GOSH Giant Blush in 02 Shy and 06 Pink Parfait

NEW IN BLUSH. The GOSH Giant Blush ($18 at Shoppers Drug Mart), is a short, stubby stick of cream-to-powder blush. This isn't my first encounter with GOSH, a cosmetics company based in Denmark known for its brightly coloured mascaras and liquid eyeliners and holographic nail polishes. One of the first posts on my blog was a review of the GOSH Eye Dusts. GOSH ain't new to me and by no means do these blushes disappoint. 

Shy, Shy (blended), Pink Parfait, Pink Parfait (blended)

The GOSH Giant Blush Sticks come in 3 shades - Shy, Passion (not shown) and Pink Parfait I really love the retractable twist-up packaging of the Giant Blushes, which makes application simple. All it takes is a couple swipes of the stick on each cheek, then a little blending with the finger tips. Both blushes feel silky smooth on the skin, contain no shimmer, and set to a powder. This cream-to-powder blush is virtually foolproof. Apply too much blush and you can easily blend away; apply too little and you can always layer up the pigmentation. The blush lasts around 6 hours on my oily-combo skin. Here's a look at the two shades on my face: 

Gosh Giant Blush in 02 Shy 

Shy is a rose-brown colour. It's quite the versatile bl-onzer (blush + bronzer) shade, one of those natural-looking blushes that pair well with every and any makeup look. 

Gosh Giant Blush in 06 Pink Parfait

Pink Parfait is a vibrant pop of a cool-toned pink. 

Who said there's no such thing as too much blush??

 Still a little under-blended but all for the sake of the post. You can blend it out further for a more natural flush. 

Overall, I'm a big fan of the GOSH Giant Blushes. Both shades are universally flattering, and they're great for early mornings when I'm in a rush and want to add a little colour to my face. A definite staple for the girl on the go - would highly recommend! 

What do you think of the GOSH Giant Blushes? Will you be checking them out? 

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Make Up For Ever Artist Liner in M-80

Eyeliner, eyeliner, eyeliner. There's nothing quite like a beautiful eyeliner.Today on the testing block is the MUFE Artist Liner in M-80. The Make Up For Ever Artist Liners ($23 each) come in an impressive range of 15 shades with varying finishes of either Matte, Metallic, Iridescent, Diamond or Satin. M-80 is a matte dark plum. It's the perfect shade for injecting a hint of subtle colour into eye looks. 

Available Shades: M-10 (matte black), D-12 (diamond black), S-14 (satin anthracite grey), I-16 (iridescent taupe grey), S-20 (satin navy blue), I-22 (iridescent turquoise), M-24 (matte majorelle blue), I-30 (iridescent khaki), I-23 (iridescent pop green), I-34 (iridescent tree green), M-50 (matte bright brown), M-60 (matte dark brown), ME-70 (metallic bronze), M-80 (matte plum), I-90 (iridescent purple)

The packaging is a bit of a downer. It's not very different from the Stila Smudgestick Eyeliners. The pencil is twist-up (good), but it doesn't retract (bad) and there's no detachable sharpener like the MUFE Aqua Matic Shadow Pencils or self-sharpening mechanism like the Smashbox Always Sharp and the Annabelle Stay Sharp Liners. 

Luckily, the formula of the Artist Liner itself makes up for the poorly thought-out packaging. The slightest bit of pressure on the skin yields one-swipe colour intensity. The liner is creamy and easily smudge-able for a smoky, sultry look and locks into place given less than a minute to set - for use as a shadow base or definer. While Make Up For Ever doesn't make any claim for the wear-time of this eyeliner, there's something about the combination of oils and waxes in the product that make for extra-long wear of 12+ hours. 

Make Up For Ever has been killing it with their most recent launches. This pencil eyeliner is stellar! For a long-wearing eye look (say, 16 hours), pair the Artist Liner in M-80 with the Aqua Matic in ME-50 and some Artist Shadows. 

Have you tried the Make Up For Ever Artist Liners? 

Press samples featured

P.S. I've been a little obsessed with eyeliner (especially pencils) lately and I've got lots to review. I think I'll be making every Monday "EYELINER MONDAY" for the next little while - an eyeliner review every week! :) 

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FALL TRENDS: Green - #NYCBeautyPro Challenge #2

"Green is the New Black" according to Fashion Magazine and as seen on the runway for the Christian Dior, Derek Lam, Narcisco Rodriguez, Ellie Saab, and Anna Sui Fall 2014 shows. I've been following along with Natalie of Ivory Avenue's renditions of Fall 2014 trends (especially her take on buns) and I thought it'd be great inspiration for a few makeup looks. 

