To The Sea | Tarte Rainforest Of The Sea Drench Lip Splash Matte Lipsticks | Review & Swatches

Hey Beauties! 

Anyone who knows me is well aware that I firmly believe in mermaids and I firmly believe I was one in a past life (my blog name is even about mermaids!). I LOVE all things mermaids so when Tarte released their new aquatic inspired collection, I may have squealed from happiness. 

I'm already a pretty massive fan of everything Tarte Cosmetics; but their new Rainforest of The Sea collection is everything I could have dreamt for. The packaging, the concept and the products I have tested are what my mermaid dreams are made of so let's break it down and start with these beautiful new matte lipsticks. 

The new Tarte Drench Lip Splash Lipsticks retail for $26 CAD/$22 USD and come in 12 absolutely stunning, vibrant shades. 

The Packaging

The Lip Splash lipsticks are beautifully packaged. They come in slim, feather weight, metal tubes with a GORGEOUS gold and purple ombre print. They are small, light and portable with only 0.085 oz of product which is less than the average lipstick at 0.20 oz. The tubes being so light and small are however not the most sturdy. 

The Details

The Lip Splash lipsticks are some of the most intensely pigmented lip colours I have ever seen and their formula is a cut above the average matte lipstick. 

They are beautiful creamy lipsticks with a dreamy lip butter-esque feel and a silky matte finish. They have excellent colour payoff for full opacity in a single application and a streak free finish with it's ultra creamy and lightweight texture. 

It is extremely creamy, so much so that it glides on like butter but if you push too hard on the bullet it might break. The thin silky formula is very comfortable, it glides on without tugging or pulling and is easy to smooth into place. 

It sets to a velvety matte finish that is not at all drying due to hydrating ingredients in the formula. So unlike matte liquid lipsticks, these have a soft matte appearance but the feel of a normal cream lipstick. They wear for a good 5-6 hours before evenly fading and they do not have any issues with feathering or migration. However, they are not resistant to transfer so keep your kisses to yourself. 

The Formula

The Lip Splash formula is infused with a number of ingredients to keep your lips hydrated and smooth including -

The Rainforest of the Sea Complex - a proprietary blend of algae and marine flower extracts to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while soothing and softening the skin. 

Sodium Hyaluronate Filing Spheres - deliver and retain moisture for optimal hydration.

Jojoba Oil - soothes and leaves lips soft, supple and smooth

Pomegranate Oil - helps brighten lacklustre skin and fight free radicals

Cupuacu Butter - includes sterols that help firm and drench lips in moisture

Murumuru Butter - rich in essential fatty acids and pro vitamin A to help restore elasticity and soothe lips. 

All of these ingredients work together to create lipsticks that feel like nothing on and wear like a dream, never drying out your lips, causing irritation or leaving a bad taste in your mouth. 

(Top to Bottom - Skinny Dip, Beach Bum & Cabana Boy)

All 12 shades are bold, beautiful and full coverage in one swipe. There are delicate nudes, bright summery pinks, hot reds and vampy purples all of which are just plain gorgeous. I have three shades at the moment and I will be adding more to my collection. 

Skinny Dip is a muted light peach nude with warm undertones.

Cabana Boy is a muted, medium rose mauve with cool undertones. 

Beach Bum is a muted, medium rosy brown with warm undertones. 

All three lipsticks are beautiful, multi dimensional nudes that would work for a number of skintones. Cabana Boy is my personal favourite and it has seen A LOT of wear so I can definitely say that these lipsticks are a winner. 

I cannot recommend these lipsticks enough to someone who wants a beautiful lipstick with incredible pigmentation and an ultra comfortable wear with a matte finish. These lipsticks are a cut above all other matte lipsticks and the perfect place to start if you are unsure of the whole matte world. 

The Tarte Rainforest Of The Sea Drench Lip Splash Lipsticks are available at Sephora and Tarte. 

To The Rescue | Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional Matte Rescue Invisible Finish Mattifying Gel | Review & Swatches

Hey Beauties! 

Being a girl with dry skin I am always aiming for a healthy radiant glow but I am well aware that my girls with more normal to oily skin are all about that matte life. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to rock a fully matte look on occasion but I knew I needed to up my game and get someone else on my side who could help me test out the true abilities of matte products. 

So I enlisted my closest oily skin friend, Heather, to be my guinea pig and now I have a much better understanding of how mattifying products truly work. The first product I wanted to review and share with you is from the new extension to the Benefit Cosmetics' POREfessional range. 

