Sheer Creme Colour in Pearl Glow Veil ($22US) is a beauty. It gives the most beautiful glow to the face when applied to the cheekbones and centre of the nose. It is sheer, easy to blend and does not feel drying or greasy. There is also a Bronze Veil and Pink Cheek Veil available. All are limited edition.

The new Lip Glaze in Soft Pink ($20US, Limited Edition) looks dark in the swatch. On my lips it turns into a beautiful nude shade, very luscious!  I did have to use a brush to apply this and it was very smooth to apply. On the lips, it feels ultra comfortable and is not sticky or greasy (Hooray!). It contains emollient oils and Monoi de Tahiti Butter, which has been great for my dry lips.

I was also able to try a Second Skin Cheek Colour in Soft Iris ($24US), a new permanent colour introduced as part of the collection. What struck me instantly was how butter soft the powder is. I don’t think I have any blush that is this smooth. This blush gives such a beautiful glow-from-within colour to the cheek.

Finally, I tried one of three Limited Edition Eye Shadows ($24). The colour Seashell Pink is perfect for a sheer wash of colour on the lids. Like the blush, this is buttery smooth and easy to blend. I am dying to try more colours from Laura Mercier now after this experience.

Now for the swatches (left to right: Pearl Glow Veil, Soft Pink Lip Glaze, Soft Iris Cheek Colour, Seashell Pink Eye Colour)

Another cool thing about the packaging is that each can be snapped out to fit into Laura Mercier’s signature 3 and 6 Custom Compacts.This makes it easy to create your own customized palette, which is also great for travel.

The Portfolio Animation collection is available at Laura Mercier counters starting March 2012.

Have you tried Laura Mercier? If so, what products do you suggest? If not, what would you like to try? I’m still dying to get my hands on her Tinted Moisturizer. 

Disclaimer: products sent for consideration. See Policies for more info.

The moment I tried it on, it was love. Don’t you love how we try on bags?

The bag has been dubbed the Pippa because Pippa Middleton has been spotted carrying it on several occasions in several colours. The bag is in high demand with waiting lists in the UK, US and now here in the Great White North. For me it is the perfect bag. It’s leather, it’s got structure and many pockets and zippers to stow all the lipstick I carry. Kidding. Sort of.  I love the pop of colour it gives to any outfit.  It’s become my statement bag though it seems to go well with almost any outfit, casual or workwear. It’s a bag you have to wear with pride….just like a bright orange lipstick!

Great segue to the topic of lipstick or what?

When I got the bag, I instantly thought of my favorite orange lipsticks:

Covergirl Blast Flipstick in Stunner- on one end you have a bronzey orange tone and the other a brighter orange coral. Each lipstick can be worn on its own or blended together for a completely different look. I have a full review of this and other colours coming soon! Below I have worn it with both colours blended together.

MAC Crazee (below) – this is a reddish orange with a hint of shimmer. Absolutely stunning statement lip.

MAC Neon Orange – I’ve featured this before. This is indeed neon and orange and not for the faint of heart. You can dab it on for a less intense effect.

Will you be embracing orange?

For me, a signature looks makes me feel like me still but enhanced.

It’s makeup I reach for on the days I’m too tired or lazy to think about what to put on my face. There’s no need to find eyeshadows for the crease or inner tear duct, nor highlighter for the cheekbones and bronzer to contour. For me, this is the slap-it-on-but-look-put-together kind of look.

I went with my signature look today:  black gel liner, pinky/peach or pinky/mauve blush, neutral lip colour, and mascara.

For my signature look, the colours are always on the neutral side and there is almost always black gel liner involved. Lipstick is more muted like a pink or a peach but not nude or else I  end up looking like a zombie from the Walking Dead.

Here’s a product run-down in case you were interested:

Foundation: MUFE Primer, HD Foundation #127

Blush: Benefit Hervana (review to come!)

Eyeshadow: BootyCall from UD Naked 2

Mascara: MUFE Smokey Lash

Gel liner: MAC Blacktrack

Lipstick: Chanel Mademoiselle

Over to you, what is your signature look?