So... GREEN. It's a versatile colour that can often be quite subdued (olives) but also bright (lime) and even deep (forest). Today, I've gone all out with all a bold green eyeshadow look. 

Not surprisingly, NYC New York Color has some very vibrantly coloured products. I smudged the  the NYC Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in 937 Teal all over my eyelids, slightly above the crease, and half-way along the lower lashline. Then, I pat the NYC Sparkle Eye Dust in 886 Aquamarine Sparkle onto the centre of the lid and 880 Golden Champagne over the inner corner of the eye. To darken the outer corner, I applied the camo-green shade in the NYC HD Trio Eye Shadow Palette in 789 West Vintage. For a final touch, I swiped on two coats of the NYC Big Bold Volume By The Lash Mascara. 

Some quick notes on the products: 

• At ~$4, the NYC Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in 937 Teal is crazy smooth, pigmented and long-lasting, rivaling some of my favourite, more expensive liners. . 
• The NYC Sparkle Eye Dust in 886 Aquamarine Sparkle and 880 Golden Champagne are actually dry shadows with a doe foot applicator. There's lots of fallout so do eyes before face if you're using these. 
• The NYC HD Trio Eye Shadow Palette in 789 West Vintage is a chalky and the pigmentation is underwhelming. I would not recommend this palette. 

ALSO ON MY FACE: CoverGirl TruBlendFoundation in Golden Beige, Make Up For Ever HD Pressed Powder, NYC Bronzer in Sunny, Inglot Sleek Cream in #90

Apparently, green complements brown eyes and I feel like this pop of colour really works for me. I think I've inspired myself to attempt wearing more green on the regular. 

Do you like wearing green makeup? 

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Falling in Love with Baths and the Canadian Bath Bomb Company

I can be in and out of the shower and out the door in 10 minutes flat. I'm a shower gal through and through... or so I thought. Something about the rush to class/rush to this meeting/rush to that meeting, rush/rush/rush lifestyle requires some relaxation. There's something about lazing around in a tub of hot water that puts me so at peace...and to add to that experience... a bath bomb. 

Since four bath bombs from the Canadian Bath Bomb Company landed on my doorstep, I've actually forced myself to take a bath (instead of shower) and I haven't really looked back. I think I'll be taking one or two baths a week now that the weather's getting colder. 

The bath bombs came tightly wrapped in bubble wrap and everything was intact by the time I'd opened it (even after I dropped one on the floor). Each bath bomb is approximately the size of a tennis ball and I prefer to use one bath bomb per bath for a full aromatic experience. I received four of the many scents available on the etsy site. 

I'm terrible at describing fragrances but what I can say is that all four of these scents are strong but not sneeze-worthy strong, invigorating, last for my entire 15-20 minute bath and then some and smell absolutely delightful. As for body-care properties, regardless of scent, all of the bath bombs contain a mixture of organic shea butter, organic cocoa butter and organic canola oil to leave skin feeling soft and supple. 

Rosemary Lavender (herbal-floral) - Last week, I had a cold and decided to take a bath hoping that the scent of one of the bombs would help me relax. The Rosemary Lavender scent cleared my sinuses better than ginger tea and I pretty much K.O.'d after stepping out of the tub. 

Ruby Grapefruit  (fruity) - This scent is new to the Canadian Bath Bomb Co. for fall, emerging from a customer suggestion (talk about stellar customer service!). The grapefruit scent is bright and fresh. 

Mandarin Pomander  (spicy-warm) - According to Jackie (the owner of CBBC), this is a staple fall scent since 2009 and I can certainly see (and smell) why. This bath bomb has an almost cinnamon-like warmth to it that makes me crave pumpkin spice lattes. 

Lemon Verbena (citrus) - Last but not least, my favourite scent of the bunch. I'm always down for soaking myself in a citrus scented bath product. Citruses are always quite sharp and fresh - quite awaken

Considering Lush bath bombs are around $4.95 to $6.95, the Canadian Bath Bomb Co. products fall right in the middle, competitively priced at $5.69 with discounts for bulk orders. 

Yep, the Canadian Bath Bomb Co. has rekindled my love for baths. There's nothing about a shower that compares to soaking in a vat of deliciousness...

Baths or showers - which do you prefer?

