Annabelle Cosmetics Marie-Mai Multi-Colour Blush

A few weeks ago I was wandering through the aisles of Shoppers Drug Mart (a favourite past time of mine) when I came across a display for the Annabelle Cosmetics fall collection. The display held some new lip glosses which looked nice but what really drew me in was the Marie-Mai Multi-Colour Blush. The four colours set in a round compact looked gorgeous and I was pretty sure it would look as pretty  on my cheek as it did in the pan. Simply put, it was one of those love at first sight moments and I knew I had to have it. I don't know what it is about me and blush but I always find new additions to my collection so exciting.

 My first introduction to Annabelle Cosmetics was their summer collection multi-colour blush which I happen to love and it has become my go-to everyday blush ever since I bought it. It is the perfect natural pink for a slightly flushed look and it is surprisingly good quality for a drugstore blush. This new offering from their fall collection is just as good although deeper in colour than the summer version so do be aware when applying it. If you get a little swirl happy with your brush you may end up with unintentional barbie doll cheeks which isn't a good look on anyone. 

I love the multi-colour aspect of this blush because I think it provides a really beautiful dimensional colour to the cheeks and lets be honest, it's really pretty to look at too. (And isn't that what makeup is all about?) 

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Insta-Life #10

About to watch a friend get married / The girls - We've come a long way since our days in rez / I recently started a new job that comes with a long commute so I get up at 5:40 every morning - Coffee is essential / Checked out the Christian Louboutin exhibit at the Design Exchange 

What have you been up to lately?

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Lush Toner Tabs Review

A few months ago I walked passed a Lush store and decided to pop in for a quick browse. I ended up walking away with two Lush Toner Tabs but have only just gotten around to using them. I was kind of intrigued because they are marketed as bath bombs for your face (and who doesn't love a bath bomb?) You drop a tab into a bowl of hot water and put your face over the steam with a towel over your head while it fizzes away. Once it has finished fizzing you can save the liquid in the fridge and use it as a toner or refreshing mist for a few days. 

I thought I would really love these but it turns out I am not a fan of steam in the face (it's hard to breathe!) and I didn't find it relaxing at all. I did use the water after as a toner but the fact that it can't be kept for more than a few days means that most of it goes to waste. To be perfectly honest I would not purchase these again because I didn't enjoy the process and didn't notice any  visible results from the steam. I'm also pretty sure you could do the same at home with some essential oils in a bowl of hot water. 

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Sleek Makeup Luminous Pressed Powder

Way back in July I picked up (or rather, had delivered by Royal Mail) Sleek's Luminous Pressed Powder hoping it might be a dupe for the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder. I haven't the Hourglass powder so I really can't say if it is in fact a dupe but it seems that the concept is similar. Sleek's powder is infused with light reflecting mica pigments for a fresh, dewy glow which is how I like my skin to look. I've never been a fan of an overly matte or powdered face and I am always drawn to products that use words like dewy -  luminous - glow - or radiance in their description.  The mica pigments can be seen when heavily swatched on the hand but once the powder has been swept across the face any shimmer is blended seamlessly into the skin leaving a slightly radiant and fresh complexion (just the way I like it). 

The powder also contains SPF 15 which makes it great for sunny summer days. I'm always a fan of layering multiple SPF products on top of each other (gotta keep the wrinkles at bay) so finishing of my skin with a powder containing SPF is perfect. With all that being said if you have oily skin I would not recommend this for you because it does nothing in the way of oil control and that plus its luminizing mica pigments would probably leave you looking shiny like a disco ball (and not in a good way). 

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Insta-Life #9

Homemade pesto from moms garden is so much better than store bought / I decided to go blonder with my ombre and it turns out I kind of like being an almost blonde / Birthday hugs from an alien who's been on tv / Celebrating my birthday with my twin and my cousin

What have you been up to lately?

