with very little fuss. Not orangey in the least, in fact this bronzer has more of a rosy tone that really compliments my skin tone.

MAC Mineralize Blush in Warm Soul - I have been wearing this blush everyday, and not only for the month of August! It is a pinky/peach colour with some golden shimmer. . . another product that is absolutely great to apply when you are in a rush! I'm not usually a fan of MAC's mineralize blushes but this one I can't live without!

MAC Eyeshadow in Shroom - I know, I know. . . *yawn* but over the month of August I kept reaching for this eyeshadow. It provides a wonderful luminescent sheen that is perfect for a lid, highlight or all over the eye colour. I've really been loving this colour on the lid with a bronze smoked out look.

(From Bottom to Top: MAC Shroom, MAC Warm Soul & Estee Lauder Matte Bronzer)

Clinique Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder - I absolutely thought this product wasn't going to cut it, but I will try anything to relieve the red/pink flush to my face. I purchased this product at Sephora, so I figured I had nothing to lose. Was I ever surprised!! This yellow coloured powder applies like silk to your skin and really helps to reduce the appearance of redness throughout the day. It can be worn with or without makeup. Sometimes I wear it under my foundation and other times over, it works just as well either way! I truly notice a difference in my skin when I use this product. Ideal for those with sensitive skin that is easily prone to redness & irritation.

YSL Faux Cils Mascara - WHOA!! I don't think I have been this blown away by a makeup product in a long time! Despite the steep price tag, this mascara is worth every penny. It lengthens and thickens lashes. . . leaving them looking dark, striking and best of all clump free! I adore the glamorous packaging as well. YSL Faux Cils really blows every other mascara I've tried out of the water! Not for the faint of heart, bold lash lovers only!

Greige Nail Polishes - When it first appeared I was completely unsure of the grey/beige/taupe polish trend. These murky colours are a far departure from my favourite brights (NYX Hot Pink, Essie Lollipop, etc.) however I have absolutely fallen in love with them. . . Pictured below are my favourite greige polishes: Revlon Top Speed in Stormy, Deborah Lippmann Waking Up In Vegas & Chanel Particuliere - all swatched with only one coat.

. . . and one non-makeup item

Tazo Chai Tea Latte - Since my Starbucks addiction is really beginning to break the bank, I decided to seek out ways to make my favourite drinks at home! Tazo's Chai Tea Latte Concentrate is available at Costco. I mix with equal parts of Vanilla Almond Milk & pour over ice. . . viola! Starbucks at home for less! I can't get enough.

I hope all of your lovelies had a fantastic summer!

What were your favourite products over the month of August?

xxoo,

Kasia

Red Wine Sangria Recipe

2010-08-08T19:27:00.011-04:00

Hello Lovelies!

I'm back!! I thought it would be a great idea to share with you my recipe for Red Wine Sangria. This is a delicious, fruity drink that is appropriate for any season, but like everything else, it is better in the summer. . .

Here is my tried and tested favourite Sangria recipe. I like it fruity and punchy!
Remember you can change any ingredient up to make this recipe your own, but I've found that these proportions work especially well. I'm also included some great substitutions.

I N G R E D I E N T S:

(Please note this recipe yields approx. 6 cups of Sangria - choose your pitcher accordingly!)

3 Cups of Red Wine (Choose a sweet, fruity red wine - I like a Rioja or Maria Christina)
1 Cup Orange Juice
¼ Cup Brandy
¼ Cup Triple Sec
Gingerale
1 Lemon
1 Orange
1 Lime
1/2 Cup of sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen)

D I R E C T I O N S:

1) Cut the lemon, lime & orange in half. Cut 1 of the halves in wheels - reserve the other halves.

2) Toss sliced fruit into the pitcher - Squeeze juice of reserved fruit halves into pitcher (you can use a citrus juicer or fork to help extract the juice.)

(Please excuse the dirty dishes in the sink!! Sorry!)

3) Pour 1/4 cup each of brandy and triple sec into the pitcher

4) Add 3 Cups of Wine to the pitcher (I used Marques de Caceres - A fruity Spanish Rioja)

5) Pour 1 Cup of Orange Juice into the pitcher

6) Add enough gingerale to fill the pitcher

7) Chill Sangria in refrigerator for up to 12 hours (the longer you chill, the better the flavour!)

8) Pour over ice into your favourite glass and garnish with fresh fruit

Tips and Substitutions

Feel free to substitute pineapple, cranberry or peach juice in place of orange juice.