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PURPLE HAIR DON'T CARE (fail)

I got this wildly #YOLO idea to dye my hair purple in the most understated way possible - a business in the front, party in the back kind of hair dye job inspired by a post on the Beauty Department. I picked up one the Vidal Sassoon Pro Series London Luxe Deep Velvet Violet ($11.99) permanent hair dye on a trip to Target, holla'd at my friend Rui to be #yolo with me and got to dyeing (as opposed to dying).   The dye box came filled with everything we needed to dye our hair - gloves, the dye, post-dye conditioner, and instructions. 

The process was pretty straight forward. Section your hair into a triangle formation on the back of your head and apply the dye as per the instructions. We used one bottle of dye for two people (we figured this would be sufficient, as we weren't dying ALL of our hair). To help the dye develop, we wrapped our hair in aluminum foil and even left the dye in for 15 minutes more than the 30 that was suggested.

The result? Almost undetectable. :( Not sure what we did wrong but the colour turned out wayyy more subtle than the box had suggested. 

Rui's results were a bit more obvious than mine since her already dyed hair was lighter. For myself, I now have one huge section of super shiny hair that reflects a hint of purple in direct sunlight. 

While the result of my attempt to be daring with my hair didn't turn out so great, the experience was both fun and funny. Perhaps next time I should just go all out and bleach my stubborn, black hair first before adding colour. 

What's the craziest colour you've died your hair? Do you have any tips for hair colouring? 

Special thanks to some special people (1) Rui for cooking French toast with me and then helping me dye my hair - all after pulling an all nighter! (2) My favourite triple threat fashion designer/photographer/boyfriend Charles Cheung for visiting me and taking photos

I got a *get one free* coupon to buy the Vidal Sassoon Velvet Violet hair dye through the #BeautyUnited Program 

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Revisiting the Annabelle Twist-Up Lipsticks in Naked, Bubble, Divine & Cherry

I typically purchase products in singles, but somehow a whole range of colours of that same product has a way of making it onto my face in someway or another (gifts, press samples, goodie bags, more purchases). One of those products is the Annabelle Twist-Up Lipsticks (others include the Rimmel Apocalips and Kohl Kajals, Broadway Nails, and Revlon Shadowlinks. Once upon a time I had made my very first Annabelle purchase and in that order came the Annabelle Twist-Up Lipstick in Bubble ($9.95) - see my original review here. The other three (Naked, Divine, and Cherry) are press samples! 

So, I'm revisiting my thoughts on the product, now in terms of consistency across different shades! From the photo below, you can probably tell which one I've had the longest :) 

Annabelle Twist-Up Lipsticks in Naked, Bubble, Divine, Cherry

Put simply, these are lipsticks in twist-up crayon form. They're in no way a gloss/balm form like offerings from Revlon, Rimmel, or Clinique but a straight up lipstick with the convenience of a retractable pencil packaging. 

Yep, the formula is consistent across all the shades. Each offers high pigmentation and full coverage is achieved with about two layers of product. The lipsticks are smooth but not to the point of smushing and all four shades offer a sparkle-free finish with a slight sheen of moisture. Lasting power is ~4 hours for all but Cherry which sticks around for 5 or 6. Here's the lowdown on the colours. 

< Naked > A light pink nude. This one's definitely too light to wear on it's own but it makes the perfect mixing medium for lightening up other lipsticks or adding highlight to the centre of the lips. I mixed Naked with Cherry in a make up look here.  

< Bubble > A medium bubble gum pink. It's a bit pale for my currently still-tanned summer-fall transition skin tone but it's so bright that it adds a bit of something-something to the face on dull days. 

< Divine > The most natural of the four shades here, the Annabelle Twist Up Lipstick in Divine is a "my lips but better". The perfect everyday shade. 

< Cherry > This is the attention-grabbing berry-red of the bunch. It's bold but elegant, great for nights out or everyday (if you're feeling daring). 

Aaaaand the verdict? I'm still a fan of this product. There's TONS of shades in the Annabelle Twist-Up Lipstick range and I'm glad that I have a pretty good few to choose from. 

Have you tried the Annabelle Twist Ups? 

Purchases and press samples featured

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Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in 220 Pink Tank and Top Coat

Given that I scoff at polish brands that claim to last anything over 3 days (re: CND VINYLUX), it's always nice to see if once, just once that it actually stays true to the long-wearing claims (or at least half the time that it says it will last). It seems like every drugstore nail brand is now launching faux-gel no-light-required polishes that last up to 14 days. 

