Rimmel Apocalips | The Review

When i first saw these beauties on the UK beauty blogs I fell in love. So the second I could get my hands on them in Canada, I had to pick up more than one. Known as the Show Off Lip Lacquers in the US, these are a hybrid product with the rich colour of a lipstick and the satin shine of a gloss. They are completely opaque with one swipe of the super creamy formula. They glide smoothly onto the lips and last 2-3 hours but unfortunately they do accentuate dry patches. 

I am absolutely obsessed with the packaging that is very unique in it's appreciation of gemology. Each tube is shaped like some sort of diamond or meteor from space - very fitting with the playful name! - with a clear bottom to show the colour inside. I also adore the doe foot applicator that features a dip to hold just enough product. 

(L -R) Big Bang | Aurora | Solstice | Phenomenon

I own 4 of the 12 shades that range from nudes to various pinks and bright reds. Phenomenon is a peachy nude creme, Solstice is a gorgeous rosy pink with a bit of shimmer (my favourite!), Aurora (LOVE the name) is a pinky coral and Big Bang is a show-stopping blue toned red.

(Clockwise) Big Bang | Aurora | Solstice | Phenomenon

(L -R) Big Bang | Aurora | Solstice | Phenomenon

I definitely plan on picking up a few more and i hope we get the new shades that just popped up in the UK. 

Words to Live By Wednesday

Image - Pinterest

Regret is one of the WORST feelings in the world, i've definetly felt it a time or two. But as time has gone I have learned that regret is really a bunch of different emotions hiding as one. If I sort through what I'm actually feeling I can give myself a break and the regret will disappear. I believe that we all make mistakes, big and small, but they ALWAYS happen for a reason, so you just can't regret them! Remember that when something goes wrong and you will be a stronger person for it!

My Eyebrow Routine

All throughout my teenage years, I hated my blonde eyebrows and eyelashes. ( I was once asked if i actually had eyelashes, they were THAT light) Evidently, mascara was my best friend and I would not leave the house without it but i still walked around with invisible eyebrows. There were so many days that i wished i could alter the colour of my caterpillars as well, but i was blind to the wonders of eyebrow pencils. When i finally discovered those babies, I was a happy girl - albeit a frustrated one because i could NOT a colour that matched. I eventually settled on the taupe pencil by Almay and used it for years as it was the only one I could find that looked even remotely natural. 

It wasn't until recently that I found my true eyebrow saviours - Benefit's Gimme Brow and Anastasia's Brow Wiz. 

Anastasia's infamous Brow Wiz is apparently the best selling brow product in the world, and i can see why. It is an extremely slim mechanical pencil with a spoolie attached to the end. It is available in 6 shades that suit all hair colours and skin tones, including the magical 'Caramel' that is perfect for red hair with its mix of taupe and auburn. It is the only pencil I have ever found that even comes close to natural for my complexion(bye bye almay!). The ultra-slim pencil is ideal for outlining the shape and filling in the brows as it perfectly mimics hair for a more natural look. The pencil itself has great staying power but sometimes i will use a tinted brow gel to diffuse the colour and set the hairs into place. 

My gel of choice is Benefit's Gimme Brow because it is so much more than your average tinted brow gel. It is a revolutionary formula with volumizing fibers designed to fill in any sparse areas with natural looking, buildable colour - perfect for people with hair loss, over-plucking or invisible hair like moi. Gimme Brow comes in 2 shades meant to match all skin tones from pale to deep and luckily 'light/medium' has an ashy base that flatters my colouring. The best bit is that the gel comes in a tiny tube with a teeny tapered wand for precise details or for quick but clean application on rushed mornings. However, product does tend to build up on the edge of the wand so it is helpful to wipe off any excess before you use it. 

Gimme Brow is available from Sephora for $26 and from the Benefit site for $22. 

The Brow Wiz is available from Sephora for $27 or from the Anastasia site for $21.