You could also use Sprite, Orangina, Club Soda or your favourite carbonated beverage instead of Gingerale!

Additional fruit ideas: blueberries, raspberries, kiwi or even apples and bananas.

You can omit/change the amount of brandy and/or triple sec. You can also substitute for other liqueurs! Vodka or Rum is ideal when making a White Wine Sangria.

ENJOY!!!

xxoo,

Kasia

June Favourites

2010-07-02T11:09:00.006-04:00

Hey Everyone!

Monthly Favourites are always my favourite posts to read and write. I love product reviews, but the true test of a product in my opinion is if it able to remain part of your arsenal for a longer period of time. Without further ado, here are my favourites for the month of June:

St Tropez Bronzing Mousse: I have yet to read a bad review on this product. It is the easiest self tan I have used, the colour is natural and long lasting. This product has allowed me to stop roasting myself both outside and in tanning beds and still look bronzed all summer long. I ordered my bottle from Essential Day Spa - this site offers great prices and excellent service. (Thanks for the recommendation Sandra!)

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock: Lately I have been extra careful about exposing my skin to the sun. I am already beginning to notice some slight sun damage to my face (freckles, hyperpigmentation) from excessive sun exposure in my teens. This sunblock is a great inexpensive way to protect yourself from the sun. I use this daily on both my face and body. It doesn't leave behind a greasy film or cause breakouts. A definite winner in my books. Plus for the price this product can't be beat. I find it comparable to other sun blocks I have used that are twice the price!

Murad Oil Control Mattifier with SPF 15: I purchased this product after it was recommended to me by an SA at an Ulta store near Syracuse, NY. I immediately loved this fantastic multi-purpose product, but I have found it even more useful in the hot, humid weather we have been experiencing lately. This product controls oil, moisturizes and protects from the sun, what more can you ask for? It also has a fresh, pleasant tea tree oil scent. I certainly have other products that are able to do the same thing for my skin, but not all in one convenient package!

The Body Shop Lip Butter in Shea: I have extremely dry lips. I am constantly trying new lip balms and am quite picky with what I use. I picked up some of the Body Shop Lip Butters when they were on sale and I am in love. Hands down these are some of the best lip products I have ever used! Super moisturizing, rich, creamy and gorgeously scented. I also have the lip butters in the Sweet Lemon and Pink Grapefruit varieties, but Shea is my current favourite.

Jacob Eau Parfumee: This is the signature scent from a clothing store here in Canada called Jacob. I just can't get enough of it! Jacob Eau Parfumee is a light, crisp, clean, citrusy, laundry type scent. To me it is very similar to D&G Light Blue, but better! The perfect scent for anytime, it is long lasting and inexpensive at $30 for 30 ml.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream: As I've mentioned before, I have oily skin, so normally I'm on the search for light weight, oil controlling products as opposed to intense moisture. However, I purchased this product while I was taking Accutane and have found it helpful post-Accutane as well. It is a super rich, emollient cream that really takes care of dry, flaky areas on my skin without causing breakouts. Sometimes the skin around the sides of my face and nose gets very dry, if I put this cream on overnight, the dryness is gone by morning.

The Body Shop Dewberry Shower Gel: This shower gel is part of a collection of vintage products that The Body Shop has brought back to the store temporarily. I adore the Dewberry scent. It is light, fresh and sweet. This particular scent reminds me of when I was young. My friend and I used to go into The Body Shop and sniff all of the scented oils they had on display in glass containers (I'm sure the staff hated seeing two tweens messing around with the fragrances!) The Dewberry fragrance is very unique and stands out in my memory. The shower gel itself is a nice consistency and produces a wonderful amount of gorgeously scented foam.

L'oreal Elnett Hairspray: Unlike any other hairspray I've ever tried! Prior to using Elnett I was never satisfied with hairsprays, I would always avoid using them becasue I couldn't handle the heavy, crunchy strands they left behind. Elnett is a super fine hairspray that holds but still allows movement and flexibility in your hair. It is ideal for sexy, loose curly and wavy styles.

I hope you enjoyed my favourites this month! I didn't have anything in the makeup department because I had a really hectic month and just didn't have much time or energy to use any. July will be a totally different story, I'm going to be raiding my makeup collection for long lost favourite products. . .

What were your favourite products for the month of June??

xxoo

Kasia

Project Bath & Shower

2010-06-28T17:00:00.006-04:00

Hello Ladies!

Like many other beauty bloggers, I have a shopping problem. I buy what I want when I want it, regardless of whether or not I need it. It is also so easy to get caught up in what everyone else is using and often simply reading a blog or watching a youtube video will enable me to go wild!

