Sofia Ajram

Laura Mercier Crème Compact & Make Up For Ever ProFinish Reviews

2013-04-22T17:58:00.001-04:00

Wrist: Top Laura Mercier Crème Compact | Bottom MUFE ProFinish
Left Laura Mercier Crème Compact | Right MUFE ProFinish
I figured I would do a quick review for you guys of a product that just hasn't done it for me, and alongside it a great alternative for those of you seeking a lightweight product to even out your skin for the spring. Both of these products are available at Sephora, and I urge you to try them both to find what works best for you, because what doesn't work for me might not necessarily be so bad on your skin!

Anyway, to hop onto the review, the product that was a bit of a womp-womp was the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Crème Compact. There are much better tinted moisturizers, much better compacts, and much better formulas out there - some of them even at half the price - making this product something I'd rather leave at home.

I was gifted this from Laura Mercier to try out, and I've tried it a couple of times to no avail, which is quite a disappointment, because the ingredients are delicious! It contains broad-spectrum SPF protection, which is the #1 thing you want to look for to prevent premature signs of aging (If you want to see a dramatic photograph of just how damaging the sun can be to your skin, check this link out). The formula is also fragrance-free, not tested on animals, and offered in a wide variety of shades, just like with their liquid tinted moisturizers.

The fun stops there, however, as the rest of the product is a bit of a letdown. Price-wise at $45US (And a whopping $55 Canadian!) it is heavily overpriced for .26oz/7.5g of product. The packaging is extremely bulky and quite cheapy for something so small. If you compare it to the original tinted moisturizer by Laura Mercier (Also priced at $55CAD for 1.5oz), you're getting much less product! And it's in a compact where you stick your fingers in - yuck! I've never been a fan of sponges, however this compact comes with a medium-quality sponge for you to apply the product with, however it really just does not look good on the skin, no matter how I swing it. I have this compact in the porcelain shade, and it's just too yellow-tinted for my skin. I think the biggest letdown of this product is that it just doesn't look natural or "nourishing" (as LM claims) on the skin. Oily skin? Skin looks dewy-borderline-oily. Dry skin? It brings out the unflattering flakiness of your face. I especially would not recommend this for combination or dry skin, as I really can't emphasize enough the ick factor of how this made my skin look on a dry-skin winter day.

As an alternative however, I offer you all the Make Up For Ever Pro Finish Multi-Use Powder Foundation. Offered in 25 different tones, this is definitely a better option than the Laura Mercier Crème Compact. Price-wise, it is offered at $42CAD. The packaging is much sturdier, carrying 10g of product - not much, but you can definitely make it last, especially since - as the multi-use name would suggest - you can wet it! Finally, a foundation you can wet that won't become all dumpy after usage! You can apply it wet for a satin finish (with a sponge or chunky brush), or dry for a matte finish (with a kabuki brush). The product definitely does oxidize, and if you're used to using the MUFE HD foundation, you may not find yourself matching the same tint number, so do make sure you get yourself swatch-tested before taking one of these puppies home. Overall however, I find that this is a great, silky alternative that lets your skin breathe and looks more skin-like than the crème compact - on my face, anyway.

There are definitely plenty of other options out there for foundations and tinted moisturizers for all of your beautiful skin-types, but here are my reviews of two products that did and did not satisfy my skincare needs. If you folks are interested in any other reviews or recommendations, please do let me know! It'd be my pleasure to review specific products for you, or alternatively to suggest some of my favourites! xo

Spring Favourites 2013

2013-04-18T18:10:00.000-04:00

Some of my recent favourites for spring including jewelry, cosmetics and books.

Mint green nail lacquer from American Apparel | Caudalie Divine Oil

Jo Malone Vitamin E Hand Cream | Philosophy Just Release Me Makeup Remover | YSL No. 27 Rose Paris | Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Nectar

Alexander McQueen skull bracelet (Gift from my mum!) | Key to the Future necklace | Grandmother's pearl necklace | Caudalie & AA products

