January 31, 2012

New and Notable at Shoppers Drug Mart - Playboy, Armani, Nicole by OPI and Marcelle

Playboy Play It Rock - 30ml EDT - $25 - with top notes of juicy blood orange, sugary candy apple and saffron; a floral heart of sun-kissed orange flower, luscious passion flower and sultry frangipani; and a base of voluptuous patchouli, black ebony, succulent vanilla and fleur de cuir.

You can imagine that I love the fruity and sweet notes - what really impresses me is the lasting power of such a reasonably priced fragrance!
Armani Acqua di Gioia Essenza - 50ml EDP Intense - $77 - with top notes of amalfi lemon, pink pepper and mint; a heart note of jasmine; and base notes of virginia cedar, cashmeran and sugar.

The original Acqua di Gioia was a little too floral for my taste - this one cuts it with more sweetness so I'm a fan!
Nicole by OPI Shoppers Drug Mart exclusive shades - $10.99 - Pink. Seriously - hot pink; I Love You Cherry Much - romantic red; Great Minds Pink Alike - heavenly pink; Look at Me Look at Me! - silvery-rainbow sparkle; That’s Totally Red-ical! - apple-red; Purple Yourself Together Snap out of it! - polished purple.
Marcelle Reinforcils Waterproof Eye Make-Up Remover - 100ml - $17.50 - an oil free gel which removes waterproof make-up without the gross oily film. Also contains a lash fortifying complex made up of: Lactolan - which stimulates and regenerates lash roots while protecting and repairing for more beautiful eye lashes; Widelash - reinforces lashes to limit fall-out and conditions them so they appear longer, thicker and stronger; and Provitamin B5 - an emollient that calms, softens and hydrates skin.
Marcelle Duo Brow-PRO - $14.95 - in dark, brunette and blond - a double ended product with a slanted, waterproof pencil on one end and a lightly tinted, natural hold gel with a brush on the other.
Marcelle Cream Eye Shadow + Liner - $13.95  - in 8 shades: Enchantmint - mint green; Wisteria - purple; Ballerina - pink; Vanilla Ice - cream; Sunstone - golden; Taupe du Jour - taupe; Sea Breeze - green blue; and Cloud-9 - blue - one side offers waterproof, smudge-proof, transfer-proof and crease resistant colour that will last you 9+ hours! With a formula is creamy and glides on without tugging at your eyelids which also makes it perfect for lining. On the other end is a blending sponge to help smudge the line or blend the shadow.
Marcelle Xtension Plus Mascara - $12.50 - for extreme lash and ultimate curl with a specially developed polymer brush that defines and separates lashes while minimizing clumping and increasing lash length by coating each and every lash. One side of the brush offers a row of longer bristles that grab even the smallest lash and stretches them from root to tip up to their maximum potential with a tapered end that eases dispersion even on those hard to reach lashes.

- Lisamarie -

L'Oréal has your perfect red for Valentine's Day!

Nothing says Valentine's Day like red lips and for many men, including my husband, the redder the better! What's nice about the L'Oréal products below is you can layer them for maximum red impact or use them individually for red that's a little less dramatic and intimidating!
L'Oréal Colour Riche Lip Liner in Always Red - $10.99 - the perfect base coat for your ravishing red look or use it alone for a more sheer red look. Using a lip liner as my sole lipcolour is something I do often and normally I would recommend that you apply a lip balm over top as they tend to be drying. With this one though, that won't be necessary, it's plenty moist all on its own!
L'Oréal Colour Riche Le Gloss in Ravishing Red - $10.99 -this is my favourite red lipgloss - it's super shiny and sparkle free. Perfect to wear on it's own or layered over lipstick!
L'Oréal Infallible Le Rouge Lipcolour in Ravishing Red - $12.99 - apply liberally for "look at me" red lips or use as a stain for a less dramatic look - for stain, just apply and blot most of the colour off, then repeat - voila instant, easy stain!

Are you a fan of the red lip look? Let us know your favourite product for the perfect red!

- Lisamarie -

OPI Holland collection - Red Lights Ahead...Where?, Kiss Me On My Tulips and Did You 'Ear About Van Gogh? swatches!

Here's some more pretty swatches from the OPI Holland collection - if you missed the previous ones, you can find them here and here!
Red Lights Ahead...Where? - coral packed red or as my husband described it upon seeing it on my nails, Holy Day-glo Batman!
Kiss Me On My Tulips - hot pink
Did You 'Ear About Van Gogh? - sandy bisque

Check back next week for the final swatches and every day too because I miss you when you're not around...

