GET THE LOOK: Make Up For Ever x Fifty Shades Of Grey // Valentine's Day 2015

A couple days ago, I reviewed the Make Up For Ever for Fifty Shades of Grey Give In To Me Set ($90 CAD). The included booklet included in the set features three looks created by Head of Makeup for the movie, Victoria Down, capturing Anastasia Steele's (the main character) transformation from an innocent college girl to a sultry, passionate woman. 

I thought it would be fun to make an attempt at the three looks. 

The Natural Look

Victoria Down's movie makeup secret: "...it was very important to start her as a very young, fresh-faced, uncomplicated girl. Her makeup was clean, her skin was bright and glowing..." 

How to get the look: I-514 (iridescent ivory) all over the lid, S-556 (grey taupe) at the base of the upper lash line, Smoky Extravagant Mascara over the lashes, and the Lab Shine D14 all over the lips. 

The Sultry Look

Victoria Down's movie makeup secret: "...I curled her lashes to open her eyes and then lightly applied black mascara brushed through so there were no clumps and no suggestion of heaviness."

How to get the look: ME-612 (metallic red brown) from the lash line to the crease and on the lower lashline, I-514 (iridescent ivory) on the brow bone and inner corner, Graphic Liner in the waterline, Smoky Extravagant Mascara on the lashes, and Rouge Artist Natural in N4 on the lips with Lab Shine D14 on top. 

The Empowered Look

Victoria Down's movie makeup secret: "As Ana gets involved with Christian Grey, she begins to dress the part...I gave her more maturity in her look. Her eyes became shaded a little deeper and stronger, her eyebrows were a little more groomed and shaped, and her lips became deeper-colored."

How to get the look: I-628 (iridescent reptile) from the lash line to the crease and on the lower lashline, S-556 (taupe grey) through the crease, I-514 (iridescent ivory) on the brow bone and inner corner, Graphic Liner on the bottom lash line, Smoky Extravagant Mascara on the lashes, and Rouge Artist Natural in N4 on the lips with Lab Shine D14 on top. 

My favourite is the Empowered look. It's kind of funny because I think that I look pretty "natural/innocent" in all of them. Perhaps it's because my face is more baby-like than that of actress Dakota Johnson. That aside, these looks, as well as the Give In To Me set are super simple to create and wearable for everyday. 

Which is your favourite of the three looks? 

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Sexy (?) Nails // Valentine's Day 2015

Are animal prints associated with being sexy? Because I don't think I've ever looked good in an animal print. So instead of going all out and wearing leopard leggings and a leopard leotard, I thought I'd bring out my wild side on my nails. 

You can easily find a leopard print nail tutorial with the help of a google search. Here's how I made it more Valentine's Day-esque:

(1) Paint your fingernails a base of a medium pink

(2) Use a dotting tool (or similar) to create red blobs on your nails

(3) Outline the red blobs with burgundy c-shapes 

(4) Add burgundy blobs and squiggles 

Products Used: Wet n Wild Wild Shine Nail Color in 457E She Sells, 475C Grasping for Strawberries, 486C Burgundy Frost, 450B Clear Nail Protector, the Body Shop Nail Art Pen (dotting tool) 

In any case, the more random your splotches and c-shapes, the better. I'm quite liking how this animal print nail art turned out. It doesn't make me feel wild but it does look pretty cool! 

How do you wear animal prints? 

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Make Up For Ever x Fifty Shades of Grey Give In To Me Set // Valentine's Day 2015

Sexy. Sultry. Romantic. Alluring. Sounds like my attraction for makeup. But it's actually a collaboration between Fifty Shades of Grey and Make Up For Ever. MUFE has partnered with Universal Pictures and Fifty Shades of Grey to bring limited edition sets to help fans of the acclaimed novel recreate beauty looks from the movie. One of the limited edition sets is the Make Up For Ever Give in To Me - Alluring Color for Eyes and Lips ($90 CAD) - 5 pretty Make Up For Ever products inspired by Ana, the main character in the movie, to encapture here transformation from an innocent college student to a passionate woman. 

The set is available now at Sephora for a limited time only and the Fifty Shades of Grey movie will be released Valentine's Day 2015 (February 13). 