Odds and Ends | The Week in Review

New Revlon Goodies | The Ice-pocalypse
Date Night with my Favourite Man | Nail Colour I'm Loving - Essie's Aruba Blue

I'm ridiculously happy that this week is over, i've been hiding inside due to the Ice-pocalypse that decided to hit my city. Literally, EVERYTHING was frozen under feet of ice, and my back porch was covered in massive icicles (which terrify me - I've watched too many horror movies). I thought it was over a couple days ago when everything started to melt (making it rain in my kitchen eek) but now its all gone back to frozen. I'm desperately hoping, it will warm up soon, I'm going stir crazy. Not to mention, it's my birthday next week so i NEED to go out. Anywhoo....


Tea of the Week: I have become obsessed with Twinning's Cranberry Green Tea. It is literally heaven in a mug.

Candle of the Week: I'm still burning my Bath and Body Works Buttercream Mint, it just won't die!

Currently Coveting: I may be the last person on the train but I have not yet been able to find the Revlon Matte Balms (at least one's that haven't been opened). Im on a mission, I found one so I must find the rest!

Blogpost of the Week: I really enjoyed reading Kate's tips on photo editing. I've been using IPhoto mostly but i've always been interested in other methods so I can't wait to use her advice!

Video of the Week: Alisha's video for sick day makeup is seriously awesome. It's really cool to see someone not take themselves so seriously and I could not stop laughing at the scene in the tissue aisle. Check it out, she's awesome.






How was your week? Did you guys get an Ice storm too?

Benefit POREfessional Agent Zero Shine | The Review

The newest addition to the Benefit Cosmetics family is a powder called Agent Zero Shine. Following in the steps of it's award winning sister, the POREfessional primer, this beauty instantly minimises shine and helps to smooth the look of pores while mattifying any oil or shine. It comes in one shade designed to match all skin tones and it is incredibly lightweight. The oil - free formula is not at all drying or cakey - even over my dry skin and lasts around 2-3 hours. You can use it over moisturised skin for those no-makeup days or over your foundation to set. 

Aside from the product itself, the packaging is quite exciting. It is housed in the typical Benefit packaging, very cute and retro. But the rest is entirely unique. The product sits in a compact tapered tube with a lid and a brush in the base. To use it, you simply pour the powder into the lid and use the provided brush to pat onto the skin. It is ideal for touch-ups on the go and small enough to fit in a handbag or clutch. Although i admit the brush is nothing to write home about, the product itself is a winner. 

You can purchase the POREfessional Agent Zero Shine through Sephora for $36 or the Benefit website for $30.

Words to Live By Wednesday

Image - Pinterest

Enjoy the little things - something i really try to live by. We are often too caught up in our expectations and wants and we overlook what really matters. Stop and appreciate the sun shining, the roof over your head, a smile from a stranger, food on the table, or a surprise coffee from a loved one. Take those little moments and cherish them, you will live a more more fulfilled and happy life.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream | The Review

What do you think of when you hear the words 'first aid'? Bandaids and Tylenol? Me too. 

Well, that was until my definition was turned upside down. I discovered First Aid Beauty about a year ago when my skin was fighting a losing battle with psoriasis. After having absolutely no luck in finding a moisturiser that would soothe my burning and flaking skin, I came across the FAB website and was immediately intrigued. The name itself makes me think of doctors and miracle cures and the packaging is dreamlike in it's simplistic, clean design. The website spoke of intensive creams, balms and serums that contained natural ingredients designed to treat distressed skin. I felt like my skincare dreams had come true and i immediately picked up their Ultra Repair Cream. 

FAB's Ultra Repair Cream is an intensive skin protectant with something called the FAB antioxidant booster that is supposed to defend skin from free radicals. It claims to provide immediate relief and visible improvement in the skin's natural barrier for severely dry and scaly skin suffering from conditions such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, eczema and keratosis pillars. It is formulated with Shea butter, eucalyptus oil, glycerin, ceramics and colloidal oatmeal - the only FDA approved over the counter ingredient for eczema. It also has no petroleum, parabens, phthalates, harsh chemicals or colourants. 

Sounds like a miracle product doesn't it?

Well it is! 