American Apparel Nail Varnish in Office
And finally, some new reads for the spring/summertime, including Sex at Dawn by Christopher Ryan, who has an excellent podcast episode on Sex Nerd Sandra that you should all definitely check out.
Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, business executive of Facebook, The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene, Fist of the Spider Woman curated by Amber Dawn, Venus in Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, which I have already read last summer, but had to grab a copy of for my own personal library. And lastly A History of Mistresses by Elizabeth Abbott.
Things have been winding down at a pretty quick pace! A few weeks ago, some friends and I attended PAX East 2013 in Boston, where I cosplayed as Dark Valkyrie Diana from League of Legends. You can see our gallery of the event here. It was probably one of the most amazing experiences of my life, which is why I'm proud to say we will be attending PAX Prime 2013 this August! If all goes as planned, I will cosplay again from League of Legends for the event in Seattle, and then we will be flying out to Santa Monica to check the place out! We definitely want to check out the Riot Games headquarters. It's my partner's dream to work there, so I think it will make for an exciting trip!
What will you all be up to this summer? I need to get to making a summer to-do list, as I do every year. Strangely, the only thing I don't end up doing year after year is make YouTube videos. What's say we tackle that one this summer for real?
Also, if you're interested, my work will be exhibited this May 18-22 at the Chromatic Festival in Montreal. I'll be posting more information as it becomes available to me, but prints will be sold, wine will be had, and stories will be shared! xo

A Beginner's Guide to BDSM

2013-04-14T18:30:00.000-04:00

In the past year, BDSM went from being a fetish that went under the radar from the mainstream public to being spread across magazines, TV specials and even Saturday brunch tables. Thanks to Fifty Shades of Grey and all of the media that followed, BDSM has become fairly mainstream and accepted.

WIth that said, exploring BDSM has become easier than ever due to acceptance and widespread knowledge of the lifestyle. Did you read any books with a taste of BDSM and find that the idea of it turned you on? Or have you always secretly wished to be dominated a little? Maybe you always wish your partner pulled your hair a little harder or smack your butt a few more times? If any of the above are true, maybe it's time for you to explore a little of your own BDSM!

I've designed a basic beginner's guide for those of you who have been thinking about it, but weren't sure of how to go about acting upon it. Check out the below and then see what kind of fun you can get into!

BDSM stands for bondage & discipline, dominance & submissions, sadism & masochism and requires two consenting partners, oftentimes having one as the dominant and one as the submissive.

Strong communication is imperative for this kind of relationship and must be maintained from beginning to the end, otherwise someone could get hurt. So your first step into BDSM is to sit your partner down and talk to them outside of the bedroom. Let them know that you're interesting in implementing some of this kind of play into your sexual routine. Be sure to come with some research of what BDSM is and isn't and let them know why you're interested in exploring this side of your sexuality.

If your partner is on board, great! - You will both have to talk about what you are and aren't comfortable with. How far do the two of you want to go? Does the idea of a power dichotomy turn you both on? Who will be the sub and who will be the dom? Is the dom comfortable with what that requires? Et cetera. Everything has to be discussed. If you don't feel comfortable discussing it, you won't feel comfortable doing it. You will have to pick a safe word once everything else has been sussed out. A safe word is a word the sub can use to express that they are reaching a physical, mental or moral boundary. This will let the dom know that they need to back off. Check out this guide on how not to pick a safe word if you need a little more help.

It's then time to begin once you feel comfortable with your boundaries and your safe word.

The dom will want to assert their power over the sub. They can do this by tying the sub's hands together and demanding certain acts from them. They can also try blindfolding the sub and force them to take whatever the dom wants to do to them. Be sure the dom checks in every once an awhile with the sub since this is the first time. You don't want to push things too far, so keep things light and fun with the air of dominance. Diving in full force can be scary for a sub who has never been submissive before. The loss of control is something to be learned and honed, not pushed upon.

Using household items as props is a fun way to get into the role without coming off intimidating. Try using ties or scarves as ways to blindfold or tie the sub. Use things like ice and candle wax to tease and "torture" the sub. These items won't cost you anything and will be familiar to both of you.

You can kick things up a notch once you feel like you've gotten a decent grip on what BDSM can be like. Consider incorporating props, outfits and names to really get into the act. The dom should come up with a name that they insist on being called. Master or Mistress is pretty standard, but any name revolving around superiority work too, like Goddess, Daddy, etc. The dom should also have a few consensual derogatory names for the sub (Keep in mind that that it's important to stay away from trigger words for your sub). Keeping and enforcing these names can help both of you take on your persona. You can also consider dressing the part. The dom can insist upon a certain style of dress for playtime or can pick an outfit each time, whatever works, but the sub has no say in what they wear, whether it be an elaborate costume or nothing at all. Finally, you can pair your playtime with more intense toys as you begin to explore more and more. Leather tends to be a favorite among the BDSM community, so use leather in your outfits, in a belt used to whip or bind the sub, or even an actual leather whip. The dom can also get various sex toys like vibrators, be wa balls, cock rings or anal toys to use on the sub. Need some ideas? Check out the awesome adult toys at Adam and Eve. I've purchased some bed straps and vibes from them before, and they're fantastic! Try to push things a little farter each time. Amp up the role, amp the play and the control more and more.

