Beauty

bareMinerals Modern Pop

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bm-Modern-PopbareMinerals wasn’t a brand I usually gravitated towards, since a number of years back I thought all it consisted of was mineral products (ie: loose powdered products that was a recipe for disaster with my clumsy-self). But lately I’ve been thoroughly enjoying their lip products, and now trying out their eye shadows I’m a convert. One dab into the eye shadow pan and it packs on colour like nobodies business. So you can definitely say their colours are pigmented, and you only need to dip into the product with your brush ever so slightly to get this natural look — something I tend to go for on the regular.

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I’m going to walk you through the steps on how I created (yet another) natural look using some of the items in the bareMinerals Modern Pop collection.

bareMinerals-Complexion1. Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Repair: If I don’t apply an under eye cream my eyes get really dry. This is one of my 2 favourite eye creams that I’ll keep repurchasing.
2. philosophy Full of Promise: This is a firming neck cream, but I prefer to use it on my face when I have annoying dry patches that won’t even go away after exfoliating. It’s the epitome of moisturizing face creams and feels luxurious going on.
3. bareMinerals Complexion Rescue & Beauty Blender Sponge: A new foundation out by bareMinerals. It definitely has a strange consistency as it’s a gel cream formula. What I like best is its a no-mirror application type of coverage. It glides onto the skin but doesn’t give too much coverage unless you want to pile it on.

BeautyBlender-application1. Cle de Peau Concealer & Beauty Blender Sponge: I can’t believe I am almost out of my super expensive concealer. I will definitely head back to Nordstrom to pick this little fella up again. Like always, apply concealer in a triangle shape on the face and under the eyes to appear brighter. Blend in with beauty blender sponge for a natural creaseless look.
2. Nars bronzer (shade Laguna) & bareMinerals brush: I haven’t picked up another full sized bronzer by my favourite brand because I’m trying to use up some samples. I don’t mind this bronzer, but you have to apply using a light hand!
3. NYX Cream Blush (shade Glow): This was the cream blush colour I used on my wedding day. A favourite piece of makeup I cherish, and to achieve a healthy glow with a bit of pink to the cheeks.

Modern-Pop-eyeshadow1. bareMinerals Modern Pop eyeshadow (Modern Icon palette): Apply chic all over the lid, in the inner corner and on brow bone to lighten up the entire eye area.
2. Using the same palette dip your brush into the colour carefree and apply only to the crease of your eye for a pop of peach.
3. Finally, add a touch of the colour exhale to the outer corner of the eye to add depth and deepen up the lash area.

bareMinerals-SS20151. bareMinerals Lasting Line: Apply this shade to the lower lash line.
2. bareMinerals Lash Domination: I loved this mascara so much I gave one to my neighbour. She loves it too! It adds volume and whispy lengths to create a voluminious natural full look to your eyelashes.
3 & 4: I mixed up the two photos, forgive me! I applied bareMinerals lipstick in Express Yourself, and then for some added glossy shine I used bareMinerals cream glaze lip topcoat in a gorgeous vanilla cream colour.

The final look:Final-look-BM-Spring

bareMinerals products were sent for review.

 

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Beauty

Products I’ve Used Up

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Prouct-Empties-headerWelcome back for another Beauty Talk Tuesday. Today I’m going to show you the beauty products I have used up recently or what I’ll be throwing away even if they’re not completely empty. This is where things get real. It’s where I tell you if products are worth the hype, or simply don’t waste your money on. It takes me ages to finish a product up completely, so this type of post will probably be going up semi-annually.

Let’s jump right on in.

Miracle-WorkerPhilosophy Miracle Worker eye cream: It will take me 6-8 months to finish an eye cream when applying it each morning. Miracle Worker was first introduced to me when I went to Toronto for a philosophy event at Sephora, and I was hooked on the consistency as soon as I felt it. This will continue to be a staple in my makeup bag, as I’ve alrady gone through 2-3 tubes of this in the past. I do like to take breaks from products and switch them up, as I have more than one favourite of certain products. Right now I’m using my other #1 eye cream, the Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Repair, which is a completely different in texture, weight, and feel to the under eyes. Miracle Worker is more of a silicone feel, and Extra Eye Repair is more hydrating and sinks into the skin.

Jouer-BronzerJouer Bronzer: After using up two of these bronzers I have finally decided to go on and try something else. I apply bronzer heavily to my skin, year round due to personal preference — I like the healthy glow year round. I would continue to buy it again, it’s not too gray or orange and it lasted me a good 7 months. Unfortunately my local Nordstrom doesn’t sell this brand, so I have to order it on Amazon, or on the Jouer website.

Equate-wipes Equate-wipes-bonusEquate Makeup Remover Wipes: I’m going to lump these two facial wipes in with one another. The more blue packaged one is what I had been using regularly to remove my makeup, so I picked up a similar 2-pack when it was on sale. Out of the blue, the only thing that I had changed in my routine was using the whiter package set of wipes and the next morning I woke up with swollen puffy eyes. I’m not sure what happened with these since I had last used them, but they do not work with my skin any longer. 3 for 3, I tried them (all within a few weeks of each other because I wanted to clarify it was this and not another product). Sure enough, every time I used one of the two wipes above, puffy, flakey and sore under eyes the next morning. Not a nice sight! These are going straight to the garbage. I’m disappointed because I kept repurchasing the blue package one’s above, without fail — now they irritate my skin.