This wonderful cream completely solved my skin problems and it has continued to be my dry skin saviour. It has a very light, whipped texture but is actually very intensive and deeply nourishing. It absorbs into the skin quickly and leaves no greasy feeling. I use this as my daily moisturiser on my face and all over the rest of my body. 

The FAB Ultra Repair Cream holds a permanent spot in my skincare routine and I suggest everyone try at least one thing from their amazing line of products.

You can purchase it at Sephora for $35 (6oz) or at the FAB site for $12 (2oz) or $28 (6oz)

Odds and Ends | The Week in Review

Welcoming one of my favourite girls as my co-blogger | NOTD featuring Essie's Bahama Mama |
New blog design curtesy of 17thAveDesigns | The best Valentine's Day Present from my man - Stila's In the Light Palette

Another week gone by and it has been a crazy but exciting one. Lots of changes on the horizon with the addition of a new blog design that im absolutely thrilled with, thanks to Kate at 17thAvenueDesigns, and of course the biggest change is that my wonderful friend Monique will be joining me here on le blog. So while my posts will not change (posts on monday, wednesday, friday and sunday), Monique will be adding an extra element of style with her posts(TBD). And of course we will get together to combine our efforts. I could not be more excited to be working with one of my favourite people in the world.

Candle of the Week: Bath and Body Work's Buttercream Mint has been burning non-stop, it actually smells a bit like mint chocolate to me, which i love.

Tea of the Week:  This week I've been quite boring, I've been loving good old Tetley's Orange Pekoe with a little bit of stevia and milk. So warm and comforting in this winter wonderland.

Product of the Week: My nails seems to be a little flimsy right now (too many baths) so i've been layering on OPI's Nail Envy.

Currently Coveting: I've recently been dying to try out the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed, I may just give in to the shopping bug soon!

Blog Post of the Week: I read the lovely Tenneil's post just today and couldn't deny how genuine and relatable it is. It's was really nice to see that other blogger's have the same issues.

Video of the Week: I have two videos again this week, there are just too many goodens! I absolutely loved (aka could not stop smiling) at this collaboration by Jim Chapman and Jamie Oliver. And as a huge Mike Posner fan, I was dying with happiness at his new video for My Light.






What happened in your life this week?

Benefit World Famous Neutrals | The Review

In a world full of brightly coloured eyeshadows I am a neutral girl at heart. I love a good champagne or bronze eye and I am constantly adding to my collection of neutral palettes. 

Benefit is known for their award winning kits and i have loved every single one i've tried, but they seemed to focus more on the overall face than just the eyes. So I was very excited when they came out with their World Famous Neutrals collection. Consisting of three co-ordinating eyeshadow palettes labeled as the Easiest Nudes, the Sexiest Nudes and the Most Glamorous Nudes. Each palette features 4 long wearing powder shadows and 2 creaseless cream shadows that are designed to create the perfect eye. 

They are all packaged in a similar fashion to the other Benefit kits, in a small box - resembling a book - with a magnetic closure, a mirror and a handy leaflet with instructions for a day and night eye. The best bit is that the inserts that hold the product are removable so that the box can be re-used. 

Out of the three palettes, I was most attracted to the bronze tones of the Most Glamorous Nudes and the absolute gems of the kit were the Creaseless Cream Shadows(0.11 oz) - my favourite cream shadows on the market - in Birthday Suit (a bronzy chrome) and My Two Cents ( a true copper). These shadows are super creamy with a gel like feel and amazing pigmentation. They do not crease or even budge on my lids and they are incredibly long lasting. The powder shadows (0.04 oz) follow in a similar colour family with Call my Buff (a very sheer cream), Gilt-y Pleasure (a shimmery copper), It's Complicated ( a rose gold shimmer) and Kiss Me I'm Tipsy (a darker brown with fine gold glitter). They are buttery and finely milled with little fallout but unfortunately the pigmentation is awful. Call My Buff does not show up on my skin tone and is so sheer that you only see a fine sheen. The only shade that actually appeals to me is It's Complicated, the rest fall short. 