In the set: 4 Artist Shadow Palette (I-514, ME-612, S-556, I-628), Graphic Liner, Travel Smoky Extravagant Mascara, Rouge Artist Natural N4, Lab Shine D14, Exclusive Keepsake Box 

The keepsake box is a textured patent leather with light pink finishings. Atop the pink is embossed silver text - quotes from the Fifty Shades of Grey novel. I'm not sure how I feel about the quotes. It's great for a Fifty Shades fan, but the box would look more refined without the quotes. 

Open the box, and there's a large mirror. To the left, a large storage space and to the right, a *secret* covered compartment. The key/knob doesn't serve any purpose other than embellishment. 

The set also comes with a pamphlet outlining the secrets of Fifty Shades of Grey Head of Makeup Department, Victoria Down. Step-by-step, it describes three looks - Ana's Natural, Sultry, and Empowered looks. *A post with the 3 looks is coming up soon!*

// Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow Quad ($96) in: 

• I-514 (pink ivory iridescent)
• ME-612 (silver brown metallic) 
• S-556 (taupe grey satin) 
• I-628 (reptile iridescent) 

I love the MUFE Artist Shadows. There are 210 shades available and I'm happy that Make Up For Ever took the liberty of cutting it down to 4 wearable yet unique neutrals, all of which I would wear. 

// Make Up For Ever Graphic Liner ($29)

The recently launched MUFE Graphic Liner is a stunner. The tip is ultra-fine and the colour is ultra-black. It may be overly long-wearing for some, as I had the hardest time removing a swatch off my hand. I tried the MUFE Sens'Eyes Waterproof Make Up Remover, Annabelle Makeup Remover Lotion and the Biotherm Cleansing Oil...and there's still a soft black line on the back of my hand. 

// Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant Mascara Travel Size ($14)

Previously reviewed, the Smoky Extravagant Mascara is pretty great on the counts of volume, length and curl. The cone-shaped brush is both interesting and useful for catching the baby lashes at the corners of my eyes. My only issue with this mascara is that it smudges on me. This is easily fixed with a coat of another smudge-proof mascara over the top but a little of a hassle. 

// Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural in N4 (pink beige) ($23)

I've tried the MUFE Rouge Artist Natural in N9 and am just as much as happy with N4. The lipsticks are soft and creamy, sheer and with a shiny finish, and comfortable to wear on the lips. 

// Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Diamond Collection D14 (shimmering Indian pink) ($22)

Looks natural on the lips. It's a sheer pink with a silver shimmer running through. There's a really satisfying fruity aroma. For the first couple hours, the lip gloss is comfortable but after the shine wears away all that's left is glitter... and unfortunately, it ain't pretty. 

 Make Up For Ever Graphic Liner, Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows in I-514, ME-612, S-556, I-628, Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural in N4, Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Diamond in D14

Overall, this set is a winner and at a $204 value you can't go wrong. The quality of some of my Make Up For Ever favourites in hand-selected shades that can be worn in a natural look and built up to something more sultry. For any Fifty Shades fanatic or your partner or any woman in your life that you love, this set would make the perfect Valentine's Day gift. 

That being said, I have NOT read the Fifty Shades of Grey novel. However, this Make Up For Ever set is kind of turning me on. I'll probably give in and watch the movie. Stay tuned for Victoria Down's Natural, Sultry & Empowered looks on the blog next! 

Have you read Fifty Shades of Grey? What do you think of this set? 

PS: If you're not into eye makeup, there's also some stunning lip and blush trios!! Check out the Sephora website for more deets. 

Press samples featured

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TAG: Frugal vs. Spendy - The Price Tolerance Test

There are great inexpensive beauty products. There are also products that are worth their ridiculous price point. A couple of days ago, Jenn of A Beautiful Zen wrote a blog post called Frugal vs. Spendy in which she compared the highest and lowest priced items in her collection per category (foundation, blush, eyeshadow, etc.). I thought it would be fun to take a look at my own makeup collection and see what I'm willing to spend to colour in my face. 