The POREfessional primer is a firm favourite of mine for days when I want a smooth, velvety canvas and I knew Heather already loved it too but how does this new addition add up to the test?

The new POREfessional Matte Rescue Invisible Finish Mattifying Gel (1.6oz) retails for $36 CAD/$28 USD and comes in a stellar silver metallic tube with a modern version of the POREfessional Spy front and centre  It has a very James Bond, Inspector Gadget vibe to it and I personally love it! 

The Details

The Matte Rescue Gel is a lightweight, water based gel that is meant to be used along side a primer (the POREfessional primer) - like a partner in crime if you will. This gel is applied after moisturizer and before primer to prep your skin for any upcoming makeup. 

The blue tinted gel will sink into your skin instantly reducing shine, filling in pores and absorbing excess surface oil. It features diamond powder which is known for its soft focus blurring effect to minimize the look of pores and fine lines. The result is an invisible mattifying effect that looks natural and like your very own skin but improved.

The lightweight gel texture feels cooling and refreshing as the silicone helps it glides over the skin smoothly. The water based formula gives it the ability to hydrate lightly without producing more oil or shine and it doesn't dry out the skin whatsoever.

How To Use

The Matte Rescue Gel is meant to be used after moisturizer and before primer so once you have prepped your skin apply the gel in smooth strokes pushing it into the skin and then pat your chosen primer over the top. 

The patting motion will ensure the products work together rather then disrupting each other. Once set, the combination leaves pores and fine lines minimized and shine reduced. Your makeup will glide on smoothly and the finished product will be a flawless, airbrushed finish. 

Does It Pass The Test?

Absolutely! Both Heather and I tested it thoroughly and we both gave it the thumbs up! It fulfilled every promise it made and it worked for both of us. It mattified my skin and left me with a velvety soft complexion that wasn't dry or unnatural. It kept Heather's skin matte all day long and kept oil from peeking through throughout the day. She loved the finish it gave her and felt like she didn't need to touch up nearly as much. 

The Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional Matte Rescue Invisible Finish Mattifying Gel is available at Sephora, Ulta, Beauty Boutique and Benefit Boutiques. 

Colour Coded | Colour Correcting 101 With Stila's Correct & Perfect All-In-One Colour Correcting Palette | Review

Hey Beauties! 

Just like anything else, trends in makeup come and go but some looks are timeless. This spring and summer; brands, makeup artists and beauty gurus are going to be flaunting cobalt blue eyes, cherry red lips and ultra bronzed skin but the biggest trend is the most classic of them all - bare, naturally perfected skin. 

So this season, it's time to put down the heavy, full coverage foundation and let your skin shine through. The best way to do that is to treat the parts of your complexion that you believe need covering and then let the rest be free with a lightweight veil and that is where Colour Correction comes into play. 

Colour Correcting is the hottest thing in the beauty industry at the moment and while it looks complicated it's actually rather simple. Essentially, you are using tinted concealers to counteract natural tones in the skin, even out the overall tone and neutralize imperfections. before applying foundation.

Colour Correcting 101

There are so many more ways to perfect the skin and hide imperfections than caking on layer after layer of foundation. Colour Correcting is the easiest way to improve the appearance of your skin without adding a ton of product. 

It's really rather simple, CC is all about cancelling out tones and discolourations in the skin with bright hued concealers before you apply foundation. Taking this step will ensure you use less foundation in the long run and you are left with perfected skin.

 It may seem strange to be adding colour to your skin but it works wonders and you won't see a thing once it is covered. 

Let's break it down into quick and easy steps! 

1. Plan ahead, find the tones in your skin like redness around the nose, darkness under the eyes, purple sallowness on the cheeks etc and find the opposite shade on the colour wheel. That is the colour you should use to counteract the tone. 

Check out this chart to see which colour you should use depending on your issue.

2. Apply your moisturizer and primer.

3. Apply the corrector onto the area that needs to be neutralized. 

4. Apply in thin layers and blend in between before layering until you get the coverage you desire. 

5. Apply foundation over top using a beauty blender and a dabbing motion so you don't disturb the colour underneath.

Colour Correcting Products

Colour Correctors come in many forms from liquid concealers and primers to cream concealers and powders. You can buy them in individual shades or in palettes with every shade you might need. They all have the same purpose and perform about equally offering different options in pigmentation, coverage and lasting power.

There are quite a few really fantastic options out on the market but my personal favourite is the new Stila Correct & Perfect All-In-One Colour Correcting Palette. 

