MAC Pink Lipsticks vol.1

NSummer is over but had to swatch these beauties before I broke out the Browns 

Silly - brightened white pink-matte

MAC Show Orchid - very hot pink- Amplified 

MAC Gambattista Valli - tats - matte

MAC Pink Pearl Pop ( one of my faves) - frosted multi tonal pink - frosted 

Pedi conversation

You got to take time for your feet! I have horrible circulation and I try to do a mini pedi once a week ( soaking my feet in Epsom salts, buffing and applying creams). I do a full pedi every 3-4 weeks with filing and polish change. 

My key supplies are:

Clarisonic Pedi ( worth it and does the hard work for me)

Tweezerman cuticle trimmer and pusher

Butter London cuticle removing gel

Clarisonic pedi scrub, drops and cream

Dior apricot cream

Dior base coat 

Polish

Dior top coat or Chanel matte top coat

Favourite Epson salts are life brand vanilla 

Plastic tub from the dollar store 

Coconut oil

What pedi products do you recommend ? I love trying new things 

Oh Laneige

A couple of weeks ago I received the Laneige VoxBox from the Influenster (for testing the products)

In my box I received the Brightening Sparkling Water Foam Cleanser. It's a foam dispenser just like shaving cream ( press lightly or a lot of foam will come out). Made from carbonated bubbles that detoxify the skin and promote circulation. The whipped foam promises to gently remove makeup without any irritation. 

It took some time to get used to the foam dispenser. The product its self was great. My face was clean and not dried out. I'm definitely goin to try the other products ( water bank serum, water bank gel cream and water sleeping mask). I seen a small sample set at sephora which would me great for testing them out! Definitely a refreshing line and worth trying http://www.sephora.com/hydration-trial-kit-P399804?skuId=1749761&icid2=laneige_lp_bestsellers_carousel_brand:laneige_p399804_image#

Burberry Beauty - first impressions

Burberry Beauty is a newer luxury brand on the scene. With its luxury iconic plaid packaging it aims to compete with other luxury brands such as Tom Ford, Chanel, Dior, and Gucci. The Burberry brand itself is my favourite highend designer. The line is simple and classy. So I am glad that the makeup line falls into the same category. All the shades are wearable and well done.

The first product that I tried was the Trench sheer eyeshadow. It's a great everyday beige shadow. I use all over the lid and up into the crease or use to help blend darker colours out in my crease. It does have reflecting properties to it. I wouldn't call it a shimmer but it is very brightening and not a plain matte shade (lightest shade in swatches below). This was purchased in New York City by my friend at Saks https://ca.burberry.com/sheer-eye-shadow-trench-no02-p37480501

Rosewood is a beautiful brown/taupe. It's a soft metallic when applied wet. When applied dry the shimmer is more visible. I love this shade on my lid. It really makes my eyes look very green. 
http://www.sephora.com/eye-colour-wet-dry-silk-shadow-P398989?skuId=1749175

Aqua Green applied dry is a matte. The colour payoff dry isn't good. It's a little chalky. Applied wet it's a bluish green. It's a great summer-mermaid shade. I did see this shade online and inshore at Nordstrom Ottawa, Ontario location. I purchased from thebay.com and is no longer available on their site http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/burberry-beauty-eye-colour-wet-dry-silk-eyeshadow/3972785

Earthy Blush no.7 light glow contouring powder face and eyes came in the Sephora Burberry Beauty Box. I apply to my face with the kabuki brush it came with. It's a little light for a contour powder for me but its ok when you don't want to wear much make up but want to through on something to give your cheeks a bit of colour. Ip you favourite use for the product is applied with a Mac 221 brush to my eyelids or under my lower lip to make my lips look bigger http://www.sephora.com/light-glow-natural-blush-P401639?skuId=1760784

Aqua green is the only nail polish shade that I have in the brand. Great quality polish. I'm going to pick up some of there nude shades like dark trench. 

Nude Beige lip definer is a shimmery pink/nude. It's a creamy formula and not the longest lasting product. I definitely prefer Mac lip liners. 