- Lisamarie -

January 30, 2012

Mascara Monday - Dior Diorshow New Look Mascara

Diorshow New Look Mascara - $35 - is a brand new addition to the Dior mascara range being introduced with the Dior New Look Makeup Collection -  it multiplies volume lash by lash with a new intelligent nano-brush made of supple rubber and resistant plastic allowing for easy application and ultimate precision.The lower part of the brush is made up of four reservoirs and rows of separating spikes which load lashes from the root while allowing for maximum extension. While the upper part of the brush has a "lash catcher" micro-head which slips into the slightest gap to catch every lash, even the very shortest.

As well it has Lash Multiplier serum formula which instantly thickens and extends lashes with a polymer that adds stretch and volume enhancing properties to help coat each lash for extreme thickness, stretch and curl. And for long term benefits, the formula is also enriched with fortifying royal jelly extract which acts at all stages of the lash life cycle to reinforce lashes over time for a thicker fringe. For added drama is the intense colour effect obtained from an exclusive 3D effect, Dior Black Glass pigment which is coated with light-reflecting particles for a magnifying effect that increases the depth and shine of the colour. With a formula that dries quickly and won't smudge.
I really like the small brush which I find easy to control and is much less likely to accidentally bump your skin. I also like that it comes in a choice of black, brown or blue - this is the brown colour that I'm testing - a colour of which I'm a big fan and I love it when companies do a real brown like this one and not a "black-brown" which really isn't brown at all.
I did not touch my lashes with my lash comb even though I really wanted to just so you could truly gauge the volumizing properties which I know are lost once you comb it! As you can see you get good volume which is kind of surprising considering how small the brush is!
I don't normally like volumizing formulas because I find they feel hard and crunchy and no one wants crunchy lashes. This Dior formula is soft and pliable which I think also helps give my lashes more curl.

- Lisamarie -

Fall in love with LUSH for Valentine's Day!

Nothing says sexy to me like a bath or shower filled with bubbles and wonderful smells - if nothing else it means the boy will be clean at the end of it... and of course sharing is environmentally friendly too! These V-Day offerings from LUSH are sure to get at least one of you in the mood!

Sweetheart Soap - $4.95 - a sweet smelling soap that is full of aphrodisiacs like jasmine, sandalwood, ylang ylang and bergamot to help lift your spirits. And even though it looks like a giant candy, I don't recommend eating it!












Love Potion Massage Bar - $9.95 - delicately scented with the fragrance of Love perfume.
Leap Frog Bath Bomb - $4.95 - with the scents of jasmine, sandalwood, ylang ylang, rose and neroli - created in honour of 2012 being a leap year which means ladies can do the proposing! I guess that means this will get a ring around your man instead of the tub...
A Million Kisses Lip Tint - $8.95 - a red lip tint that is scented with roses and will leave lips soft and supple. Can also be used as a cheek tint!
25:43 - 2ml - $3, 9ml - $14.95, 30ml - $39.95 - named for the amount of time - 25 minutes and 43 seconds that it took Mark Constantine, LUSH founder and Gorilla Perfumer, to make this fragrance for his son Simon's wedding. With notes of lime tonka accord with sweet warm hay and a fresh green citrus top.
Do Knot Disturb Knot Wrap - $28.95 - inside the wrap you'll find products to make your Valentine's Day a  little more special with a paper band around it that can be used as a door hanger once cut out. Contains: Soft Coeur Lust Soap, Sex Bomb, French Kiss.

- Lisamarie -

New in sun protection: Prevage Triple Defense SPF 50 Sunscreen Sheer Lotion

Even though it's winter the sun still shines and does bad things to your skin if you aren't using your sunscreen which means I'm still been keeping my eyes open to what's new and exciting in the world of sun protection! Check out:

Prevage Triple Defense SPF 50 Sunscreen Sheer Lotion - 50ml - $95 - delivers triple environmental protection against the visible effects of oxidative stress from sun, pollution and against exposure to UVA, UVB and Infrared-A (IRA) rays which can accelerate skin aging and can damage skin at the cellular level. These environmental factors cause 80% of the visible signs of aging; Helps to even skin tone and correct the appearance of existing sun damage like fine lines, wrinkles; and restores skin’s natural defenses to help fight environmental assaults.

