Needful Things - pink makeup from Fenty Beauty, Trinny London and Korres!

 

I went to see the Barbie movie a couple of weeks ago (excellent, highly recommend!) and while I was totally into the the whole dress all in pink thing to see the movie, I realized that my closet contains a whole lot of neutrals and no pink! 

 

No problem, my makeup collection has more then enough pink to make up for it - and this is what I went with...

 

Fenty Icon Velvet Liquid Lipstick in Pink Limo Scene - $43 - a luxe and whipped liquid in vivid hot pink  with a velvet-matte finish that won't settle into fine lines or dry out your lips.

 

Available online at fentybeauty.com.

I balanced out the bold lip with a more subdued eye:

 

Trinny London Eye2Eye in Joy - a shimmering blossom pink moisture enriched cream shadow - I love this one (the whole line really) because I am such a lazy morning makeup person and all you have to do is swipe a bit of this across your lid with a finger and it adds perk and polish with zero effort! 

Available online at trinnylondon.com/ca.

Korres Gel Effect Nail Colour in Candy Pink - $15 - a uniform gel veil with sweet almond oil that dries in less than 60 seconds, without the use of a UV lamp, to become the dazzling shield of colour - I confess I put this on in the car - it really did dry fast and even with the hurried application there was no chipping for over a week!

Available online at korres.com.

- Lisamarie -

Fragrant Friday - Paco Rabanne Lady Million Royal & 1 Million Royal

Feeling regal? Then does Paco Rabanne ever have a new fragrance for you...

Paco Rabanne Lady Million Royal - 50ml EDP - $112, 80ml EDP - $138 - a fruity floral fragrance with a top note of pomegranate; a white flowers heart of jasmine, sambac, tuberose and orange blossom; and a woody, ambery and musky base of cashmeran.

I personally smell more of the fruitiness of the pomegranate in this and get less of a floral vibe, which is good for me as I'm all about the fruit - it dries down very warm on me with a hint of sweet so I'm a fan.

Paco Rabanne 1 Million Royal - 50ml - $112, 100ml - $142 - an amber woody fragrance for men with top notes of cardamom, tangerine and bergamot; heart notes of lavender, sage and violet leaf; and base notes of benzoin, cedar and patchouli. 

 

I tested this out on someone who is a fan of the original 1 Million but hasn't cared much for any of the follow up fragrances and he describes it as a more mature version of the original as well as having really impressive longevity!

Accents of regal red have been added to the iconic bottles which are bling-y enough for King Henry the Eighth himself but still sustainable enough for Alicia Silverstone - both formulas are totally vegan and comprised of 79% of ingredients of vegetal origin - cows happy, carrots sad!

Available at Hudson's Bay, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sephora, Jean Coutu and London Drugs stores across Canada.

There isn't really a new commercial for them - just a tacked on blurb at the end of the original 1 Million/Lady Million one - and honestly the whole time I have been doing this, I've had Lorde's Royals song running through my head so here you go, it can live in your head too!

 

- Lisamarie -

This week I'm obsessed with...Belif Aqua Bomb PHA Exfoliating Toner Pads!

Exfoliate, soothe and hydrate all in one clever little pad with...

 

Belif Aqua Bomb PHA Exfoliating Toner Pads - 150ml (70 pads) - $32 - diminish dry, flaky patches to reveal brighter and smoother skin with a formula of 2% polyhydroxy acid - smooths and exfoliates dead skin; bakuchiol - nature's retinol for the skin for fine lines; hyaluronic acid - to hydrate; and centella asiatica - to soothe.

The pads are double sided: the embossed side helps slough away dead skin cells and excess oil while the smooth side offers gentle skin refinement and hydration. 

 

Nothing feels better on your tired skin after a long day and of course the jar container means they are super portable - so take them everywhere! Just keep in mind if you have sensitive skin that you might have to work up to daily use, try using them just a few times a week at first until your skin adjusts.

Available now at Sephora stores across Canada and online at sephora.ca.

- Lisamarie -

Fragrant Friday - Scentbird - the best in fragrance subscription boxes!

Remember a few years back when subscription boxes were all the rage? I loved them - it was a great way to try new products that I might never have gotten around to because who wants to go all the expense of buying something full sized and hating it?! Sadly, ever increasing Canada Post rates drove most of the subscription services out of business here so I was thrilled to discover a wonderful fragrance service...

 

Scentbird - offering the perfect way to discover new fragrances without buying a full-sized bottle - and they deliver to Canada! Every month, they deliver a generous sized sample (each bottle is 8ml or about 120+ sprays - enough to apply 4 sprays daily for 30 days) of an authentic designer or niche fragrance of your choice straight to your mailbox! Once you start a subscription, you can browse all of the perfumes on Scentbird’s site and add different fragrances to your queue for future shipments. Each month a fragrance from your queue will be sent to you and if you leave your queue empty, Scentbird will just send you its Fragrance of the Month.

All you have to do now is pick some scents - having this much choice though can be hard! To help with this you can take the Scent Profile quiz which will then recommend a bunch of scents they think you will like. 

 

Or if you are like me and still find the choice overwhelming there are other fun ways to find fragrances you might like - I went with the Horoscope option which gave me 12 choices for Taurus in 2023 - several of which contained notes that I love - and as it turns out they were excellent choices for me once I smelled them - discover new fragrances is my favourite part - I am especially thrilled receiving English Laundry Oxford Bleu - a brand/fragrance I was not at all familiar with before and now don't want to live without!