From there on, the world is your oyster. Continue to do research if you find that you're both still digging it once you've turned up the intensity and even consider finding more people like you that you can learn from and grow with.

BDSM is a really great way to learn your limits, explore your sexuality and grow closer to your partner. Just be sure to have fun and put safety above all else.

Centipede Bracelet

2012-12-04T19:52:00.002-05:00

Oxidized silver centipede bracelet with constellation armor
Black Friday shirt (UO) & earrings (F21)

I haven't been updating here too often - life has been incredibly busy and filled with little blessings! I'll try to spend more time here after finals (next week!), but for now, here's something I've been up to. This is a commission for someone's partner that I made.

I do jewelrysmithing projects and take custom orders. If you're interested, please e-mail me at sofia.ajram@gmail.com !

Anthropologie & Book Haul

2012-10-23T18:08:00.000-04:00

Chronostasis pendant I made in my jewelrysmithing course last semester. Pumpkin Soufflé candle from Anthropologie! Smells like home and happiness! Bit of a book haul. I can never get enough of books, only that I can't read any of them right now because my courses are really cracking down on assignments. Above: Women Who Run with Wolves | Cunt: A Declaration of Independence | A History of Mistresses | Reinventing Eve Botanicals Sticker & label booklet from Anthropologie. Apologies for the delay in posting! Life's been good, and I don't have many images to post about. Maybe, soon. Garage sale, maybe, soon. Then I can organize my world and post some photos for you all! But for now, a quick haul. We recently had the pleasure of Topshop, Anthropologie, and Agent Provocateur opening in Montreal! I feel like I don't need to shop outside my own city anymore! Not that I can afford any of these stores, but they're gorgeous to visit, especially the new Anthropologie on De La Montagne by Holts. Check it out if you haven't already, it's quite a dream!

Moss Terrarium & Puces Pop 2012

2012-09-25T20:22:00.001-04:00

From D, Puces Pop this Saturday.
From M, vintage S&M book.

If you want to know how to make your own DIY terrarium, let me know and I can create a post for it! Still considering doing some YouTube videos now that I have a proper background... hmm.

Home Office Inspiration Design

2012-09-24T17:50:00.002-04:00

So I had my office repainted last week & after three days I realized that the white I had chosen is some wonky off-white blue colour and I'm considering repainting. White. I'm terrible with wall-colours if I can't even get white down properly.

Anyway, here's a little home-office inspiration in the meantime. I've been hauling out a lot of junk - I'm not much of a hoarder for random crap but I am pretty sentimental about memories I've accumulated, including ticket stubs, old photos and the likes, so I have boxes full of memories all over the place. It's time to organize it and get rid of the rest. Garage sale sometime soon before the cold weather creeps in. I also made 2 terrariums, which I'll take photos of tomorrow!

Amsterdam Photo Post

2012-09-15T15:42:00.000-04:00

So last month, my mum and I were able to visit Amsterdam and Berlin as our yearly trip. Amsterdam is such a gorgeous city with so much to do! Here's a couple of photos from my eye. Sculpture from Rembrandt's house & one of Amsterdam's many canals. Rembrandt's house. Rembrandt's house. Teenage indulgence. Abraxas. Smoking up at Abraxas. I try to always hit up sex/erotica museums and planetariums when I travel. Inside Amsterdam's Sex Museum. Inside Amsterdam's Sex Museum, a short segment on Marilyn Monroe posing nude. Inside Amsterdam's Sex Museum, wall full of ass-cheeks that fart on you as you walk by. Brilliant when you see other tourists taking a walk down the stairs. Zoinks! Sex Museum entrance. Inside Amsterdam's Sex Museum, a segment on the history of the Red Light District. At the main square. Most amazing food I had on the trip - will be writing a whole blogpost on this soon! Dutch painting in our hotel. Infamous canals. Souveniers: Cosmic Wonder ring | Joint | Acne envelope | Sharpener Scenery & inside Droog

Hope you all enjoyed. I don't write much about travels because they're my personal experiences, but I'm always willing to share photographs.