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Clinique Lash Power Mascara

My greatest makeup challenge has been finding a mascara that doesn't smudge and leave me looking like a racoon by the end of the day. I've tried many water-proof mascaras and have been left disappointed and supposed smudge-proof mascaras haven't fared much better. My sister recently told me to try out Clinique's Lash Power Mascara. She promised that it really was smudge proof so I decided to give it a go and it turns out she was right! For the first time ever I arrive home at the end of the day and my mascara is 100% intact, no smudging to be had. I even tested this out while I was on vacation on the Colombian coast where the weather is always above 30 degrees celsius and the humidity is high enough to make your hair look like you've have been electrocuted. If it could stand up to the heat and humidity there I'm pretty sure it can work on anyone no matter where they live. 

Unlike any other mascara I've tried you  don't need makeup remover to get it off. All you need to do is splash your face with warm water and then gently rub at the lashes with wet fingers. The mascara comes off in rubber like strands and honestly it is so much better for the delicate eye area than rubbing away with a cotton pad drenched in remover (which never gets it all off anyway). If you like big voluminous lashes this won't be for you but if you've been searching for a mascara that will stay put all day then I would suggest giving it a go. 

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September Chatelaine Topbox

I've been receiving Topbox each month since the company started way back in October of 2011 and I still love the thrill of opening up a box of samples and seeing what's inside. This month the box was a collaboration with Canadian magazine Chatelaine and featured products from Wella, CoverFX, Lise Watier and Lancome. The box also came with a copy of Chatelaine's September issue. To be perfectly honest I haven't read Chatelaine in years (I always thought of it as a magazine for moms) and even then I only ever read it while sitting in waiting room but I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed reading this issue (a sign of my increasing age perhaps). My box contained CoverFX's Anti-Aging Primer, Lise Watiers Teint Age Control Supreme, Wella Thermal Image Heat Protection Spray and a (very cute) mini bottle of Lancome's Tresor Eau de Parfum (which I'd always thought was for older women but I actually really like). Overall, I was pretty pleased with this months offerings and I'm excited to try everything out.

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Insta-Life #8

Toronto - beautiful from this angle / Celebrating a friends bridal shower / Evening walks / Niagara peaches - this entire bowl cost $2!

What have you been up to lately?

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Weekend Wedding

Last weekend one of my university girlfriends got married and I used the occasion as an opportunity to wear my much loved (but hardly worn) peplum dress from a store called Meg here in Toronto. I got the dress last summer but have only worn it once for a tea party and never actually left the house with it on (so it doesn't really count). The wedding was held in the yard of my friends family home so I opted to wear wedges (because heels and grass are never a good idea). I would have preferred a higher wedge but I made do with what I had and honestly I am sure I was much more comfortable than I would have been if I had purchased a higher wedge. 

What do you think?

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Insta-Life #7 {Colombia}

Countryside walks with my cousins / Sun showers over Antioquia / An outfit shot / My grandmothers boots - essential for staying warm AND keeping the black flies from your ankles

Arequipe - we ate a bowl a day, pretty much / Dante the Great Dane is afraid of the thunder (in his defence it was REALLY loud) / Homemade cheese made with milk fresh from the barn in progress (we ate a lot of this too) / Hammock hangouts /

Lunch at Juan Valdez - Palito de Queso, Almojabana and Cafe con Leche / Adios Colombia

What have you been up to lately?

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Polka Dots for a Bridal Shower

A few weekends ago I headed out to a bridal shower in honour of one of my university girlfriends. We lived together for two years and she is the first to get married so it is an exciting time for our group of friends. The bridal shower was held at her father's condo which backs onto a very large cemetery that looks somewhat like a park (until you see the tombstones) so the view was spectacular. It was a lovely afternoon of gift opening, delicious food and catching up. I wore my polka dot dress from H&M, a necklace that I picked up last fall from the student-run store on campus, and sandals from Ardene. 

What do you think?

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