// foundation: Guerlain Baby Glow Sheer Makeup* ($60) vs. Rimmel Stay Matte Mousse* ($6)

It has become clear to me that I'm  all about that base. Thus, I'm willing to empty my wallet for a flawless complexion. The Baby Glow was a press sample.  For the staying power, medium coverage and satin finish, the Baby Glow is well worth the big bucks. My most spendy purchase is the Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + ($42), my fave "going-out" foundation. It's only a hair more pricey than my repurchased Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15 ($40). At the other side of the spectrum is the Rimmel Stay Matte Mousse  ($6), which is so full coverage that I reserve it for blog photos only. 

// setting powder: Make Up For Ever HD Pressed Powder* ($41) vs. Ben Nye Banana Powder ($12)

Winter has had me laying off the setting powder but in the summer, I hit pan on the MUFE HD Pressed and subsequently smashed it (above is a new one). The Ben Nye Banana Powder is a recent purchase that I haven't quite figured out how to use it.

// blush: NARS Duo in Desire/Hungry Heart I ($20 on blog sale, $27 regularly) vs. Miliani Baked Blush in Luminoso ($8) 

I am not often impressed by drugstore blushes available in Canada. Milani's is an exception. Well worth the fact that it's forever hyped. In general I just haven't been reaching for or spending on blush lately. 

// bronzer/contour: Make Up For Ever Sculpting Kit* ($55) vs. New York Color Bronzer in Sunny ($3)

Fact: I own three bronzers. I use the NYC Bronzer bounds more than anything else and I've hit MAD pan. 

// highlighter: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette ($67) vs. Benefit Watt's Up Highlighter (sample aka FREE!) 

Fact: I also only own three highlighters. I'm still sorting out my thoughts on the Hourglass Palette but the slightly golden sheen of the Benefit Watt's Up works well with my colouring and is going to last forever and a day. A sample backup of Watt's Up is also waiting for me if and when I'm finished my current one. 

// eyeshadow: Shu Uemura Brave Beauty Eye Palettes* ($90) vs. NYC Eye Dusts* ($3) 

Eyeshadow is an area of restraint, since I seldom stray from my neutral eye and I've received some awesome neutral palettes (i.e. Chi Chi) through giveaways and as gifts. The most I've spent on a palette myself was for the Smashbox Photo Op Softbox II ($23, originally ~$40) which is now discontinued. 

// eyeliner: Shu Uemura Lasting Gel Pencil* ($36) vs. New York Color Velvet Eyeliner* ($2) 

Both the frugal and spendy versions of these eyeliners are great! The NYC is more pigmented and the Shu is more long lasting. At one point in time I had the Lancome Artliner ($37) but it expired and since then I've stuck to eyeliners at the drugstore, like Rimmel Scanadaleyes ($7).

// mascara: Guerlain Volume Creating Curl Sculpting Mascara* ($34) vs. CoverGirl Full Lash Bloom Mascara* ($7) 

These are the two ends of the spectrum for my opened mascaras. My least pricey purchase mascaras are all from CoverGirl - LashBlast Volume, LashBlast Waterpoof, LashBlast Clump Crusher, etc. 

// lipstick: Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Lipstick* ($36) vs. Wet n Wild Mega Last Lipstick* ($3)

I tend to cheap out in terms of lippies because I'm the kind of person who would trade off luxe packaging and spreads like butter texture for a gazillion different colours. The Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks also deserve a shoutout, as my fave drugstore lippie option. 

// lipgloss: NARS Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight (deluxe sample, full size $29) vs. L'Oreal Caresse Shine Stains ($8)

I actually prefer L'Oreal's formula to the NARS. L'Oreals grips on to my lips a bit better. Turkish Delight ain't my colour but I keep it around to lighten my lippies. 

// lip balm: Tata Harper Be Adored Lip Treatment* ($28) vs. EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balms* ($4)

I've purchased and received more EOS lip balms than I could ever need in a lifetime. It's like having a bunch of adorable Easter eggs laying around. Both EOS and Tata Harper are organic/good-for-you, etc. However, I now reach for the Tata Harper more because of it's hint of a rose tint. 

// brushes: Make Up For Ever Artisan Brush* ($58) vs. Eco-tools 5-piece Eye Brush Set ($8)

I thought that the Hakuhodo Yachiyo ($50) was the most pricey, turns out it's my most pricey purchase of a brush but a few from the MUFE Artisan line tops it in price. Eco-tools brushes are an excellent quality for the $$$, though they're not holding up as well as some of my more pricey brushes, but they're not at all costly to replace. 

