Annabelle Big Show Lip Shine in Beam and custom colours!

Everybody wants different things. In the same way some like high-coverage foundations while others prefer a more natural finish, some love sheer shine on the lips while others prefer boom fully-fledged matte lips. The Annabelle Big Show Lip Shines ($9.95) are definitely on the sheer side of things. I received two custom colours (without names - but for now let's be blunt about it and call them pink and orange) and as well as the shade Beam (a pinky nude). 

Annabelle Big Show Lip Shines in "pink", "orange", and Beam

The GOOD: The Annabelle Big Show Lip Shines are perfect if you want a subtle sheen of colour over your lips. The product also works well as a layering gloss to add a little shiny somethin'-somethin' to your average lipstick. So much shine with a tiny bit of sparkle in the mix. The texture reminds me of the Almay Liquid Lip Balms except with slightly less slip and more thickness. It's smooth, non-sticky, and just the right thickness so that the product glides flawlessly over the lips. 

The BAD: As with most glosses, the product isn't long-lasting on the lips. Wear-time ranges around an hour or two depending on how often you eat or drink. Despite the short wear-time, these glosses are moisturizing enough that it's just like applying a balm. 

Overall, what you see in the tube is definitely not what you get, but if you're sheer, moisturizing shine then this is perfect for you. Personally, I think these lightweight, natural-looking glosses are perfect for the summer weather and have been my go-to on the daily. 

Are you a lipstick or gloss kind of gal? 

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HAIR: Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Shampoo, Conditioner, Leave-In Tonic and Mask

With long hair comes dry, split ends. It's just a fact of life. Ideally, I could just use one amazing shampoo/conditioner/hair mask set and be done with it, but my hair gets super greasy when I use heavy shampoos in the summer. I spend numerous amounts of time testing to find the shampoo that's perfect for me. 

These past two months, the Matrix Biolage Hydrasource set has been on the chopping block. I've never tried Matrix Biolage but it has recently re-packaged and reinvented its formulations. Matrix Biolage's focuses on using ingredients like cotton, aloe, cameilla, and orchid in its four product lines - Colorlast, Hydrasource, Smoothproof, and Volume Bloom. 

Given my dry-hair issue, I turned to the Hydrasource set for a little haircare comfort. 

Across the board, I can't put my finger on a scent. It smells good ... and clean but nothing too overpowering or sweet.The Shampoo is fairly lightweight for something that is considered hydrating, which I like. Although it contains Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, there's no sign of drying after using this shampoo. The Mask is a thick, cream-like product and the result it gives.. golden. After rinsing and drying, my hair feels reborn - shiny, soft, smooth, detangled and that feeling lasts for 3 days after. I feel like the Tonic is simply a light detangler. It doesn't really add or take away from the effect of the other products. Finally, the Conditioner is something that I would pass on. It didn't do much for me, especially compared to the power of the Mask. Since I don't wash my hair every day, I either used no conditioner or just the mask on the ends of my hair. 

Overall, I found that when I used this system (Shampoo + Mask (every other shower) + Tonic), it made a great hydrating combo, but not for every single shower. I found that my hair became more greasy than usual - if anything it's the ridiculous hydration of the mask. I think that in moderation, these products work well. With a little trial and error, using all three products on and off once a week is perfect for regulating the state of my hair. 

Do you have dry or greasy hair? Have you ever tried products from Matrix Biolage? 

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Revlon Rio Rush Collection ColorStay Eye Shadow Palettes in Wild and Exotic

I've already discussed how enamoured I am with the Revlon Rio Rush Collection by Gucci Westman for Summer 2014. All the colours... all the colours. Two eyeshadow quads ($12.95 each) in the Rio Rush Collection are the definition of "summer brights" - at a glance, truly swoon-worthy. If you're looking for wearable, now might be a good time to leave. These are not for the faint of heart. 

Revlon ColorStay™ 16 Hour Eyeshadow Palette in Wild

Wild contains a shimmery white, a satin brown-gold, a matte teal and a matte orange. The neutral shades are nothing you haven't seen before but check out those colours. mmmmmm. The texture of the shadows are definitely on the harder side and slightly powdery yet still easy to blend. I've never worn eyeshadow for 16 hours straight but these Revlon ColorStay eyeshadows seem to last well throughout the entirety of a day without creasing. 