(L-R) Kiss Me, I'm Tipsy | Gilt-y Pleasure | It's Complicated | Call My Buff | My Two Cents | Birthday Suit
All Shadows required 3 layers for this pigmentation

You can buy the World Famous Neutrals palettes at Sephora for $36. 

The Sephora Wish List

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush | Bite Beauty Lip Mask | Marc Jacobs Nail Polish | Sephora Cream Lip Stain | Stila Stay All Day Lip Cream | Too Faced La Creme Lipstick | Benefit Hervana Blush | Bumble and Bumble Pret a Powder | Tarte C-brighter Eye Treatment


What are you wishing for right now?

Courtney x

Words To Live By Wednesday

Image - pinterest

The Valentine's Day Beauty Diary

Valentine's day is a very exciting time for me, yes because my boyfriend always makes it special, but mostly because it's the perfect excuse to break out the brighter, more vibrant makeup! (it's nice to get a break from the darker winter colours)

I have no set plans for Valentine's Day as we always seem to wing it with his crazy schedule but I thought i would play around with ideas for an evening out. I was inspired to do a girly look with a glowy, bronzed complexion and a bright pink lip.

For the eyes, I wanted to do something simple but pretty and feminine and ended up with a rose-gold and purple toned eye with bold liner. (Sorry it's not perfect, I have VERY shaky hands)

   

excuse the broken blood vessel under my eye, did not notice that was there

The look was quick and easy and my boyfriend definitely liked it! 

I used the L'oreal Magic Lumi Primer mixed in with my Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in porcelain, the Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer and the NYX HD Concealer in porcelain for my base. I followed up with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light, the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer and the Rockateur Boxed Blush. I followed my everyday eyebrow routine (post coming soon) using the Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel and Benefit's Gimme Brow in light/medium. For the eyes, I used my new Rimmel Glam Eyes palette in Burgundy Palace, the Maybelline Master Precise Liner, and Benefit's They're Real Mascara. And lastly, for the lips I used my new addiction, Maybelline's Colour Elixir in Captivating Carnation. 

The Valentine's Day Nail

You have got to love a good baby pink nail so what better time to crack it out than for Valentine's Day? (Looks so nice and refreshing with all the snow on the ground)

 For this easy peasy look, I used two coats of Essie's Fiji and then to spice it up I threw on a little bit of Essie's Lux Effect Top Coat in A Cut Above onto the ring finger. Sealed it all in with my Formula X for Sephora Glossy Top Coat and called it a day!

What do you have your nails right now??

Pink Picks | Valentine's Day Beauty

Valentine's Day is a 'holiday' with a bittersweet reputation but whether you celebrate it with a loved one or spend it with a movie and a pizza, we can all agree that it's a great excuse to break out the bright pinks during the season of muted and vampy neutrals.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the more fall/winter appropriate colours, i live for a gorgeous vampy red lip, but by the time February rolls around I'm itching for a little spring time pop.

A full face of bright, fresh colour or a simple pink nail - there are so many options to bring a little sunshine into your life. So, i've compiled a few of my favourite pinks to share with you lovely readers!

A nice fresh flush is super easy to pull off in the winter with something like Sephora's Cream Contour Blush in Poppy Pink or NYX's powder blush in Pinched.

If you're more of a lip lover than try Revlon's Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie, Maybelline's Colour Elixir in Captivating Carnation or NYX's Extreme Lip Creme in Natural. 

For eyeshadow, try something with a pink or purple shimmer that you can mix with any neutral look, like Rimmel's Glam Eyes in Burgandy Palace.

Or for a super pretty nail, try a pink creme with a fun glitter on the ring finger. My favourites for this look is Essie's Fiji and A Cut Above.

And of course to top it all off, spray on your favourite light and fresh perfume, I'm in love with Victoria by Victoria's Secret.


Are you doing anything exciting for Valentine's Day?