It has come to my attention that my collection of Bath & Shower products has gotten a little out of control. Today, I am pledging not to buy another single bath or shower product until I have used up 10 items from my existing collection.

I'm not going to decide which ones to use up first, in fact, I may leave that up to you!. . . If you see anything from my stash that you are interested in reading a review on please let me know. The majority of my stash consists of Lush products, many of which are limited edition and I would hate to be without! However, some of my soaps are drying out and the bath bombs are beginning to lose their gorgeous aroma, so the time has come to consume my goods instead of hoard them.

The following is a product list:
(Once again, please let me know if you are interested in a seeing a review of any of these items.)

LUSH
-Ghost Shower Gel
-Snow Fairy Shower Gel
-B Electro Shower Gel
-Olive Branch Shower Gel
-Figs & Leaves Soap
-Demon in the Dark Soap
-Godmother Soap
-Ice Blue Soap
-Temptation Soap
-17 Cherry Tree Lane Soap
-Ooh La La Soap
-Snowcake Soap
-Sexy Peel Soap
-Star Melt Bath Melt
-Two Timing Tart Bubble Bar
-So White Bath Bomb
-Cinders Bath Bomb

BODY SHOP
-Gently Purify Clay Mask
-Gently Purify Bath Soak
-Gently Purify Body Gel
-Deep Sleep Bath Soak
-Dewberry Bath & Shower Gel (My FAVE!!)

DIAL
-Yogurt Vanilla & Honey Body Wash
-Clean & Gentle Soy & Almond Milk Body Wash (Ahh-mazing)

MISC BRANDS
-Softsoap Coconut Scrub (smells devine. . . )
-Deep Steep Rosemary & Mint Organic Bubble Bath
-Deep Steep Rosemary & Mint Organic Body Butter (not a bath/shower product, but oh well!)
-Ulta Tangerine Dreams Shower Smoothie

I realize there are several smaller trial sized bottle, I won't cheat and use 10 of the smallest bottles to complete this challenge. That just wouldn't be right.

I'll keep you posted on my progress and please help support me with your words of encouragement, this is going to be tough on me!

xxoo

Kasia

NOTD Essie Lollipop

2010-06-28T16:44:00.007-04:00

Good Day Lovelies!

Last night I did a mani using Essie's Lollipop and I must say its LOVE! Lollipop is a stunning orange leaning red. It has a jelly finish and the application is a dream. . . so smooth. This colour would suit most skin tones in my opinion and is very chic. I've read that this is Olivia Palermo's go to nail colour. Without further ado, here are some photos.

I must say the colour is showing up quite a lot more coral than in real life. Nonetheless it is an amazingly gorgeous nail polish colour that is super versatile. I believe this was part of Essie's Winter 2010 collection, I purchased my bottle on clearance at Shopper's Drug Mart for only $4.

What are you wearing on your nails today?

Amazing Nail Combo

2010-06-26T19:15:00.007-04:00

Pictured from left: Pure Ice Nail Polish in Strapless & Milani Pool Party

I thought my current mani (Milani's Pool Party) was getting a little bit boring so I decided to spice it up a little by adding a Lorraine Stanick inspired glitter nail . I reached for Pure Ice's Strapless (tiny blue glitter flakes in a clear base) and blinged out my ring finger. . . Here is the result:

STUNNING!

Alone Strapless is really underwhelming. . . (please excuse the messy paint job - I'm just trying to illustrate how much "nail" shows through strapless when it is worn alone - its really nothing special all by itself, just a fine blue glitter.)

. . . however, paired with Pool Party it creates the most amazing blue/teal glitter nail!!

What are you favourite nail combos?

xxoo

Kasia

Nail Polish Haul and some Swatches!!

2010-06-25T20:38:00.007-04:00

Hey Lovelies!!

How have you all been? I would like to apologize for my recent absence. . . Life has been a little tough lately to say the least, so I needed a little break to sort myself out.

I've been trying very hard to limit my makeup shopping recently. . . I must say I've been doing quite well with the exception of nail polish. I just can't resist the beautiful colours. . . I have been gravitating to lower end nail polishes recently. This is mainly due to the fact that I haven't been "makeup shopping" and therefore I'm picking up my nail polish at other places I frequent (grocery store, drug store, Avon @ work. . . etc)

So without further ado here are the colours that have made a debut in my collection recently.

