Kiss My Face Lip Shimmer in Ruby and Moisturizer in Pomegranate Acai

KISS MY FACE - A brand founded in the 80s that is cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, SLS free, free of dyes and synthetic colours. Kiss My Face's goal is to help consumers "nourish naturally" because what you put on your body is also what you put in your body... Today... two products from the brand - the Kiss My Face Pomegranate Acai Moisturizer ($11.95) and the Kiss My Face Lip Shimmer in Ruby ($4.95). 

Kiss My Face Pomegranate Acai Moisturizer

The Kiss My Face Pomegranate Acai Moisturizer has a touch of iridescence in it to make skin look glowing and radiant. Both in texture and in scent, the moisturizer is fairly lightweight and smells AMAZINGLY FRUITY. Summer is the time to show off a little leg. My legs are a little on the dry side and the Kiss My Face Pomegranate Acai Moisturizer has saved me from the dry and the pasty. If you're not into Pomegranate or Acai the moisturizer is also available in olive and aloe, honey calendula, coconut, vitamin A&E, lavender shea, peaceful patchouli, and peaches and cream. 

Kiss My Face Ruby Lip Shimmer

The Kiss My Face Lip Shimmer in Ruby is great for lazy, natural makeup days when I don't want to go for a ridiculous pop of colour or vinyl gloss. It's subdued and adds the right hint of shimmer and shine to the lips. There's a little bit of a light minty flavour. As I find this particular product to be on the harder side, it's not as moisturizing as I'd want this kind of product to be. It's a nice product to have in your arsenal but not a must-have in my opinion, as I have more preferred lippies that I think of and the Kiss My Face Lip Shimmer isn't much different from the Burt's Bees Lip shimmers. Also available in Amethyst and Garnet.

Overall, one home run and one not-home-run. I love what the brand stands for and would love to try more products (currently drooling over the thought of the Key Lime Moisture Shave...).

Have you tried Kiss My Face? 

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FOOD EVENT: Tap to Table with Muskoka Brewery

Five dishes paired with five unique beers, for my food baby's pleasure. FINALLY. An event in Waterloo (my university town). I'm not huge on the beer drinking but and anything that goes good with food is good for me. From the Tap-to-Table event with Muskoka Brewery I've learned that "beer is food", beer can have diverse flavour profiles, and beer is certainly not limited to Molson and Labatt. 

Muskoka Brewery is one of Canada's most recognized breweries known for their innovation in the craft beer industry. Founded in 1996 by Gary McMullen and Kirk Evans, Muskoka Brewery's beers are unfiltered (to preserve flavour) in addition to "all natural, premium and pure). 

The beer and food pairing with Muskoka Brewery was held at Ethel's Lounge (114 King Street North, Waterloo), a convenient 15 minute bus ride from my apartment. 

As previously stated, I tried 5 beers accompanied with 5 dishes... here's the lowdown: 

< one > Muskoka Brewery Summer Weiss (seasonal - 5% Alcohol, 13 industry bitterness units)

paired with flat bread with goat cheese, roasted red peppers and mushrooms

"Naturally hazy by design, the perfect balance of wheat, barley and subtle hopping makes this an intriguingly aromatic, flavorful and sessionable summer wheat beer."

< two > Muskoka Brewery Detour India Pale Ale (4.3% alcohol, 30 industry bitterness units)

paired with shrimp, mango and avocado soft tacos 

"We took a left tern from a normal IPA, dry-hopping it to create a truly sessionable brew with a rewarding aroma, big hop flavours and a clean finish." 

< three > Muskoka Brewery Cream Ale (5% alcohol, 20 industry bitterness units)

paired with smoked ribs

"Unmistakeable with its rich amber colour and inviting floral tones, this laid-back English pub-style ale is smooth and easy-going. With a cascade hoppiness and fuller body of flavour, this gold-medal winning Cream Ale is the quintessential taste of cottage country."

< four > Muskoka Brewery Mad Tom India Pale Ale (6.4% alcohol, 64 industry bitterness units)

paired with beef sliders

"Dry-hopped with Chinook and Centennial hops, this IPA has a vibrant aroma, depth of flavour and crisp citrusy undertow like no other."