The sunscreen's formula combines Idebenone, the most powerful antioxidant, with Thiotaine to combat visible aging signs caused by exposure to UVA, UVB, and also from Infrared-A radiation. This one-ups most traditional SPF products which only protect against UVA and UVB rays.

I've never heard of Infrared-A (IRA) radiation but apparently new research has identified it as a serious source of long-term damage to skin. IRA penetrates deeply into the skin, attacking skin cells and causing cumulative damage to collagen, elastin and protein structures over time.

Art Pellegrino, Elizabeth Arden Vice President of Research and Development explains: “UVB rays penetrate the epidermis causing sunburn, while UVA rays effect the dermis and lead to lines, wrinkles and signs of premature aging. Broad spectrum sunscreens protect against UVA and UVB rays but don’t shield skin from chronic, long-term IRA damage. The Idebenone complex in new Prevage Triple Defense SPF 50 provides this essential IRA protection.”

Prevage Triple Defense Technology Antioxidant protection delivers a powerful antioxidant complex to combat all three levels of free radical assaults. Helping to pre-empt environmentally induced damage, including IRA, to help fight visible aging signs.

This complex includes:
Idebenone Ester - the single most powerful antioxidant with an EPF rating of 95 out of 100, which also helps neutralize damage caused by IRA rays. The Idebenone Ester technology is an advanced delivery system that fuses Idebenone with a skin compatible ester to provide a time release reservoir of Idebenone within the skin. Resulting in an effective and more gentle level of performance.
Thiotaine - an effective antioxidant not found in the body. It complements Idebenone to help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and uneven skin tone, allowing Idebenone to concentrate on repairing the look of visible signs of aging caused environmental assaults.
Vitamin E Acetate - a stable form of Vitamin E with proven abilities to fight free radical damage and restores skin’s natural defenses.
Soy proteins and peptides complex - works on skin’s surface layer to help support skin’s healthy barrier to promote moisture retention.

As well as broad spectrum sunscreens:
SPF 50 UVA/ UVB sunscreens - provide high level sunburn protection.
Avebenzone -UVA absorber to help protect from UVA rays
Benzophenone-3 (Oxybenzone) - UVA/UVB absorber that helps protect from both UBA and UVB rays
Octisalate - UVB absorber
Octinoxate - a strong UVB absorber
Octocrylene - a strong UVA/UVB absorber

Now that we've covered the scientific crap, what you really want to know is how it feels... It has a super lightweight formula that leaves skin with a soft, matte finish that you can use alone, over your moisturizer and/or under makeup. What makes it new and different is that it comes in a specially designed tube with its own built-in brush. The unique brush applicator is meant to ensure more even coverage for optimal protection. Just click open, squeeze and apply to create complete coverage, even in hard to reach places.

I have tried a sample of the sunscreen itself which I agree is super light and soaks in easily. I have not actually seen/tried the brush aspect of it and I am slightly skeptical of it. It seems to me that the brush might get kind of gunky and would be hard to clean but without actually trying it, it's hard to say. I would probably be more likely to just squeeze the product out and apply it with my fingers but I'm lazy like that...

Find it at your local Elizabeth Arden counter and see how you like a brush/sunscreen combo for yourself!

- Lisamarie -

January 28, 2012

TIGI Cosmetics - happiness is discovering new-to-me brands!

I have been a longtime fan of TIGI hair products but I actually never realized that they had a cosmetics line as well! If you've never checked it out yourself, it is well worth playing with and here are a few of the products that I have been messing around with lately...

The star of the line for me is the High Density Quad Eyeshadows - $32 - mineral based shadows that go on so smooth with such amazing colour payoff that it was instant love for me! They can be used wet or dry and come in 4 shade quads: Last Call, Love Affair, Lush & Posh and Velvet & Teal.
Glow Blush - $20 - has a mineral baked formula that offers a great glowing effect and can be used wet or dry and double as an eyeshadow. Contains ginseng, chamomile and green tea. In 4 shades: Brilliance, Haute, Lovely & Awaken.
Perfect Eyeliner - $17 - with a easy glide formula containing jojoba oil and vitamins A & C that sets and stays put but can be smudged with the attached tip when first applied. In 6 shades: Black, Brown, Peacock, Royalty, Green and Blue.
Luxe Lip Gloss - $19 - the high shine, moisturizing formula contains vitamin E and a delicious scent of Vanilla & Peppermint. in 7 shades: Superstar, Goddess, Superficial, Your Highness, Foxy, Diamonds and Pearls and Dumb Blonde
Decadent Lipstick  - $19 - a smooth and hydrating lipstick that contains conditioning agents and emollients for optimum lip moisture and antioxidants for your lips health. In 14 colours with excellent pigmentation: Gossip, Honesty, happiness, Peace, Loyalty, Beauty, Power, passion, Faith, Bliss, Finesse, Fierce, Splendor and Luxury.
Perfect Lipliner - $17 - an easy glide liner with a stay put formula that you can use to line the lips before lipstick or gloss or use the smudge tip to create a stain. Contains jojoba oil to moisturize and vitamins A & C for antioxidants. In 5 shades: Couture, Decaf, Espresso, Kiss and Nude.
Eyes Love It Mascara - $18 - with a water resistant formula that is Ph balanced for healthy lashes. In Black and Brown.