Odds and Ends | Week in Review

Wow! Another week gone. February is starting to fly by but im not complaining - my birthday's coming up! haha. It was honestly a really relaxed week, we had a crazy snowstorm and being the wimp that I am, I stayed inside for most of the week. (Sad, I know) but i actually don't deal well with extremely cold weather as I have an auto-immune disorder. So being inside, I got quite a bit or reading done and I watched an awful lot of American Horror Story. So onto my weekly favourites:

Candle of the Week: I just can not get over how amazing the Cinnamon Caramel Swirl candle from Bath and Body Works smells, so I decided to burn a second one!

Tea of the Week: I have been loving the warm spicyness of my Celestial Seasonings Gingerbread Tea.

Product of the Week: Since I haven't really gone anywhere, I have been doing a lot of at-home pampering with my old favourite - Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask.

Blog Post of the Week: I have to mention this post over on The Small Things Blog, I could NOT stop laughing when I read this so I had to share it!

Video of the Week: I have two favourite videos this week for beauty, I really enjoyed Blair Fowler's video on Valentine's Day snacks - she had some super cute ideas! And for my extra, I am a huge Lily Allen fan so I can not stop watching her new video for Air Baloon!

My Winter Must Haves | Random

I have a love - hate relationship with winter. On one hand, i do not deal well with the cold. I hate wearing bulky coats and the terrible weather. I become a bit of a hermit in the winter because my motivation to leave my bed is at absolute zero. However, i LOVE snow.

I am the kinda girl that MUST run outside and catch the snowflakes during the first fluffy snowfall. I think it is so insanely beautiful when you look out the window late at night and everything is covered in a white blanket and the reflection from the street lamps make everything glow. I am also a huge fan of cuddling up in a big fuzzy blanket with a hot drink and a book.

So to help me make the most of this dreary but magical time of year i like to arm myself with a few essentials that make me feel like i'm in a cabin in the mountains. I'm lucky enough to have a fireplace in my living room that keeps me toasty warm but you can never go wrong with a few candles to set the atmosphere (and to smell amazing of course). Then i'll tuck myself up in a little cocoon of blankets and cozy pillows, throw on my fuzy socks, grab my current book and a cup of tea or coffee and just be. There really is no better way to survive the crazy Canadian winters.

How do you survive the cold where you are?

The mug and candle holder are from Target, the socks from Bath and Body Works and the pillow from Carlton Cards. 

Courtney x

My Winter Must Haves | Beauty

all available at Sephora,Lush or Shoppers Drug Mart

When the wind starts to blow, the temperature drops and the flurries start to fall my skin tries to go into hiding. I'm a dry skinned girl with a bit of psoriasis that always flares up in the winter. To prevent any flaking or ugly cracked cuticles I love to overload on moisture. 

My go to all purpose moisturiser is the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. I found this baby about a year ago and it has been my skin saviour. It is formulated specifically for sensitive skin and is intensive enough to treat eczema. I lather this all over my arms, legs, chest and face and bye bye dry skin. For some added hydration i use the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask every other night and i wake up with plump, smooth skin (Plus it smells AMAZING). 

During the day, i make sure to constantly keep my lips hydrated with Carmex and I keep my hand cream within reach at all times. My favourite is Soap and Glory's Hand Food, it's the perfect texture without all the grease.  

And before i cuddle up in bed with my heated blankets i love to scrub my lips with my Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub and then slather on the Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm. I have a full review on this routine here. 


What are your winter must haves?

Courtney x

Words to live by Wednesday

I don't know about you but i am really quite fond of those lovely little quotes posted on pinterest and tumblr. I went through a lot of stressful times when i was younger and they still stick with me today. I find that reading a little something motivational can really get me back on track. Because of this, I decided that I'd like to share one quote a week with all of you! I hope you find a little inspiration!

What do you think of my idea? Feel free to send me suggestions for a post!

Courtney x

Oh Honey Honey

On a recent trip to Sephora, i traded in some of my VIB points for this lovely little Marc Jacob's Honey fragrance set. I must admit, i was sucked in by the adorable packaging (polka dots get me every time). 

The set comes with a rollerball (0.10 fl oz), a radiant body lotion (1.0 fl oz) and an adorable little change purse. 

The fragrance itself is gorgeous and smells like spring in a flower garden, very light, fresh and lovely. 