Berlin & Amsterdam Haul

2012-09-14T17:30:00.000-04:00

Hey kittens! Here's a quick haul upload of some of the things I picked up on my trip to Berlin & Amsterdam this summer. Muji Airport Pouch | Muji Travel Pill Case | Pencil Sharpener Marshall Minor FX Earphones (White) Schiesser Undergarments They came in the most beautiful box! Muji Toothbrush (Green) Cosmic Wonder Ring (Engraved "Embrace of the Sun" into the band) Cosmic Wonder & diamond ring Diamond ring Post with photos of my actual trip in Amsterdam coming up soon!

明日, 水フェニックスは上昇つもりです。

2012-09-06T16:05:00.000-04:00

I never honestly write about my photography here. I don't suppose I've ever tried. I think I've exhausted talking about it endlessly in interviews that my work becomes but a fraction of what its original story was. I can't really see anything interesting in it anymore. It's difficult to share what you find has little worth. Never mind sell.

Not a lot of people access this information because it got cut out of my interview for Ben Trovato, but my self-portrait of myself hovering over my bed comes from DMT musings. Pulled this from my private realm. The full of my consciousness is accessible somewhere on the Internet. I think I'd die if half the people I know found it.

Here's a whole bunch of entities waiting on the other side, saying "How wonderful that you're here! You come so rarely! We're so delighted to see you!"

They're like jewelled self-dribbling basketballs and there are many of them and they come pounding toward you and they will stop in front of you and vibrate, but then they do a very disconcerting thing, which is they jump into your body and then they jump back out again and the whole thing is going on in a high-speed mode where you're being presented with thousands of details per second and you can't get a hold on [them ...] and these things are saying "Don't give in to astonishment", which is exactly what you want to do. You want to go nuts with how crazy this is, and they say "Don't do that. Pay attention to what we're doing".

What they're doing is making objects with their voices, singing structures into existence. They offer things to you, saying "Look at this! Look at this!" and as your attention goes towards these objects you realise that what you're being shown is impossible. It's not simply intricate, beautiful and hard to manufacture, it's impossible to make these things. The nearest analogy would be the Fabergé eggs, but these things are like the toys that are scattered around the nursery inside a U.F.O., celestial toys, and the toys themselves appear to be somehow alive and can sing other objects into existence, so what's happening is this proliferation of elf gifts, which are moving around singing, and they are saying "Do what we are doing" and they are very insistent, and they say "Do it! Do it! Do it!" and you feel like a bubble inside your body beginning to move up toward your mouth, and when it comes out it isn't sound, it's vision. You discover that you can pump "stuff" out of your mouth by singing, and they're urging you to do this. They say "That's it! That's it! Keep doing it!".

We're now at minute 4.5 [of the trip] and you speak in a kind of glossolalia. There is a spontaneous outpouring of syntax unaccompanied by what is normally called "meaning". After a minute or so of this the whole thing begins to collapse in on itself and they begin to physically move away from you. Usually their final shot is that they wave goodbye and say "Deja vu! Deja vu!".

Nix Water Sprite

2012-09-04T22:13:00.000-04:00

Recent photo shoot with Lyndsie Alguire. Will be shooting the video for her upcoming album, so stay tuned! Inspired by Norse Nix water sprites.

China Glaze Nail Polish Appliqués Review

2012-09-04T17:33:00.000-04:00

A while back, I was sent some China Glaze nail polish strips from Nail Polish Canada to review, but I waited a while for the perfect time to apply them, and seeing as university starts again tomorrow, I figured this would be the perfect chance! I chose the appliqué in the Sneaky Snake print because I have a deeply rooted obsession with all things snake, and I'd like to channel Medusa on my first day of school (DON'T LOOK AT ME), but there are several other options available. I've only ever had these professionally applied, but it's fairly easy to apply at home. Choose the size of the appliqué for each nail (trim if too big), apply & file off excess. Voila! That's all there is to it! Here's the finished full hand. I'm really impressed with the way these turned out! I know we sell similar appliqués at Sephora or Pharmaprix, but I find China Glaze is reputable when it comes to nail products and I enjoy this print in particular, so it's definitely something I'd repurchase, especially if I want to be Medusa this Halloween. With my new rings. Overall I really enjoy this concept as something that won't chip or look unprofessional for a full week. If you live in Canada, the Sneaky Snake appliqué and 11 other styles are available at Nail Polish Canada for $11. & I have many more posts coming soon! I'm repainting my office white so that I can take more photos with ease. Any special back-to-school requests?