From Left: Avon Nailwear Pro in Olive Green & Jade, OPI My Private Jet, Rimmel London 60 Seconds in Climax & Milani Pool Party

I haven't tried the Avon Nail Wear Pro Nail Polishes in the past, but when I saw these two gorgeous shades of green at half price I just had to have them! So far I've only tried Jade, an incredible mint green colour. Here is a photo:

I used two coats to achieve the bottle colour. The formula of this polish is a little strange, somehow it is too thin/runny yet too thick at the same time. I also think it dries too fast. Overall the application wasn't terrible since the polish didn't streak, but it certainly wasn't perfect either

I received the OPI My Private Jet in a swap. I believe this is the Holo version. . . Its a very unique colour. Swatch to come!

The Rimmel London polish is simply exquisite. I couldn't leave Walmart without it. I've yet to try this on my nails.

. . . and finally Milani's Pool Party, I've been eyeing this colour up for months now. It was inevitable that I would give in. . . .

This photo really doesn't do this polish justice. Its a bit more green in real life and alot more holo. This formula is very sheer which was slightly disappointing. I used three coats for this photo, but I would probably use four next time.

You can see in the last photo that my nails are extremely ridged! This is new for me and I don't know why my nails have started looking like this! I'm not wearing a ridge filling base coat with Milani's Pool Party so the problem sort of appears worse than it really is. However, even when I do use a base coat the ridges still show, they are that deep!! Do you have severe nail ridges? If so, do you know what causes them and how to get rid of them?

I hope you have enjoyed this latest post. I will be back shortly with some products raves, reviews and I will start doing monthly favourites again as well. . .

Please don't be shy ladies, I love hearing your comments & suggestions! I will be focusing on my blog more from here on in, so feel free to tell me what you'd like to see from me.

xxoo,

Kasia

Drug Store Nail Polish Haul

2010-05-18T18:52:00.004-04:00

Hello lovelies!

Pharma Plus recently had a 50% off all nail polish event and of course I had to haul!

Here is what I picked up. . .

From left:

1) Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Gunmetal

2) Revlon Nail Enamel in Steel-her Heart

I've been searching for a gunmetal nail polish for awhile and hadn't really found anything that appealed to me. I searched hard and picked out the two colours above. . The Sally Hansen Gunmetal has a blue undertone while the Revlon Steel-her Heart leans more toward khaki, it sort of reminds me of MAC's Smoke & Diamond eyeshadow in nail polish form!

3) Sally Hansen Complete Spa Manicure in So Much Fawn

I chose this colour because it reminded me of OPI's Dulce De Leche. My friend wears Dulce De Leche regularly and its quite beautiful. . . In reality I'm not too sure how similar the two colours are!

4) NYX Nails in Mango Cafe

Some of my favourite polishes in my collection are NYX. . . I always take a look at what NYX nail colours are available when I am at the drugstore. I picked up Mango Cafe because I think bright nail colours look amazing with my skintone. . It's also a fantastic colour for summer!

5) Del Sol Color-Changing Nail Polish in Pretty in Pink

I heard about these colour changing nail polishes from one of Michele 1218's videos on YouTube. This is a really cool concept. . . and it works! I wasn't able to capture this polishes "indoor" colour on my nails however, I would compare it to MAC's Seedy Pearl eyeshadow in nail polish form, a sheer pink/purple duochrome. This shade turns bright pink in the sun. Such a fun polish!

haha! My puppy, Kandy decided to make a cameo in the background :)

What nail polishes have you purchased lately? What are you favourite drug store brand nail polishes?

xxoo,

Kasia

WEDGES!

2010-05-17T17:22:00.005-04:00

Whoot!

I've been searching for the perfect new pair of wedges to wear during the summer months for quite some time now! I'm 5'3 and need all the help I can get in the height department. Wedges are amazing because they give me the height I desire and are comfortable to boot! Since I wasn't able to get my hands on a pair of the Cynthia Vincent for Target wedges that everyone seems to have (thanks to all of the ladies who tried to find a pair for me!), I searched high and low to find an adequate replacement.

After plenty of fruitless searching (let me tell you, there are plenty of sub parshoes out there!) I finally laid eyes on the wedges of my dreams at ALDO!

***Please note I attempted to model these gorgeous sandals for you; however, my pale legs are quite alarming - believe me, I did you all a favour by not showing them off at this time! St. Tropez to the rescue and maybe I'll try again later.***

Aldo's Stenn Wedges retail for $80 CDN and can be purchased in Cognac, Grey or Black.

Today, I wore these to work with little pain, received tons of compliments and managed to avoid feeling vertically challenged. What more can a girl ask for??