Revlon ColorStay™ 16 Hour Eyeshadow Palette in Exotic

Exotic is similar to "Wild" in that it contains two neutrals and colours - a shimmery white gold, a matte purple, a matte yellow, and a matte black. Again, the neutrals are nothing special. It's such a shame that I have to compare this to the palette above. The purple and yellow colours are nice but they look and feel chalky in texture. 

Overall, the coloured shadows are truly standout, especially for items that you can find at the drugstore. If you're willing to put up with some not-so-great neutrals definitely check these Rio Rush eye shadow quads out! 

Do you buy coloured shadows at the drugstore? 

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Maleficent Makeup Look X Angelina Jolie Cheekbones

Guess which Disney villain I am today? I have yet to watch the movie, but when I saw the promo pics for Maleficent starring Angelina Jolie, my first thought was "dang, I gotta recreate something like that"... and so here we are. :) 

It's kind of funny because I showed a guy friend this makeup look, and he's like "wtf. that's scary."... GOOD. I'm supposed to be a scary villain not a cute little princess, so I guess I did my job in recreating look and feel of Maleficent.

At a glance, the Maleficent makeup look is actually quite simple in the movie. Neutral brown eye shadows, heavy contour (really, really heavy) and a red lip. I decided that instead of neutrals, I'd play around with greens to better enhance the colour of the green contacts from Angel Contacts. 

EYES: 

< colour contacts > angel contacts geo tri-tone green circle lenses*

< brows > marcelle eyebrow pen*

< cream base > annabelle retractable eyeliner in peacock* 

< shadows > madison street beauty eyeshadow in golden olive / mary kay mineral color in stone*

< liners > annabelle smoothliner in jade* (waterline) / annabelle eye ink in black* (cat eye)

< mascara > annabelle big show mascara* 

LIPS: 

< lipstick > covergirl lip perfection in hot passion*

< gloss > almay liquid lip balm in just plum*

FACE: 

< foundation > covergirl outlast stay fabulous 3-in-1 foundation in warm beige*

< sculpting > MAKEUP FOR EVER sculpting kit in #2 */ mary kay mineral color in stone*

Yes, the eyes were a lot of work, but it's most certainly also about the contouring. Rather than just plain old sculpting, I traced my fish-face jaw line with a bit of the Mary Kay Mineral Eye Colour in Stone for extra definition and then went on to blend it out with the MAKE UP FOR EVER Sculpting Kit. I probably could have gone a LOT more dramatic, but the contour that I did do was even a little much for me. 

I'm superbly pleased with how everything turned out. This was my first experience with coloured contacts and I think they look a little creepy on me (in a good way). In some ways, this look could be wearable on a night out if you took away the ridiculous contour or maybe the red lip. How do you think I did? 

Have you watched Maleficent? What did you think? 

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Revlon Rio Rush Collection Lipsticks in Sultry Samba, Brazilian Tan & Carnival Spirit

Probably most exciting part of the Gucci Westman for Revlon Rio Rush Collection are the LIPSTICKS! There are three in the collection - Sultry Samba, Brazilian Tan and Carnival Spirit. 

Evidently, different lipstick finishes last for different periods of time and everyone except the matte lipstick is moisturizing rather than drying. Mattes stick around for ~4 hours, Cream ~2.5 hours, and Gloss/Shine ~1 hour. Despite looking ridiculous in the tube, both Sultry Samba (pink) and Carnival Spirit (orange) are actually fairly subdued. 

Sultry Samba

A matte bright pink. The colour's wonderful but I find it to be a tad drying. 

Brazilian Tan 

A creamy brown-nude. I expected this one to look deathly on my lips, but it turns out that it works quite well with my yellowy colouring. YAY for that! 

Carnival Spirit

A sheer shiny orange. This one gives that "I-just-ate-an-orange-creamsicle" kind of look that I love. This one's perfect for everyday. 

For sure, I'm a huge fan of the second two - Brazilian Tan and Carnival Spirit. I have a feeling these colours are going to make their way into my summer lipstick staples. 

What do you think of the Revlon Rio Rush Collection Lipsticks? 

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OOTD #3: Bumbling On...