< five > Muskoka Brewery Twice as Mad Tom India Pale Ale (8.4% alcohol, 71 industry bitterness units)

paired with pulled pork sliders

"Twice as Mad Tom is an aggressively twice dry-hopped Imperial India Pale Ale that delivers a definitive hop aroma and unabashedly big bold flavour."

Your palette is different from mine, so your taste in beer is 100% not the same. All of the food, yum. Beer is an acquired taste and I've grown to appreciate it as I try new things. Out of the 5 I tried, my favorites were the Summer Weiss and the Cream Ale. So many sighs during this event - eating good food and drinking beer makes me wish I was sitting by a lake instead of crying over final exams. 

Are you a beer lover? What's your go-to drink for the summer? 

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Born Pretty Store Sticker Exquisite Light Blue Lacy Patterned (Design MDP1016 14Pcs Nail Art)

I'm back into the nail sticker game - this time with a set that's fairly inexpensive from Born Pretty Store ($4.99). The Light Blue Lacy Pattered Design Nail Stickers are complex enough that it'd be hard to achieve on your own without some stamping skills or an extremely steady hand. 

Application is just like any other nail sticker. Clean your nails by removing any excess oil, place the sticker on your nail, and file the edges to fit your natural nail shape and size. Of the appliques/stickers I've tried (Revlon, Shu Uemura, Nailed Kit, Kiss), these ones from Born Pretty Store are on the thinner, stretchier side, which I prefer. They're not as awesome as the Nailed Kit nail stickers but they're definitely some of the better, less expensive ones that I've tried. Stick and staying power wasn't perfect. The edges of the sticker began to fray after the second day. 

Overall, Born Pretty Store has some of the most reasonably priced nail stickers. I'd rarely choose a sticker over the real-deal nail polish, but these intricate appliques are great if you're in a pinch and need something fun or fancy for a one or two day event. 

Get 10% off your purchase at Born Pretty Store with the code UAUT10

What do you think of nail stickers?

Press samples featured. Also, I'm clearly incapable of taking nail photos of both my hands without another person behind the camera. Thanks Charles (if you're reading this.. probably not .. awks).

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EVENT: Katy Perry Killer Queen Fragrance #RoyalRevolution Review + Recap

Last Friday, I took a day trip to Toronto for the unveiling of Katy Perry's new fragrance - a sweet little tea party at the Windsor Arms. Coincidentally, Katy Perry was also in town the next day for a concert. My thoughts on Katy Perry? She's a stunna - talented, unique, quirky. Yes, yes, and yes. First, take in the beauty of sweets, scones, and sandwiches and then scroll down a little further for my thoughts on Katy Perry's new Royal Revolution Eau de Parfum! 

TOP NOTES: pink freesia, pomegranate

MIDDLE NOTES: sandalwood, orange flower, jasmine petals

BASE NOTES: blackthorn, skin musk, vanilla orchid 

Consistent with the other fragrances (Katy Perry Killer Queen and Oh So Sheer), the bottle is a multi-faceted jewel topped with a regal crown - a pretty addition to any perfume collection. Compared to the previous two scents, Royal Revolution's base note includes blackthorn while the other two have a base note of Celosia (velvety red flower).  I smelled each one at a time and noted that Killer Queen is the heaviest scent while Oh So Sheer is the lightest and Royal Revolution falls somewhere in between.

I have little something to admit... I am not a fragrance person. When's the last time you saw a fragrance review on the blog? NEVER. There's a reason why. If I'm not sneezing, coughing or having an allergic reaction to someone's Bath and Body Works smell, I'm having a hard time finding something that suits me. Once upon a time, I loved Marc Jacobs Daisy and lately I've been fawning over Philosophy's Loveswept and Carven Eau de Toilette... but they're a little much for me on the daily. Hence, my terrible explanation of scents. 

TL;DR... I stink (not really), but Katy Perry's Royal Revolution Eau de Parfum might change that - it's not overly sweet, a little more sultry and deep than my current faves (Carven and Philosphy Loveswept) but still wearable for everyday. I wish you could take a whiff of me right now. You'll have to go sniff it for yourself. 

Oh.. and be sure to check out this bad-ass promo animation for the perfume: 

Katy Perry's Royal Revolution Eau de Parfum (50 mL, $59.99) will be available as of August 2014 at Shoppers' Drug Mart. 

Are you a fan of Katy Perry? What's your go-to daily perfume.. or do you not wear perfume at all? 