The Stila Correct & Perfect All-In-One Colour Correcting Palette retails for $59 CAD/ $45 USD and is the ultimate colour correcting palette with absolutely everything you might need for a flawless, perfected complexion. It comes in a stunning metallic gold and pink marble compact (it's seriously beautiful!) and it fits in the palm of your hand. 

Inside are 5 correcting creams in peach, pink, yellow, green and a bright reddish orange and 2 finishing powders in yellow (even tone) and purple (brighten). 

The correcting creams can be used individually or mixed together to create the perfect correcting cocktail. They are beautiful lightweight creams that provide sheer to medium, buildable coverage that is strong enough to neutralize tones completely but blends out seamlessly to a sheer tint that won't be noticeable underneath foundation.

I like to apply the creams with my fingers or a small concealer brush and I prefer to warm the product up on the back of my hand before applying. I have found that the best way to apply them is to tap them into the skin without swiping or rubbing. They are so creamy that they melt into the skin instantly without feeling greasy at all. 

Once the creams are set with one of the two setting powders, which are super silky and smooth, they never crease or migrate and they don't ever look cakey or heavy. 

The Correct & Perfect Palette has absolutely everything you need to master colour correcting and it comes in such a beautiful package. The creams are gorgeous, they offer great coverage with a lightweight, ultra creamy feel and the powders work beautifully to set not only the creams but other products as well. 

If you are interested in playing with colour correcting and you have more than one issue to address then I highly suggest you pick up a correcting palette and the Stila option is my personal favourite! 

The Stila Correct & Perfect All-In-One Colour Correcting Palette is available at Sephora and Stila. 

Highlight Of My Life | NYX Strobe Of Genius Illuminating Palette | Review & Swatches

Hey Beauties!

If you've been reading for awhile then you will know that I can never get enough of a good highlight. I seem to have no boundaries when it comes to applying a shimmery powder to my cheekbones and I'm always adding just a little bit more - it's addictive what can I say?  

Well it's been killing me because I go on and on about how much I LOVE to glow to the spaceships and how important I think it is for you to add a little glow to your life but I haven't been able to truly recommend an affordable option. 

I won't even talk about something I don't think is 100% worth it but I won't truly recommend something if I don't use it myself on a regular basis. So I made it a mission to find the perfect drugstore powder highlight (there are plenty of liquid ones that I LOVE) and I finally found it!!!

Down To Basics

The NYX Cosmetics Strobe Of Genius Illuminating Palette retails for $27 CAD/ $19 USD (2.4oz) and includes 7 highlighting powders designed to work for every skintone and every highlighting need. 

The palette features 3 large highlights (0.14oz) and 4 small highlights (0.07oz) that are meant to be mixed together - or worn alone - for the ultimate customized highlight. The powders are housed in a simple, slim, black palette with sleek lines and a transparent lid so you can see the product held inside. There is no mirror or brush but the palette is sturdy, attractive and just great quality overall. 

Down To Business

This coordinated collection of must have illuminators provides everything you need to master highlighting and that whole strobing trend. Some of the shades offer a more subtle glow while others are out of this world intense, so you can mix and match to find what works for you. 

The quality varies a tiny bit by shade but all of them are velvety smooth with an ultra creamy texture that glides right onto the skin. They apply like butter and blend out seamlessly, almost melting into the skin. They also layer really well never getting chalky or heavy only more and more beautiful. (To keep things looking natural no matter how much you apply, lightly wet a beauty sponge and dab over the highlight to blend it in with the skin)

They are all highly pigmented and it's easy to get a subtle glow in one swipe but if you want a bigger punch then just add a couple layers. The most obvious difference in quality is that the 3 larger pans and the purple toned highlight have much better colour payoff. 

Down To Details

Each shade in the palette has a name and a prescribed function. In the top row from left to right is a True Yellow Gold with Gold Pearl (great for darker complexions), a Cool Toned Light Pink with Shimmer (great for fair skin), a Duochrome Lavender with Shimmer (a brightening pop to amp up the glow factor), and a Golden Pink with Shimmer (a rose gold for darker skin or a beautiful blush for light - medium complexions)

(L-R True Gold, Light Pink, Lavender, Golden Pink)

The bottom row from left to right is a Light Gold with a Peachy Undertone and Shimmer ( flattering on all complexions), a Bronze with Gold Pearl (stunning on darker skin or as a blush for medium skintones), and a True Champagne with Shimmer (gorgeous on fair and light complexions). 