Sephora Haul & Jewelry Creations

2012-07-01T13:08:00.001-04:00

I don't think I ever mentioned it on here, but I'm currently working at Sephora (since mid-April) and it's a blast. Of course, working at the Canadian flagship store doesn't come without its hauls and gratis! Josie Maran Bare Naked Wipes | Sephora Professional Air Brush Picked these two up: I'm on my second pack of the Josie Maran wipes and they're amazing. Alcohol, paraben, sulfate and fragrance free, it's very gentle (and great for sensitive skin), and a portion of every package sold goes towards protecting the polar bear race. Beside it, the Sephora Professional air brush, which I've been using on clients for the past month, so I finally caved and bought it for myself. Amazing for liquid foundation to give a natural finish. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser | Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Cream Fresh gratis! I'm so excited to try out the soy face cleanser, as I've only heard great reviews on it! Fresh Seaberry Restorative Body Cream | Fresh Supernova Mascara | Fresh SPF 15 Sugar Lip Treatment The Fresh Lip Treatment I am very familiar with, and although the price is extremely high for a lip balm, it's honestly the only thing that works for chapped, dehydrated and cracked lips. Trust me, it's worth the price. Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté SPF 15 No. 27 My signature lip colour for the summer. I've been wearing this religiously, the colour is something perfect between lipstick pink and a neon coral. It's so creamy and smells like peaches! Bobbi Brown SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer (Extra Light Tint) | Bite Beauty High Pigment Matte Pencil (Zinfadel) Just purchased this tinted moisturizer earlier this week, because some days I don't feel like priming/setting/etc. my face after my skincare routine, so this is a healthy oil-free all-in-one. Bobbi Brown's tinted moisturizer is essentially a beauty balm without the anti-aging elements, but the titanium dioxide-based sunscreen will help prevent premature aging. Beside it, another lip product I'm absolutely infatuated with. Whenever I wear this at work, I get compliments. It's from Bite Beauty an all-natural Canadian lip brand that uses food-grade pigments for their colours. Each lip product contains the ingredient resveratrol, an antioxidant that helps plump the lips and acts as an anti-aging ingredient. It's definitely a brand worth checking out and falling in love with. Purse I picked up at the local thrift shop for only $5! The leather is so soft and it has golden lion heads adorning the front. Am in love with this find. My final piece for my last jewelry-smithing class. If you can read the Arabic, kudos.

Pantone Tangerine Tango

2012-06-08T11:48:00.004-04:00

Been up to mischief, and no one ever takes photos of that, so here's a single picture of the alien fetus ring I cast in my jewelry-smithing class and my neon orange nails.

SlutWalk Zine

2012-05-20T18:23:00.000-04:00

Apologies for the lack of updates for almost 2 months. It's been a busy transitional period for me, where I've been busy all-day every day. This is the first time in a long while that I get to sit down and update my blog.

Anyway, this is a zine I had to create for my summer course at McGill to hand in on Tuesday. The girl at the copy shop said she couldn't print it due to nudity, but I persuaded her.

March GlossyBox & Haul!

2012-04-04T17:20:00.000-04:00

Butterfly Weed Green Wisdom All-Heal Salve | Smith's Rosebud Salve
Two Faced Perfect Lips | Lancome Rouge in Love Lipstick in 340B Rose Boudoir

Swatches from left to right: Pandora's Box Blush, Perfect Lips, Rose Boudoir 340B
Some of the things I received in my March Glossy Box! I'm pretty happy with having subscribed for this box, since it's been the one Canadian beauty subscription box that's been consistently interesting with great products and service. This month's box came with: Evian Facial Spray, Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion (Love!), Sebastian Re-Shaper Hairspray, Pandora's Blush in St. Tropez (not great for my skintone), Bailey Fresh Lip Gloss, and Algemarin Foam Bath. For a good review, check out Aleeza's blog post!
Here are some of the things I received from Sephora last week, since March was my birthday month. I thought it was great that they were giving away such great products! Above are the Sugar Lip Treatments with SPF 15 and a sample for Boscia's BB Cream, which is a bit too olive for my skin-tone, but I'll probably try out fully on my face another day because the texture is lovely and almost watery.
An awesome gift from my partner: a series of HP Lovecraft's work. I'm in love with the cover artwork. Can't wait to fall into Cthulhu mythos this summer.