Cashmere concealer is twisted and applied through the sponge. It is a light reflective concealer that dries quickly with no creasing. Great for the under eye. I have the shade 01 porcelain http://www.sephora.com/cashmere-concealer-P399010?skuId=1741875

The Fresh Glow highlighting luminous pen is a twist up similar to a cream shadow stick. I didn't like it for highlighting he face (cheekbones, forehead, etc). It does dry fast and was the hard to blend out. I love it however for outlining my top lip. I was using the touché eclait for that but that wasn't lasting all day. This stuff lasts and I love that! http://www.sephora.com/fresh-glow-highlighting-luminous-pen-P399014?skuId=1754704

The Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base Nude Radiance no 1  also came in the beauty box. It's a light opal/champagne mixed colour. It dries fast and is highly reflective. I wouldn't use all over but it's great for strobing http://www.sephora.com/fresh-glow-luminous-fluid-base-P398995?skuId=1754688

Burberry kisses Military Red was the last item in the beauty box. It's a bright candy apple red (not my red) nice though dabbed on as a stain. If your looking for something long lasting this is not it. I don't think I will try any more of the shades in this formula http://www.sephora.com/burberry-kisses-lipstick-P398985?skuId=1740620

Finally onto eyeliner. I have three different eyeliners from the brand. Eye Definer in midnight brown is one of my favourites. It lasts 6-8 hours on me (longer when set with a shadow). It's a gorgeous metallic brown that i picked up at a Burberry counter https://ca.burberry.com/eye-definer-midnight-brown-no02-p37480451

Effortless kohl in poppy black is a think kohl pencil. Great for creating a dark smoky eye. Blend a go http://www.sephora.com/effortless-blendable-khol-multi-use-crayon-P399017?skuId=1742113
Effortless kohl eyeliner is a long lasting twist up waterproof pencil. Love this formula. It's comparable to Chanel's stylo yeux. I have the shade storm grey (swatch below) http://www.sephora.com/effortless-kohl-eyeliner-P399018?skuId=1741149

Overall the brand is great quality. I will definitely be getting more items. No disappointments in what I have. 

YSL Beauty

YSL is a gorgeous luxury beauty line. Both the packaging and the product is fantastic! This is my favourite high end brand. 

My favourite product from the line is their volupte sheer candy (the three silver lipsticks) they are my most used lip products. Mositurizing, sheer tint, smell delicious...it's like grown up lipsmackers. Now that sephora is open here in Newfoundland I will be picking up more. 

The rouge volupte and rouge volupte shin lipsticks are crazy pigmented. I need to apply by blotting or with a lip brush. The lipgloss and tint oil have the same scent as the sheer candy.

I have only tried one polish. I picked it up because I loved the colour. I wear it a lot. It's a great grey neutral.  

Eyeshadow. I took the plunge after seeing some awesome posts on Instagram and ordered a palette from sephora. I went with pure chromatics wet dry shadow no 9. Two shades (taupe and champagne) are metallic, pigmented and blend able. They look great together. The other two shades ( gold and grey are matte with glitter flecks. Looking forward to switching some more. 

Mascara. I'm trying a sample of baby doll and I just picked up shocking yesterday at the sephora Avalon opening. Great mascara! Very pleased with my purchase

Also yesterday I picked up the new touché eclait blur perfecting primer. After reading reviews on sephora I had to try it for my self. Looking forward to pairing it with my current foundation, which is le teint encre de peau from YSL.  I'm super picky about foundation. I never wore it for years because I could not find one that was sheer enough for me. I don't like full coverage at all. I used Armani luminous silk for years but it I was using the wrong shade ( I got a close as I could I'm the line. I loved the formula and it didn't make me break out but it was too yellow on me). Last October, while in Halifax on holidays I went to sephora and had them try a bunch of different foundation on me and I really liked this YSL one so I decided to buy it. I hope they keep making it because it's fantastic. 