An outfit post is a rare occasion because: 

(1) I'm not a fashion blogger. My outfits are generally minimalistic and uninteresting. THE MAKEUPS > THE CLOTHES (Note the product listing...as well as 300 beauty posts and 2 style ones)

(2) It's incredibly awkward to take outfit photos of yourself and it's not often I can get a photographer friend to do all the hard work involved with photoshoots. We did a little one for the resident style club on campus (UW Style Society - aka best club ever), which involved holding inchworms, climbing onto waterfall peaks and eating tacos.

(3) I can't pose for my life. Someone...PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO DO WITH MY HANDS. *peace signs* 

(4) It bothers me when some photos are portrait and others are landscape.. and oftentimes there's both.. Case in point:

On another note, I made a cheeky little order off OASAP not knowing what to expect in terms of quality and fit from the online store based out of Hong Kong. It ends up being that you get what you pay for. I love the bumble bee pattern and length of the Sweet Honeybee A-line Dress ($20.90) but there were loose threads and the fabric was slightly see-through.

Dress: Sweet Honeybee A-line Dress from OASAP // Shoes: Converse

Makeup: 

FACE - Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet Plus, Make Up For Ever HD Pressed Powder*, NYC Bronzer in "Sunny" // EYES - CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara, Shu Uemura Long Lasting Soft Gel Pencil* // LIPS - Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Crayon in "Fuchsia-ristic"*, Almay Gloss + Balm in "Just Plum"* // NAILS - Get Nailed in "Yep! That's Impressive"*

What have you been wearing lately? Also, let me know if you'd like to see more outfit posts!

All photos courtesy of Charles Cheung (*too much skill to handle*) 

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Tracy Reese X Sally Hansen Spring 2014 in Mojito and Batbano Blue

Wearing polishes from designer collabs make me feel oh so chic. This June 2014, Sally Hansen launched colours of their Complete Salon Manicure created in collaboration with designers like Prabal Gurung, Rodarte, and Tracy Reese. 

Swatched below are two of the three limited Tracy Reese X Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure shades. Mojito (a deep mint) and Batbano Blue (a satin finish blue) are both perfection for the summer. The Tracy Reese collection channels Afro-Cuban culture - bright colours and the warmth of the tropics. 

The Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure formula is meant to be an all-in-one, no-fuss mani. In other words, a base coat, colour, and top coat of polish all in a few swipes of the brush. Both Mojito and Batbano Blue are thoroughly pigmented and opaque in two thin coats. The formulation is creamy but not thick and lasts around 2-3 days on my glued-to-the-laptop fingertips without a topcoat. 

Overall, these colours are perfection and you'll catch me sporting these polishes all summer long. 

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Color Club Nail Polish in Poetic Hues

The Color Club Nail Polish in Poetic Hues is my first venture into the Color Club brand of which I received in the Wantable Limited Edition Holiday Box 2013. 

Poetic Hues is a slightly peachy off-white. The brush makes it a bit hard to work around the cuticles and the formula is quite streaky. It's opaque in three coats and lasts 2 days without chipping. Overall, I like this polish as an alternative to white but the formula kinda turns me off, so it doesn't get a lot of use. 

Do you like Color Club Nail Polishes? Their holo polishes look amazing! 

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5 Products, 5 Minutes || #GottaTurnItUp Challenge #2

It seems like I'm always in a rush. While I love taking my time with makeup application in the mornings, life isn't always willing to provide me with those few extra minutes to get ready. Enter the five products in five minutes. 

< one >  Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream 

The best thing about BB cream is that you can haphazardly slap it on your face and run. There's no time to wait for the product to sink in and you'll never have to worry about streak marks. It has the tiniest bit of coverage that gives you that "I-woke-up-like-this" kind of look. 

< two >  CoverGirl Ready, Set, Gorgeous Concealer 

But let's be real. Those fun little pimples and dark circles need a little more love than some BB Cream. That's where concealer comes in. The new CoverGirl Ready, Set, Gorgeous concealer provides natural looking coverage to cover up my itty bitty imperfections. 

< three > CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara

No need for much explanation, this is my all time favourite mascara. No smudges and no clumps in sight. Check out my original review here. 

< four > CoverGirl LipPerfection in Eternal 

The best way for people to forget that your hair is gross and you're not wearing any pants is if you distract them with a bold lip (Jenn @ A Beautiful Zen will agree) . See a few more colour options from the line here. 