Dior-diorshowDior Diorshow Mascara: One of the most fantastic (yet expensive) mascaras I have for volumizing and lengthening your eyelashes. I prefer a drier mascara formula and this one is fantastic. I’ve gone through countless Diorshow mascaras, and I’ll continue to buy this product.

principessa-dry-shampooPrincipessa Beauty Dry Shampoo: I first found out about this coloured dry shampoo powder when I received it in a beauty subscription box a number of years ago. It was a small sample sized tin at the time, and I love enough to purchase this 4oz full sized tin for $24 at The Bay in Canada. You only need a light sprinkling of this to soak up any oil in your hair, and the tin has lasted me for 2 full years. I panicked when I ran out of it down here in the USA, but luckily found it on Amazon and what do you know — this product is Canadian-made in Vancouver! Represent! :)

purity-made-simplePhilosophy Purity Made Simple: Saving the best product for last. I can’t count how many times I have purchased the purity facial cleanser. This product will never leave my sink side, and if I have less than a quarter left in the bottle, I’ve already stocked up on the product at the store. I will never go without this, it’s gentle enough on the eyes (never stings) and removes all of my makeup. Occasionally I’ll use my Clarisonic Mia 2 with this to get a nice deep clean.

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Beauty, Daily, Photos, Reviews

Dior Kingdom Of Colors

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Dior-KOC-headerYou might notice my hair is almost like a black-brown in these photos. I contacted my old hair stylist in Canada, asking what she used on my hair in the past so I ordered all the products off Amazon, and dyed my hair on Sunday. What I failed to ask my stylist was how long to leave the product on my hair (since everyone’s hair is different, the directions aren’t always what you should follow). I applied the colour to the roots then directly on my ends hence the darkness, where as next time I am to not apply it to my ends until the last 5 minutes. And next time I won’t get this stark black-brown hair colour. Live and learn!

Since many expressed their liking to the style of photos I did for the last Beauty Talk Tuesday, I have decided to keep it up. Dior has a new collection out called Kingdom Of Colors, so using one of the palettes out of the collection, I thought I’d create a ‘look’ for you, and as always I prefer the more natural look. This one palette I am using from the collection is an all-in-one sort of deal. I used it for blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, and even lip color. Let’s get right into it!

Dior-Skincare1. Dior Capture Total Le Serum: Applying a serum to my face to keep my skin hydrated all day long.
2. Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Repair: I finally finished my bottle of philosophy eye cream, and now onto another favourite by Bobbi Brown. This one is fantastic for sensitive/dry under eyes.
3. Philosophy Hope In A Jar (Original): Love the whipped consistency of this face cream.

Dior-foundation1. Diorskin Nude Air foundation (shade: 020): A brand new foundation by Dior that helps create a healthy glow. It’s a liquidy product so you have to be careful not to let it run off your hands (if you apply it to the back of your hand before dabbing your brush into it like me). It blends into the skin seamlessly creating a natural everyday look. I would say it offers light-medium coverage and feels lightweight on the skin. Not heavy like other foundations.
2. Cle de Peau concealer (shade: beige): One of my most expensive makeup purchases to date. But I will continue to repurchase this concealer. As always, I apply in a triangle shape to brighten the under eye.
3. Diorskin Nude Air Powder: I’m not entirely sure what this did to my skin, but I applied it anyway. Supposedly its a healthy glow invisible powder.

Dior-bronzer-blush1. Diorskin Nude Air Tan Powder: This bronzer is well loved, but you need to use a light hand otherwise it can leave an orange cast onto the skin. With any makeup, you should blend out any harsh lines after applying.
2. Dior Kingdom Of Colors palette (blush): See the asterisk * for which product I used. A coral blush is always something I gravitate towards, and this palette definitely has it.
3. Dior Backstage Eye Prime (shade: 002): Priming my eyelids for eye shadow.

Dior-eyes1. Dior Kingdom Of Colors palette (eye shadow): Take the purple shadow and apply all over the eyelid. Then use the bronzer to add depth to the crease of the eye. Finally brighten up the eye using one of the whiter shades in the palette and apply to the tear duct ara.
2. Dior Kingdom Of Colors palette (eyeliner): To make lashes look fuller, I used the Dior cream eyeliner in the palette.
3. Clinique High Impact Mascara & Tweezerman Eyelash Curler: Curl the lashes, and apply generous coats of mascara.

Dior-lips-and-nails1. Dior Kingdom Of Colors palette (lipstick): Using the only shade of lipstick in the palette, use the brush to apply the berry pink shade to the lips.
2. Dior Kingdom Of Colors palette (lipgloss): I went for the clear gloss to add some shine to my lips without adding extra colour.
3. Dior Vernis (shade: Lady): To finish off the look, I added a polish from the Dior Spring collection.

The final look:Dior-Kingdom-of-Colors

Disclaimer: Dior products were sent for review. I never receive paid compensation for a blog post. Opinions are my own. 

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