Impassioned is often described as an amped-up fuchsia or neon watermelon. On me, it is definitely  neon even dabbed on lightly as I did today.  Love it. It is a colour that can look wonderful on a variety of skin tones — but it is definitely not for the faint of heart. With Impassioned, it’s go bold or go home. No in-between.

Wearing it today, I felt fantastic. It added oomph to my  ‘mom uniform’ of dark jeans, black cardi and striped black and white shirt, and black boots. It also paired well with my cherry coloured nails, Revlon Cherries in the Snow.

Have you tried Impassioned? Or would you try it?

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I never actually jumped on the Black Honey lipstick bandwagon though I do have a Black Honey gel liner (I think!). I might have to rethink my stance as I’ve been enjoying these new colours. The hues range from natural nudes to pretty pinks to violets and reds.

Since these are so sheer,  your natural lip colour will shine through (see below) so each lipstick will look different on each person. Since I tend to favour bolder colours, I was naturally drawn to the brighter colours in the bunch such as Flirty and Luscious Honey.  For someone like me who’s used to more pigmentation, these were definitely very sheer. It does pack a punch in terms of shine, and the tint of colour adds a nice dimension. I guess you can get a similar effect with gloss but these don’t have the sticky or tacky feeling of many glosses, and the ability to apply like a lipstick makes it easy peasy.These felt very comfortable to wear though I do wish they had better staying power. I had to keep reapplying though maybe part of that is because I am used to more colour.

Overall, I think these are for you if you are a fan of Black Honey or prefer more of a sheer and glossy formula for lipsticks.

As for yours truly, I do like them though I think I’ll get more wear out of these in the warmer weather. I’m thinking already about the beach, and how nice these will be to throw into my beach bag. Summer can’t come soon enough, yes?

The new Almost Lipstick shades ($18) are available now at Clinique counters and on Clinique.ca.

Tell me: have you tried Black Honey? What are your thoughts on sheer lipsticks?

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Disclaimer: product sent for consideration. See policies for more information.

From a fashion standpoint, I’m obsessed with this purse from Modalu London. It’s called the Pippa bag. Pippa Middleton has been photographed so often with this bag that they decided to jump on Pippa’s popularity and named the bag after her.  I’m lusting after the orange or grey. At this point, I’ll take any colour!

I’m still drooling over Stella & Dot jewellery since I got my hands on a few pieces last month. Topping my wish list now is the Leona pendant necklace, but I want so many other pieces.

Okay, now on to makeup. I’ve been fortunate to be able to test a lot of new products but yet I keep wanting to buy more. Take for instance, Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed. Tiffany from WillworkforMakeup has said it is exactly like Blushbaby from MAC. I’ve also heard it is like Douceur by NARS, which I also have. Yet I still want this. Like today.

The same goes for the NARS Lhasa eyeshadow. Do I really need another taupe? No, but I want this one. As Michelle at BeautyEditor.ca said recently, ‘for serious.’

When will the insanity of wanting more stop? Do I want it to stop? Maybe. Sort of…..No.

Right.

It’s not a colour I’d normally gravitate towards especially just by looking at the bottle, but on the nails, it’s gorgeous. OPI calls this colour rose but to me it’s more like a dark peach. It’s a nice change from pink and red. I see it as a neutral with ooomph!

Don’t judge my mani please. There’s a reason why I’m not a nail polish blogger. I appreciate and love good nail polish but very much a dunce at application

Gouda Gouda Two Shoes is part of the OPI Holland collection for Spring/Summer 2012. I have a couple other polishes from this collection to show you. Stay tuned!

What colours are you gravitating towards lately for nails?

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BB (Beauty Balm) creams originated in the medical field as a preparation base for foundation to help cover scars and blemishes. The formula has since been adapted to make it an all-in-one multi-benefit skin care and complexion corrector. It’s been widely popular in Asia for years, and it is now making waves in North America.

