Last week my bestfriend got me into the #PartyWithFlare Event with Coco Rocha for her new book, Study Of Pose, at World MasterCard Fashion Week – that's a lot in one sentence. Not only is Coco stunning; she also has this beautiful, welcoming personality – which, she probably gets from her parents, who were at the event as well. She discussed the troubles of getting a book featuring 1000 poses signed, but thankfully it happened – this thing is the 'model bible'. It's completely blacked out (page edges included) with small gold accents, and inside, 1000 glorious pages featuring Coco in a leotard striking a different pose each time. This is the ultimate coffee table book.
2. Bossy bitches like Chynna Rodgers
Life can fucking suck. But when you listen to a 19 year old like Chynna Rogers rap with so much confidence, and well, no fucks given, it's hard not to get in that same mentality. She's hard and has a song called Glen Coco. Enough said. Check her out here.
3. Flawless, matte skin
Whenever I want to look like a little porcelain doll and embrace my ghostly-ness I reach for my Chanel Vitalumiére Aqua Cream Compact. This high coverage foundation evens out my skin tone, completely hiding any imperfections. It is also extremely long-lasting, but I find that since my skin is so dry I need to refresh my foundation with a spritz of the Caudalie Beauty Elixir every few hours.
4. The glossy nude/pink lip
I love a lip that can go with anything, and the glossy nude/pink lip is just that. My favourite pairing of the moment is my YSL Rouge Pur Couture Pure Colour Satiny Radiance in Blonde Ingenu – noted as Lana Del Rey's nude lip of choice, alongside the YSL Golden Gloss in 10 Golden Peony (released in a LE set). This lipstick is gorgeous and it feels like you have nothing on!
5. Smudged lashes
When I first purchased the Dior DiorShow Mascara it was for my Mom and she hated it. And then it was passed on to me an I hated it. But for some reason I was brought back to it and over time the formula has dried up slightly, meaning it's coating my lashes in thick, sometimes clumpy mascara – and I'm loving it. I also love when I smudge the mascara a little too close to the lash line... am I going crazy?
Earlier this week I expressed my deep love for the MAC Viva Glamourous Lip Palette from their holiday collection [post seen here]. Well, I also bought one other palette from the Keepsakes Collection and unfortunately, while the packaging was beautiful the product itself wasn't all that. The MAC Beige Eyes Eyeshadow Palette ($47.50) is an 8-pan palette with warm-toned, neutral shades. It looks beautiful, inside and out. The black glitter somehow reads chic, and the cameo reminds me of my Mom. But the beads decorating the edges are rubber, meaning they are easily going to break off with the way I treat me belongings :|. The palette itself is also extremely small – each shadow is only 0.014oz, while they were 0.14oz the two previous years.
In terms of looking good on the inside, the shadows themselves present nicely in the pan – the shades work together well and there are a variety of finishes. Unfortunately they just don't live up to their pan glory – the majority of them are chalky and difficult to work with, and the first shade wouldn't even swatch on my arm.
THE SHADES
Her Mistress – a 'soft pastel egg' with a matte finish. This shade did not even swatch on my arm.
Sweet Sovereign – a 'frosty gold champagne' with a lustre finish. This was one of the better shades, and I'm sure that it would look stunning with the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre LongWear Luminous Eyeshadow in Emmervielle as a base.
Faire Maiden – a 'bright coppering gold' with a lustre finish. Another one of the decent shades, but it too definitely needs a colour base or primer.
Tempting -– a 'sinfully
rich coco' with a luster finish. This is my favourite shade from the palette and thankfully it performs well too. And lucky for me it's part of the permanent range.
Omega – a 'soft muted
beige taupe'. with a matte finish. Known as the 'brow shade' for blonde/light brunette girls everywhere, also part of the permanent range.
Quintessential – a 'dirty olive' with a frost finish. I kind of love this shadow – it gives off the 'wet' look, without the use of vaseline and the olive undertones are stunning.
Mystery – a 'muted
plum brown' with a satin finish. A dreaded shadow – bad colour payoff and not blendable.
Night Whisper – a 'rich black brown' with a velet finish, albeit not so rich. Again this shadow had horrible pigmentation and was so difficult to work with.
So although the packaging is beautiful and alluring, I would advise you to stay clear of this bad seed. There are far better palettes to purchase!
It's officially the last week of October and somehow my Halloween spirit has yet to kick in – maybe it's because I missed all that Fall feel-good stuff, like trips to Springridge Farm, pumpkin carving & breezy hikes. But there are two Halloween traditions that I will never miss out on; watching Hocus Pocus and themed nail art. This year the two went hand in hand as I was inspired to create a 'stitched' nail art design with Billy Butcherson's cross-stitched lips working as my muse. I knew that I wanted to use my new Julep Nail Polish in Dana, a white glow in the dark polish, which I received in the October Julep Maven Box because unless I'm headed to a rave, Halloween is the only time blacklight reflective polish makes any sense. I created the stitched effect in a matter of seconds with my Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art Striper in Black, keeping the lines rough & raw as if I was using a dull needle, just like Winifred Sanderson did.
Will you be donning Halloween-themed nail art this week?