(L-R Peachy Gold, Bronze, Champagne)

All 7 shades are beautiful but my personal favourites are the Lavender, the Light, Peachy Gold and the True Champagne. They are all so incredibly gorgeous on the skin, they are richly pigmented, blend like a dream and don't accentuate much texture. They also last for hours on end. 

I was so incredibly impressed by this palette and I have found myself reaching for it time and time again. It can seem pricey at $27 CAD but when you break that down you are only paying about $4 for each shade. I also love that you can find a use for every single shadow in the palette whether you use them as eyeshadows or blushes so you definitely get a big bang for your buck. 

I could not recommend the NYX Cosmetics Strobe Of Genius Palette more and if you are thinking of buying a new highlight or venturing into the world of highlighting then look no further. (I also think the bottom three shades are pretty awesome dupes for Becca Cosmetics Champagne Pop, Bronzed Copper and Moonstone) 

You can pick up the NYX Cosmetics Strobe Of Genius Illuminating Palette online or in your local NYX, Ulta, Target or Shoppers Drug Mart. 

Mode Monthly | 6 Spring 2016 Beauty Trends #LazyGirls Will Love | Roundup

Hey Beauties! 

Spring is officially here and I am more than ready to jump on board with the latest Spring beauty trends! I am dying for a bright blue eye, a coral lip, a glowy complexion and a flushed dewy cheek! The runways this season were packed with ultra-wearable easy to achieve trends and fresh faced, minimalistic looks that I can't wait to rock and I bet you can't either. 

Head on over to Mode Media to see my roundup of the 6 Spring Beauty Trends #LazyGirls Will Love and let me know which trend you are planning on trying! 

Check out 6 Spring Beauty Trends #LazyGirls Will Love
by La Belle Sirene at Mode

Antique Black Gold Metallic Eye & Glowy Complexion | Makeup Tutorial

Hey Beauties! 

I've got another makeup tutorial for you today! This glamorous Antique Black Gold Metallic Eye was the look I chose to rock on my birthday even through a rotten cold and it made me feel so much better to have such a beautiful look on. 

Since it was my birthday I wanted to wear some of my favourite products so I gave myself a super glowy base with a touch of bronze and plenty of highlight. Then I paired it with my favourite lipstick. 

Check out the video below to see how I got this look and make sure to comment and subscribe! 

Brightest & Boldest | Urban Decay Afterglow 8HR Blush | Review & Swatches

Hey Beauties! 

If there is one brand that isn't afraid to play with bright, bold pops of colour then it is without a doubt Urban Decay. They are known for their extensive range of vibrant shades in their eyeshadows like the Electric and Vice palettes. As well as in their lipsticks, eyeliners, glitters and well practically every product they make. So it's no surprise that they carried that love of bold colour to their Afterglow blushes. 

The Details

The Urban Decay Afterglow 8hr Blushes retail for $32 CAD/$26 USD (o.23oz) and come in 12 show stopping, in your face shades. They are packaged in seriously stunning gunmetal squares with clean, modern lines and an edgy laser cut logo with a fishnet grid so you can see the shade inside. 

The Formulation

Inside each square is a beautiful lightweight, finely milled powder blush. The powder has a very silky, smooth consistency that feels almost creamy to the touch. It is very soft and fine giving it an ultra blendable quality that makes it incredibly easy to buff into the skin without streaks or patchiness so it's impossible to mess up or apply too much. The softness gives way to a lot of excess powder being kicked up so tapping your brush before application is key. 

The blushes come in both a satin matte finish as well a slight shimmer finish and the shades range from warm neutrals to bold out of the box shades. They are all infused with light diffusing properties to help fake a perfect flush and perfect the skin's appearance. 

This infusion means that even the matte shades give a subtle radiant glow so you won't be left with a dull, flat looking cheek but a multidimensional one. The matte nude shades give a gorgeous luminosity that brings life and light to the face and completely changes a more neutral look. 

The bold shades are nothing to be afraid of as the blushes offer a sheer payoff that can be built up or buffed away for the perfect customized flush. Even a bright orange can be rocked by someone with fair skin like me. 

The three shades I have here are Fetish (a medium toned pink nude), Quickie (a bright blue pink), and Bang (a bright red orange). 

All three are beautiful bright shades that apply lightly and build up to full saturation. They blend seamlessly on the skin and last all day without any touch ups. 

I love the Afterglow blushes for their unique shades and long lasting formula, they give a gorgeous luminous glow to the skin and can be customized to be as strong or delicate as you want them to be. I have even added two more shades to my collection recently! 