// polish: Fuse Gelnamel System* ($29.99) vs. Rimmel 60 Seconds Polish ($3)
I veer towards the drugstore for polish options. OPI and Essie are nice formulas but Rimmel, Sally Hansen, Revlon and NYC dry faster, last longer and keep me frugal.

A few general realizations: 

• Yes, I've got press samples for days. This, in no way, prevents me from making a few questionable beauty purchases here and there. 
• I've made my most hefty investments in the areas of brushes, highlighter and foundation. 
• NYC takes the cake for most frugal beauty brand, while it seems as though Shu and MUFE are on the spendy side of the spectrum in my collection. 
• Overall, I'm not a big beauty spender (in my personal opinion) - I test more products than I purchase (watching Youtube Makeup Collections makes me feel better about myself) *surprise, surprise*. I am content with my beauty consuming behaviour. 

How much do you spend on makeup? Are you frugal or spendy? 

Press samples and purchased products featured. Press samples are denoted with an asterisk (*). 

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Love from Lush - The Kiss, Prince Charming & Unicorn Horn // Valentine's Day 2015

What's not to love about limited edition Lush stuff? From locket-shaped bath bombs (Love Locket Bath Bomb - $11.95) to heart-shaped soaps (Cupid's Love Soap - $6.95) to gift sets containing both, Lush is a one stop shop for the perfect Valentine's Day bath and body gift. Here's a few thoughts on three from the Lush 2015 Valentine's Day collection: 

Lush The Kiss Lip Scrub ($9.95)

Prime your lips for the perfect kiss! Lush's The Kiss Lip Scrub is formulated with pink caster sugar and sea salt. It smells like bubble gum and has adorable little sprinkles and candy hearts distributed throughout the pot. While I'm not sure how I feel about lickng the dead skin off my lips, you can safely eat this lip scrub after you apply it! My only gripe is that it's a little messy. If you pick this up, avoid opening it sideways (or face sugar all over your floor). Plus, it gets stuck under my nails when I scoop it out of the pot. Other than that, The scrub is not overly gritty and definitely gets the job done while being pink and glittery and smelling adorably bubble-gummy. 

Lush Prince Charming Shower Gel ($9.95)

If Prince Charming smelled like this, I'd run off with him in an instant. I've heard a lot of complaints about Lush's products being too sweet. I kind of like it real sweet. The only way I can describe the aroma is... juice from concentrate. The combination marshmallow root, fair trade vanilla and pomegranate juice with grapefruit, sandalwood and geranium smells so juicy that I could just drink the stuff up. Like other Lush Shower Gels that I've tried, it lathers up quite nicely and makes me feel squeaky clean but not dried out. But buyer beware, this does contain Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS), so if that bothers you or makes your skin dry than watch out. 

Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar Before and After

Lush Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar ($7.95)

YES. UNICORNS! I wish I could wear this on top of my head. Fittingly, it's sparkly and pastel-rainbow-coloured. Unfortunately, the strong ylang-ylang/neroli/lavender scent is a little too herbal right out of the packaging but in the bathtub it's more diffused and quite relaxing. Using the entire bar yields fluffy and long-lasting bubbles. Also totally noteworthy, the bubbly, magical, purple bath that comes from this pretty bubble bar kind of makes me jump for joy. 

Have you checked out this year's Lush Valentine's Day Collection? 

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Sweetheart Nails // Valentine's Day 2015

Sweetheart candies. Those ones that look so sweet and almost never taste as good as they look. The make for good blog props though! Ahhh Valentine's Day. It's in a couple weeks and I thought I'd bring back my nail art series. I love doing love and romance and cheesy heart inspired nail ideas. This time around, I'm making my nails as sweet as the candy - pastel pink and sweet little baby hearts at the bottom of the nail.

The "design" (if you can even call it that) is super simple and requires almost no explanation. Baby pink polish and two 45 degree angle lines to form a heart. You can use a dotting tool, pencil point, back of a brush, toothpick, etc. to create the heart. 