When you catch word that your favourite cosmetics company is dropping a lip palette featuring 6 iconic colours you don't own, and every cent goes towards helping those with HIV/AIDS, you know you gotta pre-order it. The launch of the Keepsakes Viva Glamorous Lip Palette ($48) marks the first time MAC Cosmetics have released a palette featuring all 6 of the Viva Glam lipsticks. The shades are gorgeous, ranging from an outspoken matte red to a pearlized plum, and include:
Viva Glam I Lipstick - Intense brownish blue-red (Matte)
Viva Glam II Lipstick - Muted pink beige with shimmer (Satin)
Viva Glam III Lipstick - Muted brownish plum (Matte)
Viva Glam IV Lipstick - Neutral pink with pearl (Lustre)
Viva Glam V Lipstick - Midtone rose with gold pearl (Frost)
Viva Glam VI Lipstick - Terracotta plum with pearl (Lustre)
I had high hopes for this palette and it certainly did not disappoint; the shades are highly pigmented, swatch true to pan (swatched above I to VI), and there is a variety of finishes. I also love that I will no longer be considered the crazy lipstick lady with hoards of lipstick tubes in her purse – clearly this palette solves ALL my issues. But choosing a favourite seems next to impossible. The ferocity of Viva Glam I is everything to me today, but I also get a little woozy when I think about how perfectly girl-next-door Viva Glam V is. I guess that simply goes to show you that there is a lipstick for (nearly) every look and every girl in this palette.
The Viva Glamorous Lip Palette launched in stores Oct 23rd and there are still quantities left online. If you are at all interested in this palette, I highly suggest picking one up ASAP. They won't last long, proceeds go to a great cause, and this palette is seriously iconic. What are you waiting for?
I haven't been able to consider myself a 'fully functioning adult' until earlier this month. Why you ask? Well up until now I've been seriously avoiding committing to a skin care regime. It's not that I didn't have great skin care products, I did, and skin care is one of my favourite categories to purchase from. I just couldn't get behind the routine of it all. But now, on the verge of 25, I've finally come up with a morning regime that takes less than five minutes and has left my skin rejoicing. I wouldn't say that this is my 'be-all and end-all' skin care regime – I'm still on a hunt for the perfect moisturizer – but it's pretty damn close.
Those of you who followed THE PRETT¥ VAIN pre-makeover will know that this is, and most likely will forever be, my HG face wash. I grew up using Cetaphil, one of the gentlest cleansers on the market, and now, years later, I consider Purity to be it's high-end older sister. The pH-balanced formula dissolves dirt and makeup with ease – I never feel the need to use a makeup remover – and never leaves my skin feeling tight.A great option for those with sensitive skin or anyone on the search for a gentle cleanser.
With a fan base that includes Liv Tyler, Karlie Kloss and Victoria Beckham you know that the Beauty Elixir simply has to be worth the hype. This part-toner, part-serum mist of essential oils and plant active ingredients instantly wakes my skin up leaving me refreshed and radiant for the day. It's not often that a skin care product can deliver such immediate results, but I truly notice lackluster skin on days when I forget to spritz. I even carry a travel-sized version with me at all times to wake me up when I'm looking bogged down.
This is the first full-sized serum I've ever purchased, and to be honest I probably would have doubted purchasing it more had it not come complete with a travel-sized Beauty Elixir in Caudalie's Instant Radiance Set. This highly concentrated serum is dispensed via a dropper and contains Viniferine, a molecule collected from grapevine sap, which is 62x more powerful at minimizing the appearance of dark spots than Vitamin C. I wouldn't say that I have an abundant level of dark spots, however during that dreadful time of the month I get pimples which always result in discoloration. I've been using the Vinoperfect Radiance Serum for about 3 weeks now and have already noticed a decrease in these areas, resulting in a more even skin tone. It also is brilliant at increasing radiance, which is my main goal in skincare and life – I was born to shine.
Sheer Transformation is the only product in my routine I'm still on the fence about. In some regards I absolutely love it; the oil-free, lightweight formula feels great on my skin, and completely disappears almost immediately. However, with a name like sheer transformation you would expect just that. Albeit loaded with potent ingredients like vitamin C, licorice, sugar cane and multifruits AHA's, I've yet to notice a difference in my skin that I can attribute to this moisturizer. It hasn't led my skin astray and certainly hasn't created any new issues but I know in my heart that this simply will not proved the protection my skin needs for the harsh winter ahead.I may revert back to my previous love, Origins A Perfect World, but I'd love to hear what moisturizer you guys suggest!
A brief history on my life with Avocado: when I was in Grade 8 I was obsessed with becoming a biochemist and was constantly re-creating beauty recipes from the internet, my favourite was an avocado, honey and olive oil hair mask. Flash forward to University where my roommate got me addicted to avocado slathered on toast with salt and pepper. And now I use the Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado (of course) to help brighten my under eye region. The formula is truly unique; the look and feel of this treatment is that of a cream... until you start to work it into the under eye area, at which point is takes on a water-like texture, absorbing instantly. I've noticed a decrease in the darkness of my under eye circles and an increase in moisture, which means it'll be a few more years before I start noticing those dreaded crows feet. Thanks Avocado :)
Some days it feels like a mountain of makeup is the only solution to tired eyes, but instead I turn to the GlamGlow BrightMud Eye Treatment. I don't use this treatment on the regular since it is quite a steep price point, but on days when I look and feel like a zombie it is the only product that will revert me back to human form. The treatment itself only takes 3 minutes and requires absolutely no water. You simply 'tap' it onto the under eye region, wait 3 minutes and wipe it off with a clean cloth. The brands Tapwipe™
Bioactive Mud works immediately to brighten and hydrate the under eyes to make you look and feel as good as new.
What products complete your morning skincare regime?