Stay tuned for swatches!

Also available in the TIGI Cosmetics line are: Liquid Enhancer - $17 - to turn any powder eyeshadow waterproof or into a liner; Eyeshadow Base - $16; Single - $16 and Split Eyeshadows - $20; Eyeshadow Palette - $60; Longwearing Creme Eyeshadow - $20; Precision Black Eyeliner Pen - $18; Black Patent Liquid Eyeliner - $18; Brow Defining Pencil - $16; Brow Sculpting Duo - $20; Lash Love Black Mascara - $19; Lip Creme - $18; Bronzer - $35; Concealer Pencil - $18; Creme Concealer - $18; Satin Liquid Foundation - $30; Whipped Foundation; Cream Foundation - $30; Powder Foundation - $30; and a selection of brushes - $14-$32.

You can find it at Trade Secrets - www.tradesecrets.ca as well as selected salons.

- Lisamarie -

28/01/12 - Link Love

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed thinks size does matter and tests out her theory with Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara - check out her results and see if you agree!

My Funny Valentine is proud to present...A vain person's guide to water sports: how to waterproof your makeup and deal with chlorine.

Nail bling strikes again! Musicalhouses shows you her silver and blue nail art with pearls and hearts!

At Lipstick Musings, Shannon embarks on her first-ever fragrance review with the all-natural artistry of Aftelier Perfume's Cepes and Tuberose.

With the BB cream craze in full swing, Rae takes a moment at theNotice to review (and swatch) the much-hyped Marcelle BB Cream. Find out it if this new wonder-product is all it's talked up to be!

New year calls for new product launches! Miss Beauty Nerd tests out Maybelline's newest - their SuperStay Lip Colors and EyeStudio Color Tattoos.

Beauty In The Mirror has been reviewing the very popular OCC Lip Tars. Pop over for some great pictures and advice.

Kajal Couture shares her tips on preventing eyeshadow fallout.

Prime Beauty is dreaming of spring with the Nordstrom Exclusive Dior Garden Party Milly Garden Clutch.

Looking for some double duty beauty products? Check out Krasey Beauty's recs!

Kimberly at Kimmie Karma Love shows her New Years Eve makeup and the day after pictures!

Phyrra presents a variety of lovely lipsticks and pigmented lipglosses from Morgana Cryptoria.

Tracy at Beauty Reflections has a new PRECIOUS called Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites.
---

Join Anita in celebrating reaching 400 followers and win yourself a gorgeous Accessorize Eyeshadow Palette!

January 27, 2012

B.B. Creams are sweeping the nation! Like these ones from Estée Lauder, Marcelle, Garnier and Smashbox!

When most people meet up with friends and family they talk about global warming or world politics but not me! Knowing I'm a beauty blogger people always want to know about important social issues like - What's the biggest trend in beauty that you are seeing right now? Sometimes the answer is hard to pinpoint but that sure isn't a problem lately, without a doubt the answer is BB Creams! And unless they're a fan of Asian cosmetics at that point I can expect to hear - What? What the hell is a BB Cream?

Well it's only the most convenient multi-tasker ever! It's a primer, moisturizer, tint and often even an SPF all together in one handy tube! If you're like me and use all of these products every day anyhow then it's also one blessed heck of a time saver too!

Estée Lauder DayWear BB Multi-Perfecting Beauty Benefit Creme SPF 35 - 30ml - $45 -  is available in 2 shades (including the all important light) and can be worn alone or under foundation. It protects with broad-spectrum SPF 35, perfects with a sheer coverage of sheer pigments and brightening optics to even skintone and light-reflective pearls to provide skin with a radiant glow and moisturizes with a lightweight, oil-free formula that helps keep skin balanced by controlling excess oil and inhibiting shine for a beautiful finish.