Also, check out Kimbra's music! If you're unfamiliar, I'm totally addicted!

NYC Haul: Alexander McQueen, Anthropologie, Bobbi Brown

2012-03-28T12:25:00.000-04:00

Last Friday I had the pleasure of driving down to Hoboken & NYC with my mum! We just arrived back home yesterday, which made the trip short-lived, but we crammed every day with different things. If you're ever on your way to NYC, I recommend stopping by Woodbury Commons, which is host to dozens of high-end outlet stores, including Chloe, Prada & YSL (which I frequented on more than one occasion). I also recommend checking out Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on Broadway. My mum and I caught this show, and it's definitely rated PG, but is pretty hilarious and completely different than any other show I've ever seen. Also, drag queens.

Anyway, below is my haul of what I brought home from NYC. I am so excited to share these with you, especially my big indulgence from Alexander McQueen.
I picked up this gorgeous rose gold snake ring from Vale Jewelry at a mini-market, sort of like a pop-up shop around 14th Street. It's so dainty and looks great with my gold snake head bracelet. Together with my sneak head bracelet from Bermuda. This wasn't purchased on my trip, but beforehand, and came in the mail yesterday upon my return. A gold-plated collar, I cannot even begin to explain how long I have been waiting and scouring the Internet and every H&M/Zara/Chloe/etc for one of these, finally, finally, I have one! Prepare for dominatrix fetish queen outfits inc. I also purchased ankle cuffs, because ever since I saw images of ankle cuffs on Tumblr, I have been searching for these too. I'm bringing gold hardware back. The only negative feedback I would have to give for these and the gold collar is that they are extremely malleable and the shape does not keep its original round form, so it's a constant struggle to mold it back into shape. I also hope these don't turn silver or become oxidized over time. Picked these up at Anthropologie & Bloomingdales! My first Bobbi Brown anything. This is her lip shine (SPF 15) in No 3, Papaya. It's so lovely and pigmented, and I like that it has sun protection because most lip products tend to leave that bit out! This is just a little mug I purchased at Anthropologie to put my Clairsonic in. Don't judge me >:( Another Anthro purchase. I only have three pairs of sunglasses: one pair of insane Lady Gaga sunglasses from Tokyo, one from Anthro, and this is my third. ... from Anthro. But I love the black top hardware and the shape fits my face perfectly without making me look like a county sheriff. Last! But certainly not least... my favourite (and biggest) purchase: An Alexander McQueen purse. It's quite a long story as to why I chose this purse, but it is perfection and I am so happy to have been able to bring it home. It's made of soft black leather with black canvas on the inside and comes with a gold skull lock (in-use on the right) When not in use, he chills like a badass on the front of the purse like a masterpiece from the heavens. FROM THE HEAVENS. So let me know what you think! I have an incredibly busy week coming up with the end of the semester winding down, so my posts may be a little less frequent, but you can bet you'll be seeing some dominatrix & skull inspired outfits coming up soon!

Outfit of the Day

2012-03-22T15:38:00.001-04:00

Reform Sleeveless Blouse | Anthropologie Jewel Necklace | Silence & Noise Pencil Skirt
Holt Renfrew Heels | Vintage belt
Burberry Body perfume, a gorgeous gift from my partner's mum for my birthday last Friday! Beside it, a gold case from Urban Outfitters that I found on sale to hold my business cards. They're two years old and really need to be updated, but I still think the design I created is mega cute. Some John Masters Organics products, a birthday gift from my wonderful brother! I tried them out last night and I'm completely in love. If you're interested in a well-designed, eco-friendly and 100% certified organic hair/skincare line, you should definitely check this brand out! Above: Pomegranate Facial Nourishing Oil | Calendula Hydrating Toning Mask
Porridge Lush soap, a gift from my partner & Clarins SPF 30 eye cream (technically a gift from my mum) for the coming summer days. Red roses from my partner ♥

It's been a bit of a strange week with all of the student protests happening downtown Montreal to combat tuition hikes. A lot of my classes have been cancelled, and this warm weather makes everything feel quite strange. It's usually raining or snowing during this time of year, yet today I'm wearing shorts & a t-shirt. Yesterday morning, I went in for an interview for the new Sephora opening on Ste-Catherine this summer - I'm so thrilled, whether or not I get to become a part of their team, getting to go through this process has made me so much a bigger fan of Sephora. If you guys haven't yet seen their new uniforms, you definitely should! They're designed by Prabal Gurung and look so gorgeous and classic.