In Canada, Marcelle has launched the first-Canadian made BB Cream. The cream can be used as a moisturizer, tinted corrector and make-up base. According to Marcelle, the BB cream “perfects the skin to reveal a more even epidermis and well-hydrated, flawless complexion, all in one.” It is apparently geared for any age and skin-type. Available in two shades, the cream has self-adjusting pigments that can transform and adapt to different skin tones.

My Experience

I found that cream blended well with my skin tone. I think it did a good job at making my skin look even and smooth. That said, I do prefer medium to full coverage foundation so for me this doesn’t do the trick in terms of the coverage I need. It is nice though for days when I don’t feel like wearing too much on my face. Here is the before, after with BB Cream, and then the after after with the rest of my makeup.

I think it works very well as a primer, helping to make my foundation stay put. I also think it does a decent job of added moisture, especially as my skin tends to be drier in the winter.

The product has a pump which is handy for application. I usually pump out some product on my hand before applying to my face. For some reason though, I have to be careful when doing this as I’ve had two incidents where I squirted the product on my clothing.

My experience has been pretty positive with this BB Cream from Marcelle. It’s a good product for those who prefer to wear tinted moisturizers or are looking for a good primer. I think it’s something moms-on-the-go might want to consider.

What do you think of BB Creams?

For more info, visit Marcelle.

Disclaimer: Product sent by manufacturer for consideration only. See Policies for more information.

These palettes are ingenious — they show you exactly where to place the products, i.e.  highlighter, blush and bronzer. There is a number system on the back of the package, but you can also see quite clearly just by looking at where the colours are placed on the package. The powders are pigmented, smooth and blend beautifully. There is no shimmer to these, making them appropriate for any age.

I’m partial to Blissful, which to me seems to be a cooler toned palette. The other one, Angelic, is beautiful too but I reach for Blissful more often.  I find Angelic is a tad dark for me so I have to use a light hand. I don’t think these have been released yet in Canada so keep your eyes peeled! I’m sure price points will be, like other Avon products, very affordable .

Case in point are the eyeshadow palettes from Jillian Dempsey, priced at $9.99. The one below is a purple-lovers dream. Smooth and easy to blend, the shadows are packaged so beautifully. I haven’t seen anything quite like this, have you?

One drawback is the staying power — these didn’t last long on my lids without primer. The purple tones in this palette are beautiful — they are perfect for easy and sophisticated daytime looks or smokey purple evening looks. There are other colour palettes available, and in my opinion, worth a look.

Have you tried anything by Jillian Dempsey for Avon?

For more info, visit Avon here.

Disclaimer: Products sent for consideration. See policies for more information.

Founded in Germany, Glossybox is a monthly subscription beauty service that sends members beauty and cosmetics products on a monthly basis. Similar services in Canada include Luxe Box and Top Box.

The cost of this service is $15 a month, with no additional charges for taxes, shipping or handling. According to Glossybox, all boxes will contain five deluxe samples, helpful information like makeup tips and tricks, and the opportunity to get a 6th surprise item that could show up at anytime.  Glossybox also rewards you if you review a product. For every review survey you do, you will receive 20 GlossyDots and with 1,000 GlossyDots, your next box is free. Interesting yes?

The February box contains:

- Ahava’s Mineral Hand Cream

-Elizabeth Grant Moisturizing Stick

-Essie’s Neo Whimsical polish

-Oscar de la Renta Live in Love body lotion

-Elizabeth Arden Prevage Night Anti-Aging Restorative Cream

*Bonus item: Beauty So Clean Cosmetic Sanitizer Wipes and Mist

I was impressed by the February box, particularly enamored with the Essie polish — so pretty and pink. I’m also excited about the Elizabeth Grant Moisturizing stick and the Beauty So Clean products. The packaging is also super cute and I think will come in handy for makeup storage.

Overall, however, I’m still on the fence with subscription services like this. I do get why they would appeal to many women but again, I wonder if the monthly costs will always equal consistency in terms of the products included.

If I wasn’t in a no-buy I’d subscribe to all of them just to see. Tell me, what do you think of subscription services? Yay or Nay?

Check out GlossyBox Canada on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclaimer: Product sent for consideration. See Policies for more information.