I'm really impressed with Aldo's selection and price point, I'm thinking about picking up another pair of wedges in this style - what do you think???

What are you wearing on your tootsies this summer?

xxoo,

Kasia

MAC & Sephora Haul

2010-05-16T18:30:00.012-04:00

ALOHA!

Its been WAAAY too long!! I have been super busy... I know, excuses, excuses *tsk tsk*
Well... I'm back now with a haul! I haven't been shopping in quite awhile so I decided it was time to do it up! Here is what I purchased. . .

I had some Back 2 Mac empties, so I decided to hit up MAC to begin my shopping extravaganza! After watching BelleDuJourNYC's Must Have MAC eyeshadows video I made a preliminary list of about six shadows I needed to check out. I ended up with two of her recommendations: Sable & Patina and then I picked up a shadow I have been eying for a long time: Shale.

The MUA also sold me on picking up Warm Soul Mineralized Blush. . . To be honest I haven't been overly impressed with anything I have purchased from MAC's mineralized line. I have several eyeshadow duos and another blush (Danity), but they don't really do it for me, hopefully Warm Soul will be different! It looks gorgeous swatched, as do all of the shadows.

From Left: Warm Soul, Shale, Patina & Sable

After I finished up at MAC I headed straight to Sephora. I managed to destroy the NARS display in my hectic shopping frenzy! The majority of my purchases from Sephora were NARS this time around, I have really been wanting to get more from this brand as I have been really impressed with everything I already have from them.

I left Sephora happy with The NARS So Famous Gift Set, NARS Ondine Eyeshadow, NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Punjab and Clinique's Redness Relief Mineral Powder.

The NARS So Famous Gift Set ($60 CDN) contains two full sized products: Blush in Deep Throat & Bettina Velvet Matte Lip Pencil as well as a trial sized Multiple in Orgasm.

From Left: NARS Bettina Matte Lip Pencil, NARS Deep Throat & NARS Orgasm Multiple

The Bettina Lip Pencil was a real surprise. For me, it is a MLBB (My Lips But Better) colour and is super creamy!

Please note: The size of the Orgasm Multiple. It is 4 grams. The same as a Mark Instant Blush Tint, but half the size of the NYC Blushable Creme Stick (8 grams).

From Left: NYC Blushable Creme Stick in Plaza Pink, NARS Multiple in Orgasm & Mark Instant Blush Tint in Just Pinched.

Although the Orgasm Multiple is beautiful, if it weren't part of this gift set I probably wouldn't pick it up, there are other far more affordable options that provide a similar effect.

I feel like I am one of the last people in the beauty community to pick up NARS Sheer Glow Foundation. After leaving my Revlon Photo Finish Foundation behind while visiting family, I needed to pick up something new! I grabbed Sheer Glow in Punjab. I found all of the colours to be rather yellow toned, but that could be the atrocious store lighting! Hopefully the shade Punjab works for me!

I was also resigned to grab a NARS eyeshadow, Ondine is my first! I am super impressed with the texture. The colour itself is a neutral plummy brown with gold shimmer. . . please be warned the following photos do not do the shadow justice!

Lastly, I purchased Clinique's Redness Relief Mineral Powder. Yesterday I watched a review on YouTube from Sardun1 and was sold! Since I have pink undertones with a lot of redness on my nose and cheeks, I think this product will be beneficial for me. Here is what it looks like. . . I can't wait to try it!

Phhheewww! What a haul! What makeup items have you picked up lately????

xxoo,

Kasia

Current Lust List

2010-03-28T14:06:00.006-04:00

Items I cannot wait to get my hands on!

1) Chanel #14 Mystic Eyes Quad.

2) Sleek Eyeshadow Palettes in Storm and Graphite. Hopefully I'll be getting these through an international swap soon!

3) Tiffany Charms - My favourite necklace is a sterling silver chain with various heart charms that I have received/collected. I would love to add one from Tiffany & Co.

4) A new purse - My brown signature coach bag is tiring quickly. I'm sort of feeling this Henri Bendel purse - love the purple lining! I'll have to check it out when I'm in NYC!

AND. . .

5) A Diamond! I have been lusting over this Pavé Split-shank Diamond Engagement Ring in Platinum from Birks. Simply gorgeous! Hey, a girl can dream, can't she?

What are you lusting after at the moment??

xxoo,

Kasia

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion Review

2010-03-27T20:43:00.004-04:00

Good Day Lovelies!