Tomorrow, I'm off to NYC with my mum for a bit of a break from life! We're going to be hitting up Woodbury Commons on the way, since we're driving down, but if you have any recommendations for shops/restaurants/interests in NYC, please let me know! I will definitely try to check them out! And I'll be posting photos of the trip as soon as I get back next week!

Little update: One of my partner's friends, Adam, is a great graphic designer and digital artist and recently drew a portrait of David and I in Evangelion plugsuits! Check out the illustration on his DeviantArt. I love it so much! Now if I could get my hands on a real plugsuit...

Ugh ugh ugh, have you guys seen the new Hunger Games Nail Polish collection by China Glaze? I'm so tempted..! They're sold out almost everywhere, but you can pick them up at Nail Polish Canada and see more photos at Aleeza's blog!

Birthday Postu!

2012-03-17T18:55:00.001-04:00

See by Chloe Cardigan | Zana Bayne Necklace Harness
Reform Sleeveless Blouse | BDG Jeans | Vintage Purse | Browns Boots

Wore this to go out today with D to check out Mile End shops and just walk around. Such a beautiful day! Obligatory birthday photobooth! We did one last year too, I'm pretty sure!

Minimalist Love

2012-03-07T22:42:00.001-05:00

More at my site. Will be shooting Maude Nibelungen's collection this weekend at a beautiful outdoor location. The theme is Ice Queen, so wish us all good luck and kind weather!

China Glaze Magnetix Review

2012-02-29T11:46:00.000-05:00

A week ago I was sent two of the China Glaze Magnetix nail varnishes courtesy of Nail Polish Canada to review! I finally got around to trying them out on my fingernails today, and I wanted to share the results. These were the two colours I picked out. Instant Chemistry, which I applied to my nails today, a metallic plumb colour. The other is Attraction, a gunmetal colour. All of the polish names are in some way connected to magnetism (Drawn To You, Pull Me Close, Cling On, etc) which I found super cute. To my knowledge there are 6 different polish colours, which look beautiful on their own, or you can use the 3-in-1 magnet on them, which comes with three design options - star, stripes, or arrows. Here's the star design on my thumb! It looks gorgeous, especially with this plumby colour. And the rest of my nails - I tried to mostly do the stripes, because for some reason the arrow one was difficult to use with this particular colour. I've heard other reviewers claim that some designs work better with certain varnish colours, and I think that may be true, because with this particular colour (Instant Chemistry), the stripes definitely showed up the best.

According to China Glaze, you're supposed to put on one single coat and then immediately place the desired magnet over top of the varnish.. you have to do it quite quickly otherwise it will dry (on the plus side, this varnish dries ridiculously fast). I found it worked best with two coats, and that way you can make sure the first coat is shaped to your liking on your nails. If you're only interested in the colour without the magnetic effect, one coat is definitely opaque enough, and I'm not sure if this is unique to this collection, or due to the fact that I've never tried China Glaze polishes before, but their formula is awesome. It's not gloopy/thick or watery, and one coat applies perfectly sans-mess, and dries fully under a minute.

Overall, I think it's a really interesting concept that I find especially exciting since I've recently delved into the world of obsessing over nail varnishes. Anyway, if you live in Canada, the entire collection is available at the Nail Polish Canada website, and should be available at your local retailer in the US this March!

The Bay, H&M, YSL Haul & February Glymm Box

2012-02-27T15:47:00.000-05:00

My gold Minx nails that I got done last week. I was inspired to get these done by Ivania of Love Aesthetics, which has basically become my style bible for the past month. I've received a lot of compliments on them, and they're not so bad after a week - a bit shredded at the ends, but if that doesn't bother you, then I suggest trying them out!

They look so great with gold hardware accessories. And I've always been obsessed with gold - much more than silver. I find it's so rich and delicate and sexy. Quite possibly my favourite colour right now.

I picked up these sandals (??) from The Bay last week with my mum. She's a terrible influence, but I'm so happy I purchased them. I can't wait to wear them this spring, they look so minimalist and beautiful. They're by Vince Camuto and are available at The Bay if you live in Canada.