No more spending $80+ on a bottle of fragrance that you might not like after the first few uses - the subscription cost is very reasonable: 1 item per month: $16.95 USD, 2 items per month: $27 USD ($13.50 USD per item) 3 items per month: $37 USD ($12.33 USD per item) And you’re not limited to just fragrances - there are also full-size makeup and skincare products for you to choose from as your monthly product selection. There are no hidden fees or shipping costs for subscribers in the USA and its territories. Subscribers in Canada will pay $4.99 USD for shipping.

 

They also have a great Instagram page - if you are around Monday (August 1st) be sure to tune into DS & Durga x Scentbird Instagram live takeover at 11:45 am EST (8:45 am PST). Come listen to the founders of DS & Durga David Seth Moltz and Kavi Ahuja Moltz talk about their collection, partnership with Scentbird, new product launches, and more.

 

Your fragrance adventure starts at scentbird.com - enjoy!

 

- Lisamarie-

This week I'm obsessed with... Maelys Get-Dreamy Overnight Toning Body Whip!

Ahhhh summer - of course I love it but it does have a downside - mainly that all of that skin that I got to hide with layers of  winter clothes now gets uncovered - and it may or may not be fit for public viewing... 

 

Here to help:

Maelys Get-Dreamy Overnight Toning Body Whip - 200ml - $64 - a clinically proven overnight toning whip that helps to smooth and tighten the look of skin, reduce the look of cellulite and reduce skin roughness.

 

The paraben, SLS and phthalates free formula contains milk thistle & uva-ursi leaf extract to help smooth the look of areas of concern; passion fruit seed oil to provide hydration to the skin and protection from environmental stressors;  and drops of melatonin and valerian to get you you in the sleeping mood. The premise is just to massage it into problem areas before bed and let it do its work while you sleep.

I can't argue with the name, the scent is dreamy and I am thoroughly convinced that it makes me sleepy but it is not a miracle worker that eliminated problem areas while I slept... it did however improve things by making my skin smoother and more moisturized which does help it look better - the cellulite and imperfections aren't gone but they are less noticeable and with regular use I expect to see even more improvement!

 

Available online at maelyscosmetics.com.

 

- Lisamarie -

Fragrant Friday - Avon Haiku Sunrise

Avon introduces a new sun-inspired scent that is set to illuminate your life...

 

Avon Haiku Sunrise - 50ml EDP - $35 - a woody floral fragrance with top notes of wild fig, watermelon and Madagascar black pepper; heart notes of fresh coconut water, sweet rhubarb and marine accord; and base notes of warm cedarwood, cashmere woods and amber.

 

I'm not sure what a sunrise specifically should smell like but this could be it - it's very outdoors-y and fresh which would be a very logical way for a sunrise to smell and a perfect summer scent!

Available now at avon.ca.

- Lisamarie -

Fragrant Friday - Paco Rabanne Fame Blooming Pink

What's pink and gold and as joyful of an armful of blooming flowers...

 

Paco Rabanne Fame Blooming Pink - 80ml EDP - $165 - a warm floral fragrance with top notes of succulent, 100% natural origin mango and fresh bergamot; heart notes of bright jasmine from Grasse and olibanum; and sensual and warm base notes of incense - sustainably sourced in Somaliland, vanilla and sandalwood.

 

I like the top and base of the fragrance but the jasmine really stands out making it a little too floral for my taste - it smells very pretty and feminine which isn't my jam but jasmine lovers will likely appreciate it. On the other hand, do I love the glittery pink pastille dress on this collector edition bottle? You know I do!

Available now at Hudson's Bay, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sephora and Jean Coutu stores across Canada.

- Lisamarie -

This week I'm obsessed with... Fenty Beauty Match Stix Color-Adaptive Cheek + Lip Stick!

Your summer makeup routine just became a lot easier thanks to...

 

Fenty Beauty Match Stix Color-Adaptive Cheek + Lip Stick in Strawberry Pop - $42 - a hydrating multi-use gel-stick that uses color-shift technology to bring out the most flattering universal rosy color of cheeks and lips for all skin tones with a moisturizing formula that applies evenly and smoothly for a soft dewy finish.

 

These adaptive colour products are hard to do properly - I find you usually end up with either something too pale to show up on most or so vibrant that it looks scary on pale skin. Rihanna got it right with this one - I tried it out on several different skin tones (yes, people do scatter when they see me approach with the product du jour and that gleam in my eye) and it looked lovely on everyone - nothing crazy just a nice flush of colour! If you decide you need this in your life, don't delay, it's limited edition and I think it's going to sell out!

Part of the Fenty Beauty Summatime Collection the rest of which is also worth checking out:

Poutsicle Hydrating Lip Stain in Gem And I and Fuchsia Wife - $40 - for a wet-look shine and a soft stain of colour; and Fenty Icon Semi-Matte Refillable Lipstick in Nosy Rosy, Tropic Doll and Miss Candy Venom - $26 - long-lasting universal shades with a creamy, semi-matte finish - paired with a matching Summatime Edition Case - $20 - get it on the fentybeauty.com site and you can also score yourself a Summatime Water Bottle - $35 - staying hydrated has never been so pretty as with this lightweight aluminum bottle - it holds 500ml and has a clip fastener to help you not forget it!

 

Available at Sephora stores across Canada and online at sephora.ca and fentybeauty.com while it lasts. 

- Lisamarie -