Press sample featured, not sponsored (none of my posts are...) 

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HAIR: TRESemme 7 Day Smooth and Conair Flat Iron

"Long hair, don't care" - words to live by but not easily so. I love my long hair to bits but it can often be hard to maintain, unruly, and difficult to work with. As of late, I've welcomed the TRESemme 7 Day Smooth System and the Conair Flat Iron into my life and will likely never look back. 

Believe it or not, when it comes to hair I'm pretty low maintenance...I don't own any heated hair tools so it was interesting to test out a flat iron for the first time! 

The TRESemme 7 Day Smooth System consists of three products -  shampoo, conditioner and heat-activated treatment. Together, the system claims to keep hair sleek, shiny, and smooth for 7 days (or through 3 washes). Basically, you wash your hair as per usual with the shampoo and conditioner. Then, after you hop out of the shower, you apply the treatment liberally to the sections of your hair, blow dry, and then straighten for sleek, salon-perfect hair. 

TRESemme Expert Professional Keratin 7 Day Smooth System Shampoo ($8.99) - a fairly light, creamy, shampoo with the classic TRESemme "fresh and clean" scent. When worked into the hair it builds a mild lather and upon rinsing, hair doesn't feel stripped or dry. 

TRESemme Expert Professional Keratin 7 Day Smooth System Conditioner ($8.99) - similar to the shampoo, the conditioner is also lightweight. It leaves the hair feeling moisturized and soft without excess residue. 

TRESemme Expert Professional Keratin 7 Day Smooth System Serum ($7.99) - the scent of the conditioner, shampoo, and serum are the same... I love the consistency and the fresh scent. If you're going to pick up a single item from the system, this is the one you need! It's a hair-perfection-potion in a pump bottle. After using this, my hair looks like I just got a blowout. 

Conair 1" Flat Iron ($39.99) - a new tool for me, using such a small flat iron for my superbly thick hair takes around 15 minutes (which isn't half bad). I wish the red heated strips were slightly longer so that they could catch more surface area of my hair. As for everything else, there are no complaints. It heats up in 30 seconds, has 3 heat settings, and also features an auto-shut off for those of us who are forgetful. 

At the end of the day, it comes down to one question. Does this system work? YES. My hair has been looking pretty darn flawless (if I do say so myself). I've tried the system for the past month and I'm happy to say that it works for me. However, I've actually gone off the system to test out another set of shampoos/conditioners and my hair doesn't feel the same. I feel like the TRESemme 7 Day Smooth System is something I'll be coming back too quite soon... 

Do you use the same brand of hair products - shampoo, conditioner, styling (if so, what brand?)? Do you use heat tools often? 

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Mika for Shu Uemura POREraser UV Under Base Mousse SPF 35 PA+++

Warmer weather calls for longer lasting products, SPF, and all the things I still look for in base products - good coverage, oil control, and pore smoothing. The Shu Uemura POREraser UV Under Base Mouse ($46) claims to do it all - it's a "base" primer that can be worn with or without foundation. In the Mika for Shu collection there are 4 different UV Under Bases (all with different and pretty pump packaging designs!): 

• POREraser UV under base mousse beige SPF 35 PA+++
• POREraser UV underbase mousse pink SPF 35 PA+++
• UV under base brightening mousse pink purple SPF 30 PA++
• UV under base BB mousse BB Beige SPF 30 PA+++

"The shu uemura light as air UV under base mousse is a make-up essential, it veils skin to transform it into the perfect canvas for the sweetest or sultriest wonderland fantasies... Light as air mousse for medium skin tones that provides a pore-less semi-matte finish." 

As mentioned above, There are two colours - pink and beige. "Pink" is for light skin tones, while "Beige" is best suited to those with medium skin tones. I'm typically in the light-medium range, but I find that beige is a little light for me. 

Pumping the bottle produces a lightweight mousse, that reminds me a little bit of a volumizing mousse for hair. The slight sunscreen scent is a little unpleasant but dissipates as you blend it onto the face. The product itself is light and soft. It smoothes over the skin in an almost water-like manner. The POREraser smooths over minor imperfections, reducing redness, mattifying, and filling in pores. Furthermore, the product extends the wear-time of my foundation by up to 2 hours. 

Not only does the Shu Uemura POREraser have the same properties as old pore-minimizing primer, it also contains SPF to protect the skin from the sun! Overall, an A+ in my books and a must-have for the summer months. 