Also picked up some gold/silver/rosegold/black/white bobby pins from H&M. Again, digging gold as an accent colour. Pictured here with my rose gold Swan Song ring by BloodMilk Jewelry.

And my mum was so lovely last week - she got me this YSL lipstick in a beautiful nude coral colour. I've been searching for a perfect coral lipcolour for ages, and this one is gorgeous. YSL is a wonderful cosmetics brand if you have the funds to indulge!

Two nail varnish colours from Forever 21's cosmetics brand. They were $3 a pop, and I wanted to see if the glittery pink one would make a good dupe for Deborah Lippman's Some Enchanted Evening, although their colours are slightly off.

I was sent these China Glaze magnetic nail varnishes courtesy of Nail Polish Canada. I can't wait to try them out! I did on my toe nails, and they look lovely, but I'll put up a review post/video about how to use them, so that you can check out how they work.

And last but not least, my February Glymm box came in the mail. This is my last Glymm box, as I subscribed for 3 months worth of products, and I'm kind o glad. I've been consistently disappointed with Glymm and Luxe boxes, and have opted to subscribe to Topbox and Glossybox from now on!

The February Glymm Box included:
- Sula Natural Eyeshadow | Full Size (This came in a nude-y colour, which at first reminded me of NARS' Hungry Hearts palette, but pretty much just looks like powder foundation without sunlight)

- Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Hibiscus | Full Size (Cute full-size product. I'll never say no to a free lipbalm, despite my partner's absolute loathing of every lip-related product. Has the same consistency as other Burts Bees lip products, but is rather expensive at $8 for a lip balm)

- Glamglow Tingling & Exfoliating Mud Mask (Haven't tried this yet, but the sample size is absolutely tiny. I would opt to purchase Lush's Coalface Cleanser, which although isn't a mud mask, probably grants some of the same results for a fraction of the price)

- Mai Couture 2-1 Oil Blotting/Bronzing Papier (Pretty disappointed in this product. I know others received an on-the-go blusher product from the same company, but I do not have oily skin, and seeing as 100 sheets are $24, I think providing only 2 blotting sheets in this month's Glymm box is a bit stingy)

All in all, I'd rate this month's box around 4/10. I'd recommend Topbox or Glossybox if you live in Canada, as their products seem to be much better (as does their customer service!)

Skaði for Ann-Ya

2012-02-25T19:59:00.000-05:00

My little shoot for Ann-Ya | Hair & Makeup by Alexandra Apple | Model, Sophie (Folio) | Clothing c/o Ann-Ya
This was shot a couple of weeks back in the freezing Canadian winter. I couldn't take very many shots because the model was literally grey-skinned and trembling, but these are some of the shots I did manage to get. My first cross-processed set of photos, and although I do love the look of cross-processing, I don't think it worked too well with the Ice Queen/Space Witch look that was intended. Anyway, I love the makeup look Alexandra did - she's amazing at her craft! You can check out some of her work on her Facebook page. And, of course, please check out the amazing craftsmanship of Anja Verdugo, one-woman-creator/photographer/blogger/vintage seller of Ann-Ya. See some of her work here!

Ursa Major Ring

2012-02-17T11:52:00.002-05:00

This is my first completed project from my metalsmithing classes. I'm pretty happy with it, although it's difficult to showcase its daintyness on camera because it's so small! The ring is made of silver and was made from scratch by me. It took 9 hours to complete and has 3 different constellations on it. Above: Little Dipper. Big Dipper (Pisces Constellation) Northern Star and two connected constellations that represent me and my partner. Leo constellation for D. I also picked up a few things over the last couple of weeks! Orly nail varnish & notebook. Lush Karma perfume, which smells like God's feet IT'S AMAZING, GO SMELL IT. Sephora lash curler & Anastasia brow brush because I have had shitty eBay & Dollarama versions of these two products for the past three years, and they really needed to be replaced. I have to go to the Apple Store today, because my laptop charger broke (suddenly*). Hopefully my warrantee can replace it free-of-charge. At least this happened after mid-terms!

Outfit of the Day

2012-02-14T11:50:00.000-05:00

H&M Leather Skirt | See by Chloé Cardigan | FieldGuided Tote
American Eagle Jumper | Anthropologie Crystal Necklace | Aldo Booties

Outfit of the day from a few days ago, sporting my new leather H&M skirt. I've wanted a leather skirt for ages now and initially I had wished it was in black, but I kind of love this colour for spring! Will update later - this week is mid-terms... Work, work.