< five > Pantene Pro V Original Fresh Dry Shampoo 

It might sound gross to some, but I try to wash my hair as little as possible, the only issue being that it gets gross and oily by day #2. Dry shampoo works wonders and adds some much needed volume to flat hair. And if I don't have time to brush it all out, a simple side braid ties everything together. 

How do you get ready with only 5 minutes?

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Mika X Shu Uemura Nail Stickers in Melting Sweet Dream/Curiousity

Yes, we've had this nail sticker conversation before (see Revlon, Revlon, Kiss Nails, the Nailed Kit). Other's I've tried were "drugstore" prices (max. $10). Here's a little luxury. The Mika Ninagawa for Shu Uemura Nail Stickers ($28) are another limited edition piece in the collaboration collection. The stickers come in two designs - Melting Sweet Dream/Curiosity and Forbidden Fruit/Singing Forest (a green/red combo - not shown). 

While the designs are stunning (and match the graphics on the cleansing oils), the sticker "formulation" is nothing extraordinary. Like most nail appliques, they were fairly easy to size (there's 3 sheets for a total of 28 stickers) but extremely awkward to apply. There's little air bubbles and lumps and filing the tips lightly created rough edges around my nails. Furthermore, the stickers wore away at the tips on day #2. That being said, these don't look so great close up, but I can name 5 different times during the two days that I wore these for which I received compliments. 

Too bad the gorgeous designs don't translate so well onto the nail format. For everyday these may seem like a bit much on all 10 fingers, but if you're a pro at applique application, these would pair beautifully with a bright polish for a funky little accent nail. 

What do you think of these nail appliques? 

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Revlon Rio Rush Collection Nail Enamels in Copa Sunset, Carioca Crush & Gold Goddess

Summer polishes releases are so yummy. These three from the Revlon Rio Rush Collection are no exception. Bright, glittery, fun. All the things that go perfectly with the warm weather. Revlon launched 4 limited edition Nail Enamels ($5.95) - Copa Sunset, Carioca Crush, Golden Goddess, and Oi Beautiful (Orchid, not shown). 

The formulation of the polishes are consistent with other offerings from Revlon. The cream polishes (Copa Sunset and Carioca Crush) are consistent with other Revlon Nail Enamels - super pigmented and opaque in 2 thin coats and lasting power of ~3 days. Carioca Crush was a poop to remove - don't forget a base coat with that one! As for the glitter topcoat, it's concentrated enough to look good in one layer and lasts so long that I couldn't be bothered to count the days. 

All in all, three pretty polishes. Be sure to check them out if you see them in store! 

The Revlon Rio Rush Collection by Gucci Westman is available at drugstores in Canada as of May 2014. See my overview here. 

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Shu Uemura Tokyo Lash Eye Opening Volume Mascara

Long time no mascara review! I typically avoid high-end mascaras (with the exception of a few) because the drugstore is plentiful in awesome offerings, my favourite being the CoverGirl Clump Crusher. I received the Shu Uemura Tokyo Lash Eye Opening Volume Mascara ($29 at shuuemura.ca) for a post on the Fashion Magazine Beauty Panel.

When it comes to mascara, I'm not picky. If you've read any of my posts featuring my eyes, you'll know that my lashes are puny and sad. Uncurled and without mascara, they appear to be non-existent. So, I'm just looking for something that will add some volume and length that can hold a curl and won't smudge. I'm not asking for much. 

Here's what Shu Uemura has to say about its Tokyo Lash Mascara: 

"Volume-type mascara for lacquer-black lashes. New crisscross brush catches shortest lashes and brings out lash makeup as if it were done by a make-up artist.Long-lasting and smudge-proof!"

The Shu Uemura Tokyo Lash Eye Opening Volume Mascara delivers on both the volume and length fronts, bringing my lashes into existence without clumpiness. The look is very comparable to the clump crusher but better. The Tokyo Lash provides slightly more volume, length, and drama. It smudges slightly if I apply at 8AM and check my makeup at 12PM, which isn't great. I find that the staying power of CoverGirl mascaras is better. Throughout a full day there's no drooping with the Tokyo Lash, which is a huge benefit because, for me, the secret to good lashes is a good, long-lasting curl. Also noteworthy, it's not waterproof so it'easy to remove without pulling out the lashes that I have. 