I was sent this moisturizer a few months ago and now that I have had adequate time to see how my skin responds to the product I am happy to review it for you.

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion is a lightweight gel moisturizer for the face, hands and body. This product purports to "exceptionally enhance your skin's hydrating and protection abilities", it is also paraben free. I have only used the product on my face. Since the skin on my face is rather sensitive I imagine my skin's reaction on other parts of the body would be similar.

I have been using this product twice daily (morning and night) for approximately two months. The gel is incredibly light, refreshing and fast absorbing on the skin. The scent of the product is rather faint, but it still possess a medicinal quality (read: smells like a dentists office!), despite the mildly offensive odour, it fades quickly and ceases to be an annoyance within seconds of application. Skin MD Natural leaves my skin super smooth and flake free; therefore it works ideally as a makeup primer. It does not cause breakouts or additional greasies on my oily, acne prone skin. Since using Skin MD Natural, I have no longer had the need to use my Bliss Steep Clean Mattifying Gel, so I am led to believe that it is helping control the amount of oil my skin produces. What a wonderful bonus. My results from using this product regularly have been fantastic. Although the product itself has surpassed my expectations, the packaging is lacking in both appearance and functionality. The bottle is not especially esthetically pleasing and whenever I close the cap some product flies out! Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this products effectiveness in keeping my skin well hydrated and balanced. It has quickly become my new favourite moisturizer. I recommend Skin MD Natural for oily, acne prone and sensitive skin as it is effective without any harsh fragrances or ingredients that can cause irritation or breakouts.

Priced at $18 US for 4 oz (plus $7.95 shipping to US or $9.95 to Canada) Skin MD Natural is a little bit on the steep side given the rather basic packaging; however, the product inside is well worth the price tag. A formula containing SPF 15 is also available for $25 US, which I have not yet had the opportunity to test. I plan to purchase the SPF 15 version once my bottle runs out. I will let you know if it compares to the original!

Pros
-lightweight, refreshing and fast absorbing.
-Smooths the skin creating a fantastic base for makeup without irritating silicones.
-Paraben free, non-irritating, great for sensitive skin.
-Balances combination skin. Hydrates dry areas without adding additional oil.

Cons
-sterile scent (fades quickly).
-packaging lacks appeal and functionality.

For a full list of product list of ingredients, more useful information or to order this product, please check out Skin MD Naturals website.

xxoo,

Kasia

Me... in 3's

2010-03-25T16:04:00.003-04:00

I was tagged by the gorgeous CocoBella to do this fun tag! Thanks!

Three names I go by:

1. Kasia

2. Whatever butchered pronunciation of "Kasia" someone uses to address me!

3. Cassandra

Three jobs I have had:

1. Subway Sandwich Artist (my first job)

2. Medical Office Assistant

3. Youth Support Worker

Three places I have lived:

1. Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

2. Ottawa, Ontario

3. No third place!

Three favorite drinks:

1. Coke

2. Starbucks Triple Grande Soy Caramel Latte

3. Starbucks Non-Fat Earl Grey Tea Latte

Three TV shows I watch:

1. Melrose Place

2. 30 Rock

3. How I Met Your Mother

Three places I have been:

1. Thailand

2. Poland

3. Greece

Three places I would like to visit:

1. India

2. Hong Kong

3. Bora Bora

Three people who text me regularly:

1. Boyfriend

2. Mom

3. Jenni

Three favorite old TV shows:
1. Married with Children
2. Popular (shame it ended so abruptly!)
3. Melrose Place

Three favorite dishes:

1. Sushi from Wasabi

2. Homemade guacamole and pico de gallo with tortilla chips

3. Filet Mignon and Shrimp Teriyaki from Edoko

Three makeup products I cannot live without:

1. Mascara

2. Eyeliner

3. Concealer

Three things I'm looking forward to:

1. Szechuwan for lunch tomorrow!

2. My upcoming trip to NYC

3. December 2010

Three people I tag:

1.Obsessed Makeup Addict

2. Farah

3. Allie

I fell off the wagon. . .

2010-03-08T20:46:00.008-05:00

(Pictured from Left: Jade is the new Black; Lucky, Lucky Lavender; Mad as a Hatter; Suzy Says Feng Shui)

My nail polish addiction got the best of me and I wasn't able to live up to my promises!

Even though I haven't even come close to sampling most of the polishes I already own, I had to run out a buy more!! I couldn't control myself. . . *hangs head in shame*

AND. . . this isn't the first time!!