Next on the nail polish chopping block is the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in 220 Pink Tank and Top Coat ($10.95 each). The Sally Hansen website boasts four claims (1) 2 steps (2) Up to 14 Days of Colour and Shine (3) Easy Removal (4) No Light Needed. 

I tested this particular formula out in three separate instances. The first two times, I was thoroughly unimpressed. The polish chipped after less than a day. I had to be doing something wrong. You know what they say? Third time's the charm. My photos document my sixth day of wear, after which I got bored of the colour and proceeded to remove the polish from my nails. 

If I was being conservative, I'd say that the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel has the potential to last up to 7 days (my other hand was looking a little ratchet at the tips by the time I took my photos). 

Application is like any other polish but you've got to do it properly. The polish itself is thin yet fairly pigmented, non-streaky and self-leveling but requires two coats for good measure. Furthermore the brush bristles are wide (like the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure), so you can get the entire nail in one stroke. I've found that the trick to flawless application is to apply one thin coat, let it dry FULLY, and then apply another coat, let it dry, then apply the top coat. ALSO, very, very important. DON'T FORGET TO CAP THE TIPS OF YOUR NAILS (for both the regular polish layers and the top coat layers). I swear, this is the most important part to prevent chipping at the tips. 

Dry time is about the same as any other polish, maybe 2-3 minutes in between thin coats, so no issues there. Removal is as easy as Sally Hansen claims. There is no staining and no scrubbing. Just use an acetone or non-acetone remover and a cotton pad to quickly wipe the polish off your nails. It literally takes 2 minutes for both hands. 

The pictures say it all, but I'll be repetitive if you can't interpret...High shine, bold colour AND even after 6 days! Impressive, eh? Despite the 14 day claim, I think this is the longest I've ever worn a non-gel gel polish. I'd like to test out more colours, particularly something lighter and more prone to streaks, to see if the wear-time yields different results. 

P.S. A word of warning. Be careful when purchasing these polishes. The bottles look very similar to the Complete Salon Manicure. Also, the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in 460 Blacky O looks almost exactly the same as the bottle of the Miracle Gel Top Coat minus the white cap that distinguishes the top coat from the black polish. I wouldn't have made this mistake but this epic fail youtube video from Rachhloves had me ROFL-ing. 

Have you tried the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Polishes? 

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EVENT: #GetCured with The Cure Apothecary on Queen West

Located steps away from Queen & Bathurst, the Cure Apothecary is the newest beauty boutique on Queen West. The little store is adorned with candles and wood furnishings, filled with luxurious skincare treats and even has a little bath tub for your soap-testing pleasure! Yes, indeed, I attended a media event and made a visit to this adorable shop. 

The Cure Apothecary is carefully curated some of it's founder Nitasha Goel's favourite organic and natural beauty products. It houses less than 20 brands including the likes of John Masters Organics, Evanhealy, One Love Organics, Antipodes, Skin Essence, Triumph and Disaster, F. Miller, as well as it's own "The Cure Apothecary" branded bath products. There's a good range of prices, aromas (including a range full of rose-scented products) and products for both men and women. 

Like any flawlessly planned event, there are always tasty food and beverage options. Among the beauty products were samplings of Vam's Culture Kombucha and Kefir water, Hello Baked designer cookies, and Acai Bowls from Bolt Fresh Bar. 

At the end of the night, I went home with a few goodies for testing (note: the F. Miller body oil smells delicious) .

Despite having eons of skincare products to try out (#bbloggerproblems), I've been looking to take my actual skincare routine into something that includes more organic and natural products. If you're anything like me, The Cure Apothecary is somewhere you should stop by to check out a few natural beauty options. 

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Quo Fall 2014 Collection || Eye Palette in Nightingale and Browz Eyebrow Palette

With the exception of makeup wedges and a konjac sponge, I've never really tried anything from Quo. Quo Cosmetics is a mid-priced Shoppers Drug Mart exclusive brand that features beauty accessories and a full range of colour cosmetics. Two tidbits from the Quo Fall 2014 Collection have come into my possession - the Quo Eye Palette in Nightingale ($18) and the Quo Browz Eyebrow Palette ($12). 

First thing's first (I'm the realest), I love the compact blue packaging. Both are sturdy palettes that fit perfectly in my hand. Furthermore, they both feature a decently sized-mirror and applicators (yay for convenience!). Now onto the product... 

Quo Eye Palette in Nightingale ($18)

[ Heavily swatched over Madison Street Beauty eye primer ]

Notice how the palette is arranged from darkest to lightest, left to right? Not that it makes a difference but it's strange... 