What it does have that I don't love is the signature DayWear cucumber scent - I think it's one of those love it or hate it kind of things and I'm just not a fan. Aside from that it's my favourite out of all of the ones I tried here. I like the feel and the look of this cream and I have been wearing it without foundation for a very polished but not made up look. The only thing it requires is a bit of concealer over anything major, it doesn't fully cover redness or blemishes.
Marcelle BB Cream - 45ml - $22.95 - in one self-adjusting colour and containing aloe and chamomile this oil, perfume and paraben free cream offers: minimizes the appearance of imperfections and pores; evens out skin tone; provides a base for makeup; matifies skin and controls shine; immediate and long-term hydrating benefits; soothes and calms skin; protects from premature aging and environmental stresses; and promotes skin regeneration.

While the feel of this cream is great, the "self-adjusting" colour just would not adjust to my fair skintone. I know some people like their shade to be a bit darker to give them more of a healthy look but I have embraced my fairness and like my colour to match otherwise I feel like I just look a little dirty! A light shade and SPF would both be great additions to the range!
Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream SPF 15 - $19.99 - a hybrid formula that combines high-performance anti-aging and moisturizing skincare with mineral pigments in a revolutionary new texture with 5 immediate effects in only 1 step: evens skin tone; corrects wrinkles and imperfections; renews radiance; hydrates for 24 hours; and offers SPF 15 sun protection - comes in 2 shades: light-medium and medium-dark.

The texture and feel is nice but when you are fair - light-medium just doesn't cut it for perfect colour. It's just a touch too dark. Nothing I couldn't get away with if I didn't prefer a perfect skintone match but I do, so I don't. I would like to see them come out with a fair shade as well as a SPF 30 version. The super time saving aspect of a BB Cream is kinda lost with SPF 15 as I still would have to apply more sunscreen!
Smashox Camera Ready BB Cream SPF 35 - 30ml - $50 - preps and perfects in five easy steps: Moisturize: imparts a hydrating veil; Prime: creates a smooth canvas, helping makeup stay put for up to 8 hours; Perfect: visibly evens out skin-tone and blurs imperfections, creating a soft, luminous glow; Protect: SPF 35 protects skin from UVA/UVB rays; and Control Oil: keeps excessive shine at bay throughout the day. Available in 4 shades: Fair, Light, Medium and Dark.

This is the only one that I haven't actually tried in person. I've read enough reviews though to think I will really like it when I do. Since I do appreciate Smashbox primer and foundation and this BB Cream does have both a fair shade and an excellent SPF what could go wrong? 

Available exclusively at Sephora and sephora.com

Have you jumped on the BB bandwagon yet and if so, tell us what you think!

- Lisamarie -

The Body Shop Chocomania - all the chocolate satisfacation without all the calories!

Chocoholics rejoice - finally you can have all the chocolate you want without feeling guilty or gaining an ounce thanks to The Body Shop Chocomania!

Available in the line is:

Body Scrub - 200ml - $18, 50ml - $6
Shower Cream - 250ml - $8, 60ml - $4
Soap - $4
Body Lotion - 250ml - $12, 60ml - $4
Body Butter - 200ml - $18, 50ml - $6
Lip Butter - 10ml - $6

Not only will you not get fat, here's something else to feel good about - they are all chock full of Fair Trade ingredients including: Aloe Leaf from Guatemala, Marula Nuts from Namibia, Shea Nuts and Cocoa Beans from Ghana, Coconut from Samoa, Sesame Seeds from Nicaragua, Soya Beans and Babassu Nuts from Brazil, Brazil Nuts from Peru, Olives from Italy and Sugar Cane from Paraguay.

As a long-time fan of The Body Shop Body Butter, I'm happy to know that the Chocomania version is 45% Community Fair Trade ingredients!

Get everything you need to smell good enough to eat February 6th!

- Lisamarie -

Frugal Fragrant Friday - So...? Kiss Me

Valentine's Day will soon be upon us so why don't you let your fragrance tell him (or her) what to do!