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New from LUSH: Mangnificent and D'Fluff #freshnewlush

Attention! Attention! Lush has just released 6 brand-spankin'-new products and here's two of the six fruity beauties: 

D'Fluff ($9.95 for 70g) and Mangnificent ($6.95 for 100g)

D'Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap

"When you've had enough of the rough stuff, there’s D’Fluff! This fluffy, sweet shaving soap will have you dreaming of Strawberry Fluff sandwiches while you shave. It’s packed full of effective ingredients: fresh strawberries, egg whites and golden syrup, all whisked together with rosehip oil, coconut oil and maple sugar to create a light, marshmallowy texture that will leave your skin silky smooth. Plus, Fair Trade cocoa butter leaves skin moisturized and helps keep post-shave redness to a minimum."

A little word of warning - beware of the way you store this guy. When I broke the seal, a sticky red liquid started dripping out - yum! The strawberry scent is quite light, not as fresh and punchy as I would have expected. When applied over wet skin, D'fluff the pillow-like strawberry fluff turns into a light lather. I found the product overly slick and oily when lathered which made it hard to catch some of the itty bitty leg hairs with the razor, but D'fluff left my legs feeling smooth, soft, and moisturized (like baby dolphins)... 

not why girls shave: boys why girls shave: so our legs can feel like fucking baby dolphins
— tina (@tinatbh) July 14, 2014

INGREDIENTS: Water , Rapeseed Oil , Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera) ,Saccharide Hydrolysate , Glycerine , Organic Rose Hip Oil (Rosa canina) , Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter (Theobroma Cacao) , Fresh Strawberries (Fragaria vesca) , Fresh Organic Free Range Egg Whites ,Fragrance , Organic Maple Sugar (Acer saccharum) ,Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla Planifolia) , Sweet Wild Orange Oil (Citrus sinensis) , Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena) , Sodium Chloride , EDTA ,Tetrasodium Editronate , Sodium Hydroxide , Titanium Dioxide , *Eugenol , *Limonene , *Benzyl Alcohol ,Hexyl Cinnamal , Red 27 , Red 40

Mangnificent Hand and Body Soap

"Turn up the energy on groggy mornings with this juicy splash of soapy paradise! Simply strip down and suds up to get whisked away on a sunny adventure of fresh fragrance: zingy Sicilian lemon oil, mandarin oil and neroli oil awaken your senses and brighten up dull-looking skin. Fresh pureed mango and dried mango slices tone and gently exfoliate the skin, leaving it looking vibrant, feeling fresh and smelling gorgeously fruity. Now you’re ready for action!"

Mangoes are my favorite fruit and I can't resist sniffing and smelling or oohing and ahhing over body products that smell as such. Mangnificent is the epitome of delicious body products. I can leave it sitting in my shower and the whole washroom smells delightful 24/7. Soap and cleaning properties aside, I could probably leave this soap in my closet and all my clothes will be left smelling like mangoes and citrus. I can't say much about the "exfoliating" properties of the dried mango inside Mangnificent, as I can't feel any physical scrubbing. Though what this soap does do is leave me feeling fresh and clean - which is basically all I ask for from a soap.

INGREDIENTS: Water , Rapeseed Oil , Coconut Oil (Brassica napus; Cocos nucifera) , Glycerine , Fresh Mango (Mangifera indica) , Dried Mango (Mangifera indica) , Fragrance ,Sicilian Lemon Oil (Citrus limonum) , Sicilian Mandarin Oil (Citrus Nobilis) , Tunisian Neroli Oil (Citrus Aurantium amara oil) , Sodium Chloride , EDTA ,Tetrasodium Editronate , Sodium Hydroxide , *Linalool ,*Limonene , Lilial , Red 4

No lie, I think I've spent a good half an hour sniffing these two products up. So if you're looking for a sweet (calorie-free) treat, be sure to check these delicious new products out! 

Find the fresh new products at Lush.ca or a LUSH store near you:

• African Paradise Body Conditioner
• D'Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap 
• Granny Takes a Dip Bath Bomb
• Mangnificent Hand and Body Soap 
• Parsley Porridge Hand and Body Soap 
• Zeste Hair Gelly 

Which fruits do you like your body care products to smell like? 

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