The description lists notes of pear, apricot, mandarin, orange blossom, honeysuckle, peach, honey, vanilla and smooth woods. I can't imagine a more lovely combination for a spring scent. 

I think i may have to pick up a full size i love it so much!

Have you tried it?

Courtney x

Drugstore Beauty Buys | the Haul

hydraluron $24.99| quo cotton pads $4.99| bourjois blushes $19| colour elixirs $9.99| rouge edition $20
|revlon skinlights $12.99| rimmel palette $9.99| lip liner $19| colour tattoo $7.99

So on a recent trip to the drugstore on the hunt for some hair clips and cotton pads, i may have put a few extra things into my basket. Oops. 

It was early evening, i had my white mocha in hand and the debit machines were down at my local Shoppers drug mart. Assured that the machines would be back up soon, i wandered down to the makeup aisle to "just browse" and wait it out. Well, we all know how that turned out, don't we? 

For those lovely readers not from good ol' Canada, Shoppers is a daaangerous place. They carry the basic drugstore brands but they also have this amazing little section known as Murale, that displays more high end products, ie Bourjois! Bourjois is not your everyday brand here, it is difficult to find and the selection is not amazing but when i saw the little display of blushes and lippies i knew i NEEDED (wanted) them. I ended up picking out one of their baked blushes in rose de jaspe, a cream blush in 01 nude velvet and a gorgeous Rouge Edition lipstick in 02 peche cosy. 

Back to the drugstore section, i finally found the re-introduced Revlon Skinlights in Bare Light and i picked up a new pot of the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze (mine seems to have wandered off to who knows where). I also grabbed two of the new Maybelline Colour Elixirs (a total essiebutton influenced purchase) in Captivating Carnation and Breathtaking Apricot. And to top it off, i decided to pick up this Rimmel Glam Eyes eyeshadow palette in 028 Burgundy Palace. Sadly i could not find the Lily Pebbles recommended, Brixton Brown. 

A good twenty minutes later, the debit was still down so i wandered over to the skincare. Cue the spur of the moment Hydraluron purchase. This is my first time trying the cult classic and i can't wait to test it out. 

Finally, the lovely girl in the Murale section let me know that she was up and running but of course, right on her cash desk was a little display of the No Bleeding Lips Secret Lip Liner. Could I pass it by? Of course not. 

It was a memorable night, that's for sure. 

Have you ever had a night like this?

Courtney x

Odd and Ends - Week in Review

Shoot for the upcoming posts / chinese new year / NOTD /
 my new obsession / most delicious combo ever / new furniture

This past week has been a whirlwind, but a very exciting one. I feel like i have accomplished quite a bit, with getting my new living room furniture (and tossing the old stuff), getting lots of posts planned, ordering my new lighting and working on getting a new design for my blog (Can NOT wait for it to be up!) 

Tea of the Week: I've been feeling a cold creeping up for a while so i'm become a religious drinker of the YOGI Echinacea immune support herbal tea. I love to cuddle up with a mug of this, with a little bit of honey mixed in and just inhale the goodness. I much prefer this to taking an echinacea supplement and i can feel the effects much faster. 

Candle of the Week: I must admit, i'm stuck on the Christmas candle bandwagon and i don't plan to get off anytime soon. Christmas time is candle heaven to a sweet lover like me, and right now im burning the Bath and Body Works Cinnamon Caramel Swirl. Let me just say - MY GOD ITS GOOD! My entire house smells like freshly baked cinnamon buns which is fantastic as it's stopped me from popping by Cinnabon for my fix. 

Blogpost of the Week: I read soo many posts every day thats it's difficult to choose (as everyone is amazing!) but sometimes one just sticks out to me. This week has got to be Katie's Beauty Blog's post on Tanya Burr's new line of liplosses and nail polishes. I'm a huge fan of Tanya's and it was soo nice to see swatches of the new beauties. 