So...? Kiss Me - 30ml EDT - $9.99, 75ml Body Spray - $4.99 - with notes of Blackcurrant, Pineapple, Sweet Vanilla and a heart of Musky Woods. This scent is a little fruity with just a hint of sweetness and musk that drive the men wild - I'm totally exhausted from having to turn them all down (my husband frowns on my picking up other men)!

Worried So...? Kiss Me doesn't sound like you? No problem - there is a whole line up of fragrances including: So...? Eternal, So...? Rock n Roll, So...? Sinful, and So...? Superstar

And really at this price, feel free to have them all!

You'll find the So...? fragrances at Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart (there's a $1 off promotion going on in Feb and March), London Drugs, Jean Coutu and Zellers. (So...? Eternal not available at Shoppers Drug Mart or Zellers) and you'll also find more info and your So...? partners in crime at: www.facebook.com/SoFragranceCanada

- Lisamarie -

January 26, 2012

Schick Hydro Silk Razor Giveaway! - All gone, stop e-mailing me!

Whether you are sick of being able to braid your own leg hair or just tired of shaving irritation there's help on the way! Schick has a razor coming your way that will care for your skin by replenishing moisture during shaving and reducing irritation to leave your skin feeling silky smooth! Welcome the Schick Hydro Silk - which will make your skin happy thanks to its unique water-activated moisturizing serum that hydrates your skin throughout each shave and 5 curve-sensing blades with unique skin guards to help protect your skin from irritation.

The new Schick Hydro Silk razor will be available starting next month at grocery, drug and mass retailers across Canada for $13.99 but you know we hate for y'all to have to pay for stuff so we want to send you one for free! What do we want in return? Government secrets? Your first born? No worries, it's way easier then that! In exchange for sending you this spankin' new, not even available to the general public, life changing razor -  we just want you to tell us what you think of it once you have a chance to try it! Love it, hate it, we want to know everything!

We'll be using your thoughts for a post in February highlighting how everyone felt about the Schick Hydro Silk experience!

Thanks to everyone who e-mailed - the razors and gone and then some!


- Lisamarie -

*Schick will use your personal information in accordance with its Privacy Policy and as detailed in applicable contest rules - so don't worry, we won't sell your info to anyone or sign you up for weird dating sites involving farm animals.

How's this for a clever idea - Goody Double Wear Elastics!

Goody Double Wear Elastics - $4.99 (pack of 3) - are adorned with different shaped and textured gold or silver bands. When you aren't wearing it in your hair, wear it around your wrist as a bracelet - which is a waaaaaay better look then the scrunchie around the wrist thing let me tell you!

And if you're a short haired girl like me and don't have enough hair to make a pony don't worry, they haven't forgotten us. Double Wear also comes in a head wrap size (pack of 2 - $4.99) - when you are aren't wearing it as a headband, you can wear it as a necklace!

Pretty and functional - gotta love it! Available at all the usual places you pick up your Goody goods!

- Lisamarie -

Avon Moisture Seduction Lip Gloss - Sweet Clementine and Glimmering Champagne swatches!

Avon Moisture Seduction Lip Gloss - $7.99 - in four shades: Pearly Pink, Glimmering Champagne, Sweet Clementine and Violet Beauty - offers rich, creamy colour and luscious shine swirled together with ribbons of hydrating conditioner for glossy moisture and shiny colour.

Available from your Avon rep - 1-800-265-AVON or online at www.avon.ca
I tried a couple of the softer colours - both of which are a bit too light to really suit my pale complexion but what I did get a good gauge of is just how moisturizing these glosses are - perfect for a cold winter day when you might be tempted to just go with a balm!

I've also gotten word from a new friend who tried Violet Beauty that it also has the milky cast to it - I guess even though the colours look brighter in the tube, once they mix with the moisture ribbon they soften a lot!
Sweet Clementine - light baby pink
Glimmering Champagne - nude

- Lisamarie -

January 25, 2012

MAC Vera

I must admit, I'm not that familiar with Vera - I know that there are people that are absolute fanatics about her textiles and buy her stuff in bulk but I guess I've never actually even seen it in the stores here or I'm sure I would love it - she likes bold colours and cute bugs (butterflies, dragonflies and ladybugs all qualify as cute bugs in my book) and so do I! The bright colour thing certainly carries over to this collection (and some bugs) Enjoy!
Pearlmatte Face Powder - $33.50
Sunday Afternoon - clean bright pink/bright clean fuchsia/soft pale pink with white pearl
Flower Fantasy - pale coral with slight gold pearl/slightly blue pale pink/soft pale salmon