The palette contains 8 shades, 3 of which are matte (the lightest and two darkest), while the other 5 have varying degrees of glitter. The colours look a bit... colourful, but the shadows are surprisingly wearable. The taupe-purple shade on the far left (let's call it #8) works well as an all over the lid shade or a blending colour. Shades #1, 2, 3, 4, & 7 are all excellent crease or outer corner colours, #5 is a great inner corner highlight and #6 is the perfect pop of purple. Working these colours into a day or night look is actually a no-brainer. The only shades missing is a good matte brow bone colour. 

Yes, the shades work well together. However, the shadow formula leaves a lot to be desired. On the plus side, they're fairly blendable but overall, the shadows are hard, there's tons of glittery fallout upon application, the product is sheer without a primer, and fades away by the third hour - still workable but far from my favourite.

Quo Browz Eyebrow Palette ($12)

[ one swipe, no primer - light shade, dark shade, blended ]

Due to my dark, dark brow hairs, I seldom use brow products but I'm always looking for something that can add a bit more thickness (for dark eye makeup looks) without making me look like I've got two hairy caterpillars on my face. To my surprise, the Quo brow powders are actually capable of making an natural appearance and thickening my brows. The brow powders were softer and much more blendable than the shadows and the colours are appropriately neutral (not too cool- or warm-toned) for my jet black eyebrow hairs. The combination of the powders atop the eyebrow cream lasts upwards of 5 hours. It's not something I'll be wearing every day but I'll be sure to whip the Quo Browz Eyebrow Palette out when I'm looking add a bit more definition and fullness. 

[ wearing both the Eye Palette in Nightingale and the Browz Eyebrow Palette ]

Overall, one hit and one miss - unimpressed by the quality of the eyeshadows but impressed by the performance of the Browz Eyebrow Palette. The Quo Fall 2014 Collection also includes a face palette, 4 lipsticks, a brush set, a manicure set and 6 polishes, so be sure to check those out as well! 

Have you ever tried anything from Quo? 

Press samples featured, as always, opinions are my own! 

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New at Shoppers: Amie || Naturally Kind Skincare

Cute packaging, botanical ingredients, reasonably priced and available at Shoppers Drug Mart - that's basically the gist of Amie Skincare, now available in Canada and made in the UK. The range consists of a line of 8 skincare products. I was sent half of the line to play with [Morning Clear Purifying Facial Wash ($10), Morning Dew Matte Finish Moisturiser ($12), Morning Light Hydrating Moisturiser ($12), Spring Clean Deep Cleansing Mask ($12)] and have been using them on and off for the past month and a bit. 

How cute is it when the product colour matches the packaging colour? :) 

MORNING CLEAR Purifying Facial Wash 

What it claims: Achieve super clean skin that feels soft and smooth with this soap-free cleansing wash...removes all traces of dirt, oil, impurities, and make-up to leave skin beautifully refreshed. Mayblossom and Elderflower purify and decongest, helping to prevent spot formation, natural sugar moisturisers ensure skin is not stripped or dried out and Orange Blossom and Raspberry tone and refresh 

Thoughts: This facial wash is extremely mild and good for those with more sensitive or dry skin. Due to the lack of soap in the product, I preferred to use a waterproof makeup remover or cleansing oil before using this cleanser, as it was not effective in removing waterproof makeup. 

SPRING CLEAN Deep Cleansing Mask 

What it claims: This ultra refreshing, deep-cleansing treatment draws out deep-seated dirt and impurities while soaking up excess oil and clearing blemishes. Dull, congested and tired skin will be a distant memory and your skin will be left feeling its cleanest and incredibly smooth with a healthy glow. With Zince, White Clay, Lime Seed Butter and Organic Peppermint. 

Thoughts: Unfortunately, this product smells strongly of menthol (must be the organic peppermint?), so strong that it made my eyes tear up. The mask applies like a cream and stays wet/creamy after the 10-15 minutes of waiting time (unlike the Origins Active Charcoal Mask). Post-removal, my skin felt smoother and less oily but continued use (1x per week) did not yield less blemishes or more radiance. 

MORNING DEW Matte-Finish Moisturiser

What it claims: Enjoy the softest, dewiest and shine-free complexion! This exceptional light, mineral oil-free daily moisturizer contains natural plant sugars to hydrate while Rosehip and Bilberry work hard to nourish. Excess oil and shine are kept under control all day and pores are kept clear. 