Touché eclait is an iconic YSL product. I have no 2. I use to highlight my face and line around my lips to make them look bigger. It's definitely worth the money. Trying the blur perfector balm now. It's great for mattifing the t zone without looking chalky. It removed my makeup when I applied during the day. I could have blotted too hard with the sponge it came with. I'm going to have to look up some videos on YouTube about how to use it properly. 

What YSL products do you recommend ? Let me know in the comments 

-B 

J'adore DiOr

Dior has been one of my favourite beauty brands since I first discovered it at Sears almost 10 years ago. 

My favourite product from the line is their nail polish. The brush is wide and I can apply the polish on my nails with just one swipe (I have tiny nails) and the quality is also great.

They have re formulated their eyeshadow however there is still variation in the pigmentation. I wish they would package it that way because I wouldnt buy shadows that are all just shimmer washes. I'm guilty of buying a quad more than one fire just one or two shadows that I like. 

My favourite Dior shadow palette to date has been eye reviver (the silver palette) I love shadows 2,3 and 4. 

I purchased almost all of the diorshow fusion mono shadows. They were so beautiful. I have two left 861 chimere ( rose gold) and 661 meteore (bronze). They last all day and don't crease when used with a primer. The only downside is that they dry out. Diorshow khol sticks are similar other shimmer sticks. I have silver and grey which together make a very glamorous smoky eye. I'm exited for their fall collection to launch in August so I can try their metallic liquid shadows which are packaged like their lip gloss. I have seen some swatches online and they are very pigmented. 

 

Dior has reformulated their iconic Diorshow mascara. If you love thick full lashes you should try it!! It's currently in my mascara rotation and one of my favourites.

Now on to lip products. I own a few of the original lip glosses. I'm happy with they new design  and the sponge applicator however I liked the formula of the old glosses. They were more like gloss. 

I also have two fluid sticks. They are very pigmented!!! If your into too faced melted lipsticks you should try these fluid sticks. Rouge Dior is pigmented and creamy. A real luxurious lipstick. Dior addict lipsticks are still my favourite. They are balmy, subtle colour and mositurizing for your lips only better look. 

I haven't tried any Dior skin care products. If you have any recommendations on serums and creamed please leave them in the comments. 

Below are some photos. I apologize for the quality. They are taken with my iPad. I need to charge my camera. 

Rees' in Montreal

For summer vacation this year we decided to stay in Canada (basically due to the horrible us exchange rate) and choose Montreal as our destination. 

We have never been to Montreal for more than a stop over so everything was new to us. Instead of staying in a hotel we used Airbnb and found a great condo in old Montreal. It had a little kitchen, washer and dryer and made life a little easier. 

Everything in Montreal is accessible. We walked to the shops and restaurants or took one of the city bikes ( $5 for 24 hours). 

Everyone spoke English and were very friendly  (for the most part anyway). The food portions were huge. We learned that we could share lunch and for supper we ordered an entree and appetizer to share ( not to be cheap , just because it was way too much to eat and most was thrown out). 

We enjoyed Schwartz's smoked meat sandwiches ( we could have shared on it was massive). Their poutine was ok. Be prepared for a long lineup to dine inside. We waited over an hour.

Terrasses Bonsecour was recommended by my Chanel SA. Great place to dine. Food was ok and so was the service.  We ate at La Pizzaiolle twice. Their four cheese pizza is delicious!! Cafe chat l'heureux is a great little place to enjoy the company of friendly cats and a latte. Restaurant da Emma was our fine dining choice. Make sure you make a reservation. 

Shopping. Everything was on sale. That's not always good because everything was sold out that I was looking for, crazy line ups and crappy service. Not all stores were like that. We had great service at club Monaco, holt renfrew and la Madison Ogilvy. Louis Vuitton was sold out of the things we were looking for. We went on Thursday July 2 and ordered some things in from the Toronto store to try on but it didn't arrive before we left to go home (so no Vuitton this time). I was lucky at Chanel though. The SA told us that the GST was discontinued and they had two left in the store. I got one of my very own :) 

Overall we walked a lot, ate a lot and had lots of fun. If we had rented a car we would have done some hiking outside the city. I would have done that in the spring or fall. It was way too hot for hiking. Any questions leave them below :)