You can buy the Urban Decay Afterglow Blushes at Sephora or on the Urban Decay website. 

Beauty With An Attitude | The Estee Edit By Estee Lauder | Review & Swatches

Hey Beauties! 

Times are rapidly changing and our culture is saturated by the influence of social media. The latest generations look at the world in a completely different way and to stay relevant brands are starting to shake things up for a fresh new perspective. 

Estee Lauder is a brand that has dominated the cosmetics industry for 70 years offering high quality, high impact products but they are not necessarily associated with the modern millennial. The team at Estee Lauder decided to harness the energy that drives the Estee Lauder brand and combine it with the power of social media for an entirely new generation of beauty junkies. 

The Estee Edit is a new makeup and skincare concept for the beauty obsessed. It is entirely based around catering to the needs of the millennial with 82 products inspired by Estee and curated by media mavens Kendall Jenner and Irene Kim. 

The Mission

This collaboration with Sephora is all about showing off your individual beauty and the attitude that comes with it. Estee firmly believed that owning your beauty was all about owning your attitude and that beauty was a declaration of who you are and who you make yourself up to be. 

This message is front and centre in the Edit's branding with a focus on authenticity and social presence. The Edit has created a blog - The Estee Stories -  where they share how to videos, inspiration posts, interviews and more. They also focus on their Instagram where they have the chance to interact with their younger consumers. 

The Good Stuff

The Estee Edit takes that focus on attitude and translates it into their products which are split into three personas - "The Edgiest", "The Barest" and "The GoGlow". Each attitude describes a certain look from the collection from a focus on pushing boundaries with bold colour to sheer washes with a bomb formula and simple makeup with skin loving ingredients.

The collection is housed in a modern adaptation of the classic Estee Lauder aesthetic with sleek minimalist packaging that features a splatter of the iconic Estee cobalt blue. 

The White Mud Exfoliating Scrub & Mask - $40 USD/ $44 CAD

A 2-in-1 mask and exfoliating treatment that works to draw out impurities and tame excess oil and shine. It has a rich, creamy white porcelain clay formula that smooths over skin easily. When used as a mask it refines pores and refreshes the skin with a gentle detox, then when washed away it exfoliates dry, flaky skin with jojoba beads. 

The Beam Team Hydrate & Glow - $50 USD/ $58 CAD

A double duty, multifunctional complexion hybrid that combines an illuminating base with a lightweight moisturizer. It is one of The Edit's products that focus on delivering instant, visible results but also working on the skin underneath throughout wear. It features hyaluronic acid to attract and trap moisture in the skin, hydrating while providing a stunning golden glow. 

In the tube is a lightweight lotion with a silky, liquidy texture that absorbs quickly and blends like a dream and in the cap is a concentrated version for touchups. Used as a primer or mixed in with foundation it gives a gorgeous dewy finish and when used to highlight directly it adds a hint of light to the highpoints of the face. 

The Edgiest Kohl Shadow Stick - $19 USD/$26 CAD

A portable cream eye shadow and eye liner in one. It is a chubby stick with a velvety soft texture that won't budge, transfer or fade and is richly pigmented. It comes in 10 gorgeous shades that can be used on their own, as a base or as a liner. Below is a swatch of the shade Black Viper as well as the Beam Team lotion. 

The Flash Photo Lip Gloss - $20 USD / $23 CAD

The key to the perfect selfie, the Flash Photo Gloss is a clear gloss with an iridescent blue pearl tint that helps to emphasize the white of your smile and a high shine finish. It can be layered on top of lipsticks or worn alone for a fresh smile all day long. It has a slightly thick but lightweight texture that feels tacky to the touch but that means it stays put on the lips for up to 4 hours. 

The Metallishadow Creme & Powder Duo - $25 USD / $29 CAD

My personal favourite so far, the Metallishadow Duo features a highly pigmented cream shadow in the cap and a loose metallic pigment in the bottom. They can be used separately or together for a multidimensional look and a flashy foil finish. There are 3 shades available Scarlet Eclipse (red/rose gold), Aqua Nova (teal/peacock) and Black Star (black/silver). 

The Estee Edit is a really incredible collection of products with such a smart and well executed mission behind them. As a long time fan of Estee Lauder I couldn't be more excited to see them step out of their comfort zone and reach out to a younger generation. I think it is a step that many other brands could be taking because Estee knocked it out of the park. 

I will be testing the products out more and I will add a few more to my collection so stay tuned for updates. 

The Estee Edit is exclusive to Sephora. 

*press samples*