Thoughts: The problem with calling a product matte is that any oily person would expect the product to absorb oil. This one doesn't. In fact, it leaves a little glow to the skin. I found the product to be nourishing, however it didn't deliver the promised all-day shine-free finish that I had expected. 

MORNING LIGHT Hydrating Moisturiser 

What it claims: Designed to keep your skin soft and moisturised all day long, this moisturiser is perfect for skin that is prone to dryness and in need of gentle, effective nourishment. This lightweight lotion absorbs quickly giving skin long-lasting hydration. Rosehip Oil helps the skin retain moisture and reduced dryness. Rose Extracts condition and tone and Mallow Extract soothes and softens. 

Thoughts: Felt equally light-weight in comparison to the matte-finish moisturiser. There's not much to say about this one except that it absorbs quickly and leaves skin soft and smooth but may be too hydrating if you've got oily skin like me. 

Other products in the Amie range include the Radiant Dawn Exfoliating Daily Wash ($10), Petal Perfect 2 in 1 Cleanser Toner ($8), New Bloom Gentle Cleansing Wipes ($6.50/25 wipes), Bright Eyes Gentle Eye Makeup Remover ($8). 

Cute packaging aside, the products work fairly well. They're definitely on the mild side, pretty good but not with amazing or active results for my particular skin type (oily-combo, sometimes acne). Furthermore, my dislike for strong floral scents in skincare products makes this line less attractive for me to incorporate into my daily skincare routine. 

Have you tried Amie skincare? 

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EVENT: INGLOT Toronto and mini-haul

If you love watching beauty videos or reading beauty blogs, chances are you've heard of Inglot. Inglot is a Polish brand known for their mid-range pricing and huge colour selection with over 1,500 colours. This weekend, Inglot Toronto (located at 19 Dundas Square) opened its doors to the public.

 I attended a blogger preview the Thursday before to see what all the hype was about... 

Among other things, Inglot is most well-known for its Freedom System - a palette system that allows you to create customized palettes from face, eyes, lips and brow product in pan form. The eyeshadows were calling my name and Jenn of a Beautiful Zen and Nicole of Nicole About Town are pro-enablers, but my powers of resistance are pretty good so no eyeshadows this time around. However, when I have a bit more $$ and no student debt I plan to slowly put together a palette. 

Overall, the store is fairly organized. The Freedom System items are laid out on tables so that you can mix and match your own custom palettes of blushes, face products, eyeshadows, eyebrow powders/creams, concealers, lipstick pans etc. Everything else (nail polish, gel liners, brushes, lip sticks, lip glosses, pencil eyeliners, mascaras) is housed on shelving with swatches and plastic applicators for convenient, hygienic testing. 

Prices were a few dollars premium over the online store, so it's still cheaper to buy Inglot at makeup trade shows (ex: IMATS), in the States, Europe, or online. That being said, the convenience of having a store to actually touch the products without traveling far, far away is greatly appreciated. 

I budgeted $25 for myself to spend on Inglot products, since they were 20% that day. Despite wanting one of everything, I opted for the Inglot Sleeks Cream in 90 ($14) and the Inglot Nail Enamel in 202 ($12). I've already started playing with both and will let you know what I think in a future review! :) 

Do you like Inglot Cosmetics? Have you checked out the Inglot Toronto store yet? 

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Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

I've been delaying the posting of this review for far too long, mainly because I thought that the Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey ($19, full-size) isn't all that Spring/Summer appropriate. Now, it's back to school (aka FALL) and dark lips are slowly making their way back into my beauty regimen. Black Honey is the sheerer version of a dark lip, a gateway beauty drug to something a little more pigmented. 

A deluxe sample of the Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey came in my Holt Renfrew Spring 2014 Beauty Bag. I was happy to get something with quite the cult following. In the tube, the product looks like a ridiculously deep lippy, but it's really an "almost" lipstick - kind of hard and balmy in texture, which ends up translating to something of a sheer, shiny wine-burgundy on the lips. High-five for everyday wearable lippies! 

The Almost Lipstick is not particularly moisturizing, so if your lips are a bit dry the product can catch onto dry patches or fine lines (as is with any other lip product). Wear time is not long, about 2 or 3 hours but the colour fades gracefully to leave a light just-bitten black honey stain. Overall, a perfect sheer lip colour that I can wear daily as I transition my makeup into the fall time.

Do you transition your lip colours as the seasons change? What have you been wearing on your lips lately?

Purchased by me

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