Crushed Metallic Pigment X4 - $40
Aloha
Latern Light - metallic gold/bronze
Campfire - rich copper (frost)
Shifting Sands - metallic champagne (frost)
Aloha - dirt cocoa brown (frost)
Strawberry Patch
Star Crystal - pink champagne (frost)
Rose Light - metallic yellow pink (frost)
Strawberry Patch - light blue pink (frost)
Moon Rose - bright dark pink (frost)
Butterfly Party
Butterfly Party - bright lilac (frost)
Desert Cloud - deep blue pruple (frost)
Rain Drop - metallic teal (frost)
Moss Garden - metallic silver green (frost)
Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner - $18
Lord It Up - bronze with pearl
Industrial - periwinkle grey
Designer Purple - iridescent violet
Undercurrent - teal with pearl
Petrol Blue - deep navy with pearl
Black Swan - black with pearl
Black Line - black with gold pearl
Plushglass - $22.50
Fashion Fanatic - creamy pale pink
Pretty Plush - extra soft pink with white pearl
Confetti - bright orange coral with soft pearl
On A Holiday - bright pink with blue pearl
Butterfly Dream - mid-tone violet with blue pearl
Nail Lacquer - $19
Midsummer's Dream - pale pink lilac (creme)
Play Day - pale milky coral (creme)

Available February 16th at all MAC locations and online at www.maccosmetics.com

- Lisamarie -

L'Oréal Professionnel Absolut Repair Cellular

If your hair is very dry or damaged you probably spend a lot of your money, time and energy trying out products that promise to make your hair look and feel soft and healthy. If this sounds like you then you owe yourself a look-see at the Absolut Repair Cellular line which targets and addresses issues with all 3 zones of the hair: Zone A - Surface - the scales come apart and the edges are lifted and chipped - hair is brittle, rough and dull; Zone B - Cuticle - the intracellular cement is gradually depleted and can no longer act as a natural protective barrier - hair is porous and dry; and Zone C - Cortex - the core of the hair fibre is comprised of a complex network of cortical cells bonded together by ionic junctions - chemical aggressions weaken or break these junctions and compromise the hair fibre. Available in the line:

Cleansing Balm - 250ml - $21.35 - a gentle foaming balm that deeply repairs hair fibre and cleanses without friction - I have been alternating it with the shampoo/masque duo as recommended and you actually can really see the difference to the frizzies when you use a shampoo that relies on friction to clean as opposed to this balm!
Leave In Repairing Cream - 150ml - $21.35 - provides nutrition, instant softness, suppleness, control and protection for the hair ends for hair that is manageable, visibly soft and shiny.
Thermo Cell Repair - 150ml - $21.85 - activated by heat, it helps repair and protect the hair fibre and facilitate blow drying.
Serum - 50ml - $26.50 - super light with a silky texture, itrepairs damaged ends and smoothes the hair fibre leaving the hair looking and feeling more healthy.
The products that I'm really enjoying (including the Cleansing Balm) contain a new Lactic Acid technology that repairs the hair in all three zones by penetrating deeply into the core of the hair fibre to repair hair from the inside out bringing hair back to a healthy state in only 10 days!

Shampoo - 250ml - $17.65, 500ml - $24.40 - restructures the hair fibre and restores strength, resilience and shine to very damaged hair while it cleanses.
Masque - 200ml - $28.10 -  deeply repairs, nourishes and instantly conditions and leaves hair feeling stronger, more supple and looking shiny and transformed.

Something I have noticed in the last few brands of shampoo/conditioner that I have tried is that there seems to be this trend towards the shampoo being thicker than the conditioner. I don't like this - in my little world, the conditioner is supposed to be thicker than shampoo, that's just the way it is - so I really appreciate how nice and thick the masque is, way better than the typical wimpy conditioner. Unlike some masques you may have used that have to stay on for 10 minutes or so, this one only needs to be on for 2 minutes - the same as a normal conditioner.

The other thing that is great about these products is that they don't weigh my fine hair down. I don't find that I am able to use a lot of products that are meant for fine hair because they are too heavy and just end up making my hair look greasy. No greasy looking locks with this one, just soft, smooth and healthy looking hair!

The only thing I'm not overly fond of is the scent - a little too floralish for my taste, but since it doesn't linger, I can live with it.

L'Oréal Professionnel products are available in salons only - find one near you at www.lorealprofessionnel.ca

- Lisamarie -