(Pictured from Left: OPI Chick Flick Cherry; Pure Ice "Twinkle")

I had two other tiny weeny relapses, but I felt those could be rationalized. The OPI "Chick Flick Cherry" came free with a pedicure while the Pure Ice "Twinkle" was something I purchased while I was in the US. . . If its something I can't purchase in Canada, then its allowed!!

Tonight's nail polish haul; however, has no justification. It's plain and simple . . . I have no control over my nail polish obsession.

The worst part of it all is the buyers remorse. . . Once I brought my new beauties home I was shocked to see that one of my purchases was almost identical to another polish in my collection.

(Pictured from Left: China Glaze Shower Together; OPI Suzy Says Feng Shui)

OPI's Suzi Says Feng Shui is VERY similar to China Glaze's Shower Together. . .

You can see that the ChG Shower Together (middle finger) is slightly more green and brighter, while the OPI Suzy Says Feng Shui (index finger) is darker and more blue. While they aren't identical they are so similar that most people wouldn't notice the different if you wore one colour one day and another the next. . . and 45 minutes ago I believed the OPI Suzy says Feng Shui was soooo unique I couldn't live without it!! :) Having said this, I think the OPI works better for my skin tone so no regrets!

Luckily, the other colours I purchased didn't bare any striking resemblances to other polishes in my collection. . .

(Pictured from Left: OPI Mod About You; OPI Lucky, Lucky Lavender; MAC Love and Friendship)

(Picture from Left: LA Girl's Flare in Tropical: OPI Jade is the New Black: Misa Dirty, Sexy Money)

So there you have it, the ramblings of a crazy, obsessed nail polish addict!

What is your current beauty addiction?

xxoo

Kasia

Wedding Weekend!!

2010-03-03T19:51:00.005-05:00

Hey dears!

My boyfriends sister got married this past weekend so we packed up and headed North to partake in the festivities!!

It was a lovely weekend for a wedding and the reception was open bar so as you can imagine a good time was had by all!

A few things I learned this weekend:

-Ski lodges and 4 inch heels don't mesh well. . .
-Its probably not a good idea to have photos taken after six or more glasses of wine.
-Buying hosiery at Walmart is NEVER a good idea.

Despite these lessons I unfortunately learned the hard way, here are a few photos from the wedding reception.

How did you spend your weekend??

xxoo

Kasia

GIVEAWAY WINNER!!!

2010-03-01T22:15:00.003-05:00

And... the winner of my first giveaway from Lauren Conrad's new book "Sweet Little Lies" is....

BooJenkinson !!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats! Please contact me through email at cassandrahcm@gmail.com as soon as possible!!!

Thank you to everyone who entered and stick around for more blog posts and giveaways in the near future!!

xxoo

Kasia

Valentines Day Haul!

2010-02-14T16:12:00.005-05:00

Since my boyfriend is away for work at the moment, I decided to devote this Valentine's Day to myself! I picked up a bunch of tear jerker movies and splurged at Lush!!

The movies I picked up are favourties that I have mostly on VHS (ahh!) I figured it was a good time to pick them up on DVD since these are the titles I turn to whenever I want to have a good cry! Beaches, Titantic, Romeo and Juliet and A Walk to Remember.
Am I ever in love with Leonardo DiCaprio from those two movies... woooww!!

As for Lush, I definitely went a little crazy! I purchased two each of The Ex-Factor Bath Bomb and Magic Mushroom Bubble Bar (both limited edition for Valentines Day!). I also got a HUGE bottle of the new limited edition body wash B Electro (available for three months) - it smells citrusy and fresh, just divine! I also grabbed a couple things I have had my eye on for awhile - Pop in the Bath Bubble Bar that was recommended to me by the lovely Sandra @ 15 Steps, then a Beauty Blog. I plan to use it along with my beloved So White Bath Bomb from Christmas. I also got Big Blue Bath Bomb and Sunnyside Bubble Bar to use together to create "mermaid bath cocktail" - this combo will turn your bath water the most gorgeous shade of blue/green. . . I have been eager to try this duo for quite some time!

I am just about to start a movie marathon with my favourtie pizza (Domino's Brooklyn Style!) and finish off with a sumptuous Lush bath! whooottt

What are you doing to celebrate/protest Valentine's Day this year!??

xxoo

Kasia

My First Giveaway! Win Lauren Conrad's "Sweet Little Lies" - CLOSED

2010-02-08T16:30:00.011-05:00

Hey lovelies!

I was at Costco today and stumbled upon Lauren Conrad's new book "Sweet Little Lies", I am totally aware that this is a guilty pleasure for many of us so I decided to pick up an extra copy to giveaway!!