Youtube Video of the Week: I love waking up every morning, grabbing a cup of coffee and settling in to catch up on my daily Youtube videos. It's become a ritual, i just can't seem to break. Well this week has been filled with a lot of "January Favourites" and my favourite has definetly been Ms. Glamorazzi's. I feel like we are on the same wave length and I want me some donuts! haha

How was your week??? 

Courtney x

My Daily Picks - Face of the Day

My Daily Picks for today's makeup were based on glowing, flushed skin with a touch of pink. I was inspired by the chilly weather and the beautiful blanket of snow that was falling outside.

I used my trusty Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in porcelain as my base mixed with a pump of my L'oreal Magic Lumi primer for some added glow. I'm loving this combination right now as my skin tends to get a bit dull in the winter. My skin is in quite good shape right now so i didnt need any concealer other than a little undereye brightening with my Maybelline Dream Lumi highlighting pen. I used a tiny bit of my Tarte Smooth Operator Translucent Powder to set the concealer and then dusted some of my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light over my entire face. To add a bit of that winter flush to my skin, I dabbed on some Nyx Powder Blush is Dusty Rose (my current daily fav). Now for the eyes, i kept it super simple with my favourite Too Faced 3 Way Eyeliner and Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara. I finished off the look with a bold brow using the Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel and Nyx Mega Shine Lipgloss in Beige.


What did you wear today?

Courtney x

Cold Weather Lip Care Routine

Winter is the time of dry cracked lips and for me it has always been a major problem. My lips are chronically chapped with peeling painful skin. 

After years (literally) of searching for the cure, i have finally found something that works for me. 

I'm not a lover of the baby lips or chapstick but during the day good old Carmex seems to do the trick. The nourishing balm with SPF seems to penetrate better than any other but at night i need a little something stronger. I've developed a bit of a routine and I couldn't be happier. 

First I use the Lush Mint Julip lip scrub, one of my favourite discoveries of 2013. It's simple ingredients and nourishing oils take the cake and it tastes like mint chocolate ice cream. Can it get any better?

I scrub a pea sized amount into my lips and follow with the new love of my life.

Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub $10

The Nuxe Reve de Miel nourishing lip balm is heaven in a beautiful little glass jar. It's no surprise that a pot is sold every 28 seconds. It's chalked full of great ingredients like honey, plant oils, shea butter and grapefruit essence and it smells of lemonade. 

The balm has a smooth waxy consistency with a gritty texture similar to sand lingering throughout. The mix of the two combine to exfoliate and moisturize well into the morning, and i can still feel the effects when i wake up. 

At roughly $20 a jar its a little bit easier to swallow than it's Dior counterpart.

Nuxe Reve de Miel $20 at Shoppers Drug Mart

Give this routine a chance and let me know what you think!

Courtney x

Review - Revlon Parfumerie Nail Polishes

Revlon Parfumerie Nail Polish $7.99 at drugstores

These new polishes have wormed their way right into my heart. A good formula, beautiful shades you don't see everyday and scented to boot. They also come in adorable little bottles reminiscent of vintage fragrances. They are a breeze to apply, super smooth and highly pigmented and they last on average 3 days without a topcoat.  I picked up three of the sixteen shades and i adore all of them.

Wintermint

Wintermint is my favourite by far. Very similar to the legendary Mermaid's Dream by Deborah Lippman but at a much nicer price! A minty green base with various toned blue glitter sprinkled throughout and a fine shimmer. It takes about 2 coats for opacity which beats the Deborah Lippmann in my opinion. And of course it smells of a delicate mint or candy canes for us peppermint lovers.

Spun Sugar

Spun Sugar is a beautiful opalescent silver with a warm golden glow that looks chic  and glamorous without going over the top. It is opaque with one coat and goes on smoothly. You don't notice the scent while you apply it but once dried it smells like dried flowers and perfume. So lovely!

Autumn Spice

Autumn Spice is the perfect fall polish for those who like a little more than the average burgundy cream. It has a warm brown base with threads of bronze, red, silver and gold running throughout. It has an intense shimmer that reflects the light beautifully. And the smell is to die for; warm apple pie, fallen leaves and a bit of cider.



Absolutely in love with these darings, i think i need to add to my collection.

Courtney x