Products Used: Wet n Wild Wild Shine Nail Color in 475C Grasping at Strawberries and 455B Tickled Pink, The Body Shop Nail Art Pen (dotting tool), Wet n Wild Wild Shine Nail Color in 450B

Do you like sweetheart candies? 

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Empties and Tosses #10 // January 2015

A new year always requires some sort of effort to clean up my act when it comes to housing beauty products in my room. This year, I'm making an attempt to do monthly empties instead of having 4 posts a year in which I talk about 40+ products in each. 

Here's my rating scale: 

(>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^ // worthy of dance party (repurchase)   

^u^ ^u^  // pretty great (maybe repurchase) 

-_- // indifference (will not repurchase) 

THE BIG GUNS (aka big full-size stuff) 

The Sapien Women Facial Scrub* ^u^ ^u^ looks like mud pie, smells like tutti fruity and was a nice physical exfoliating scrub that I kept in my shower. I liked the Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Facial Cream* ^u^ ^u^ a lot more than my initial review might suggest - a go-to non-greasy moisturizer for both day and night. I was highly impressed by the CoverGirl Tru Blend Liquid Makeup in m3* (>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^ and it's one of the few foundations I've actually finished. The light-medium dewy coverage is great for transition months and m3 is a perfect match! 

THE LITTLE GUYS (aka samples and one-time-use) 

The Sephora Formula X Delete To-Go Nail Polish Remover* ^u^ ^u^ is a thick cotton pad soaked in acetone. It was great for removing polish but a little pricey and wasteful for my nail-polish removing tastes. The Glam Glow Power Mud Dual Cleanse Treatment -_- didn't really live up to the hype of its name. It was slightly tingly and felt like it removed all the gunk from my face but I could purchase a much less expensive mask with the same effect. The Cover FX Calming Primer (>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^ worked well for my skin's needs. It kept my pores looking minimized, makeup in place and oil at bay, everything I seek in a good primer. 

FACE STUFF

The Murad Clarifying Wipes for Blemish Prone Skin* ^u^ ^u^ were quite great at removing makeup and cleansing. Nothing outstanding but a good option, especially for noticeably less break outs. I'm finishing up a box of the My Beauty Diary Pearl Powder Mask ^u^ ^u^, which leave my skin feeling hydrated and brightened. The Choco Cacao Collagen Mask* ^u^ ^u^ has a similar effect as the beauty diary but smells slightly of chocolate! The Sisely Paris Black Rose Cream Mask -_- was only so-so. Generally, I'm not a fan of cream masks that aren't over-night masks because they don't get enough time to sink into the skin. At Sisely's price point, would definitely not repurchase.

HAIR STUFF

The Biotera Ultra Color Care Conditioner* -_- did absolutely nothing for my hair. The Likke Detox Scalp Care Gel* ^u^ ^u^ has an amazing tingly feeling when applied to the scalp. I couldn't tell if my scalp was actually getting a detox but it felt so cool. The John Frieda Frizz Ease Thermal Protection ^u^ ^u^ did exactly what it claimed in the packaging, tamed frizz and prevented my hair from breakage when using a blow dryer. 

TOSSES

I really liked the Lancome Hypnose Custom Volume Mascara ^u^ ^u.It was great for building volume. The Annabelle Big Show Mascara x 2 (one waterproof)* -_- was also great at building volume, however both the waterproof and non-waterproof formulas smudged and gave me raccoon eyes. The Almay Smart Shade CC Concealer and Brightener* -_- is a little thick and slightly cakey for my preferences. Initially, I had really liked the CoverGirl + Olay the De-Puffer Concealer* -_- but I stopped using it then restarted and it broke me out underneath my eyes (which was both strange and painful). I love the scent of the Nivea Lip Smoothie Cranberry and Raspberry  -_- as well as the slight wash of color, however, it's a bit old and Nivea's ingredients aren't the most natural for me to be dragging on my lips multiple times a day. The colour of NARS Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight  -_- just didn't work for me - too pale. Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in Champagne -_- must be 5 years old by now. Gross, right? It adds a frosty shimmer to the lips and I've only used it 4 or 5 times because of that. 

The TALLY: 

7 tosses

7 full-size

7 samples 

21 total 

Have you tried any of these products? 

Both press samples and purchased products featured. Press samples denoted with an asterisk (*). 

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