Here are the rules:

(1) You must be a follower of my blog!
(2) Open INTERNATIONALLY!
(3) Simply write why you would like this book and your email address in the comments below, one comment entry per person.
(4) If you would like an extra contest entry, please link to my blog and state this in your comment as well.
(5) I will select a winner using random.org on March 1st, 2010.

GOOD LUCK!!

Current LUST list.....

2010-02-07T15:52:00.005-05:00

Just a few makeup items I am DYING to get my hands on.... I know I am behind on a lot of these items, but I can't wait any longer!!

1) NARS Sheer Glow Foundation - If I hear one great thing about this foundation today I'm going to run out the door and speed all the way to Sephora to buy it!! I have recently started wearing liquid foundation on a more regular basis and I can't wait to try this one!

2) Benefit Powerflage - I have been rather obsessed with covering my under eye circles as of late and I could certainly add this product to my arsenal.

3) MAC 109 Brush - I am dying to try out this brush for foundation and contouring. . . and its been awhile since I've purchased a new brush!

4) Benefit Coralista - On twitter today, I polled to see peoples thoughts on Coralista vs. NARS Orgasm. . . Coralista won by a landslide. . . I must add this to my collection ASAP!

5) MAC Oak Lip Pencil + Blankety Lipstick + Viva Glam V Lip Gloss - Apparently this is the lip combo Kim K is sporting in this picture. I NEED these products!!

And onto TWO items that I am expecting to have in possession VERY shortly:

A) Black Onyx Studs - Tiffany

B) MAC Fleshpot Lipstick

My boyfriend is away for work and purchased these two things for me!! wooooottt

What are you lusting after at the moment?

NOTD Sephora Myrtille

2010-02-06T17:26:00.005-05:00

Hey lovelies! Hope you are having a gorgeous weekend!

Here is another nail of the day post, I have on the colour Myrtille by Sephora. It is an incredible bright blue! The polish itself is VERY thick... takes two coats to get the colour in the bottle. I love it, I think its really stunning and unique.

Next I'm going to *attempt* to successfully apply OPI's Mod About You... wish me luck!!

Fantastic Blogger Contest Alert!!

2010-02-06T09:59:00.002-05:00

Check out Hope's Blog for the opportunity to enter an amazing Lush giveaway!!

NOTD - Sephora Raisin

2010-01-31T19:19:00.004-05:00

Hey dearies!!

Here is another nail of the day post. . . today I have on Sephora mini nail laquer in L18 Raisin - this is described as a mulberry lavender colour. This colour was extremely hard to capture in a photo! It is actually a bit more purple in real life. Its actually almost the same colour as the two sidebars on my blog!

This polish is relatively inexpensive (CDN $6) and goes on perfectly in one coat! I actually prefer the smaller sized bottle, bc that way I can indulge in more nail polish with less guilt!! Give these 'lil baby polishes a try!

xxoo

Kasia

Blogger Contest

2010-01-31T17:50:00.001-05:00

Jade Melody is having a wonderful contest on her blog and the prize is an Urban Decay Preen Palette and Mini Primer Potion.

The rules are very simple:

1. Follow her blog and twitter

2. Comment on her blogspot and link her to your blog

3. The contest is open internationally

4. One entry per person

The contest will be over on Feb 10th at Midnight.

Check it out!!

xxoo

Kasia

NOTD and Product Rave!

2010-01-26T21:36:00.006-05:00

Hey all!

Just thought I'd post a quick nail of the day. I am trying to stick to my word and use all of the polishes I own before I buy any new ones, so you may be seeing ALOT of NOTD posts from me over the next little while!

Today I am wearing Misa Dirty, Sexy, Money.

This polish is a medium blue leaning teal. . . kinda like a darker, slightly greyed version of China Glaze's For Audrey.

Misa has amazing nail polishes, it only takes one coat to achieve the bottle colour. Perfect for when you are in a rush! I ordered my Misa polish from Head 2 Toe Beauty (fantastic site with a wide variety of polishes and other nail care products).

And. . . onto my product rave. I recently had to pick up new make up wipes and had heard great things about the Kirkland Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes from Costco. I can confirm all of these praises! These makeup wipes are fantastic, they take off all of my makeup quickly and easily (even stubborn mascara), smell great, don't irritate my skin and for the price they simply can't be beat (approx $15 CDN for 150 wipes!!). Try them, you'll love them!!

Hope everyone is having a great week so far!!

xxoo

Kasia