Oddly enough, I find that the Shu Uemura Tokyo Lash Eye Opening Volume Mascara provides more length than I had expected. In a perfect world, it would provide a touch more volume and wouldn't smudge, but when my lashes show up in photos, it's hard for me to complain (but sad that there's a huge tradeoff) 

Do you have a favourite high-end mascara? 

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Missha The Style Jewel Star Eyes in Pecan Pie

Glitter, glitter, glitter. I'm in love with glitter, especially neutral glitters for everyday. The Missha The Style Jewel Star Eyes in Pecan Pie ($13.99 on ibuybeauti) promises shining, moisturized and glossy eyes and delivers. I'm happy to say that I've found a shimmery shadow that's not too shimmery and appropriate for all day and all night. 

The Missha the Style Jewel Star Eyes come in 9 colours - Champagne Pink, Havana Coral, Orange Lady, Apple Blossom, Pecan Pie, Lovely Chocolate, Midnight, and Moonray. By the looks of it, all of them are a sheer coloured base with a boatload of gold or silver shimmer. 

Pecan Pie is a warm medium brown with golden sparkles. The glitter is very concentrated in the product and provides a shimmering, foiled look to the eyes. The texture is a light, slightly mousse-y cream-to-powder finish. With powder shimmer shadows, there's usually more fallout than I would like to have. However, with the Style Jewel Star Eyes, there's much less and it's easier to work with. 

Lasting power is pretty average (6 hours) and I don't find it to crease on my eyelids (yay!). In any case, can we just take a moment to awe at the glittery goodness of the Missha the Style Jewel Star Eyes? 

To apply the Missha The Style Jewel Star Eyes in Pecan Pie, I like to do one of two things: (1) fingers, fingers, fingers can pick up a product with ease or (2) a flat shadow brush to avoid getting your fingers all glittery. 

In general, wearing this product all over the lids is totally appropriate for day or night. The shimmers look different around certain areas of the eye, so it can be worn on it's own. For a bit more depth, you could add a touch of a matte dark brown in the outer corners. 

If you're into glitter, this one's for you. If not, you're probably going to want to avoid this product. One thing's for sure, the Jewel Star Eyes are unicorn-worthy. For twinkly star-like eyes, try the Missha The Style Jewel Star Eyes in Pecan Pie! 

Shimmer or no shimmer? 

Press samples featured. This post was originally written for beautifan.com

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EVENT: Make Up For Ever #GetSculpted at Sephora Eatons Centre!

Since the beginning of time, I've skipped out on the full contouring and sculpting routine. Why? Mostly because I'm unsure of product placement. Last Friday, I stopped by Sephora to get a little lesson in the matter. A one-on-one consultation with a lovely and informative make-up artist named Beth, who taught me about my face shape and how to #GetSculpted. Here's what I learned: 

I have a rounded face, which means that my "goal" would be to become a bit more angular/oval. The Make Up For Ever Sculpting Kit is subtle, which is best for my preferred look - natural. 

Where to highlight: 

• Arch of the brow
• Top of the cheekbone
• Cupids bow
• Along the bridge of the nose

Where to contour: 

• Temples and hairline
• Under the cheekbones
• Jawline 
• In the crease 
• Sides of the nose

Tips and Tricks: 

• You don't need to make a fish face to figure out where to place contour, just follow where the natural light and shadow on your face. 
• For nighttime, add a little shimmer on top of where you would normally place highlight. You can also bring your contour up and around the cheeks for an ultra-defined look. 
• Don't sculpt the entire length of your jawline, just the edges to "cut" the rounder outer areas. 
• Apply highlight, then contour. It's easier to cover up a lighter colour than a darker one. 
• Use a light hand.. unless you want to look like Maleficent. 

Make Up For Ever Artisan Brush 158 - Double Ended Sculpting Brush ($61), Make Up For Ever Sculpting Kit in Neutral Light ($55) - ... a review to come for this one! I'm still in the process of testing! 

Products Used: Make Up For Ever Sculpting Kit in Medium, Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer in 6, Make Up For Ever Blush in 8. Not shown: Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet Foundation in 35, Make Up For Ever HD Pressed Powder 

Overall, I now feel a lot more confident about my own knowledge of face shape and contour placement. It's kind of fun to think that I can change my bone structure without actually getting surgery. All i need is a few coloured powders and a little MUA knowledge. Now, I think I'll be contouring more often... if you don't recognize me... you'll know why ;) 

Do you contour your face on the daily? Or just for special occasions? 

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