30 October 2008

Product Lust: Charlescraft Spa Reflectives Floor Stand Mirror

Confession time: I don't have a makeup mirror. I never used one before, just a mirror and natural light from my windows. I even spent a few years waiting to get to work to put on makeup. It just seemed to make sense to put makeup on in the fluorescent lights where I worked.

Well, I'm finally breaking down and getting one. But my house is small, so I need to keep my furniture and use of counterspace to a minimum. I was looking for a wall mirror, when I found this:
Charlescraft Spa Reflectives Floor Stand Mirror ($180).

How frickin' cool is this? The good stuff:

  • Almost 173 cm (6 ft.) tall
  • Includes an electrical outlet
  • Hair dryer holder, glass tray and towel bar
  • 22 cm (11 in.) illuminated mirror is glare-free, fog-free and dual sided (one side is regular, one side is 7x magnification)
  • Satin nickel finish

I don't know if I want to shell out 180 bones for this, but it's tempting...

29 October 2008

Whadda Bahgain: Givenchy at Sephora.com

Two posts today to make up for not posting yesterday!

Wanting to try Phenomen'Eyes Mascara? Sephora.com has a great offer for Givenchy products that lets you try Phenomen'Eyes and Absolutely Irresistable Roll-On, and get a pouch packed with 4 other samples for $52. The fuschia pouch contains:
  • Phenomen'Eyes Mascara in Black
  • Absolutely Irresistable Roll-On fragrance
  • No Surgetics Wrinkle Reducer
  • Subli'mine Fluid Foundation
  • Continuous Color Radiance Lip Gloss
  • Verry Irresistible Givenchy Sensual
Enter promo code LOVELUXE at checkout.

Product Review: Boots No. 7 Restore & Renew Beauty Serum

I have loved the Boots No. 7 collection since they first hit Canada at Shoppers Drug Mart. I haven't tried the cosmetics yet, but the skincare products feel and look great.

I
have been using Boots No.7 Restore & Renew Beauty Serum ($25). When this was shown on a tv series in the UK (it's named Protect & Perfect there), they confirmed that it lived up to its claims to repair and prevent wrinkles and pigmentation. Sales increased 2000%; one sold every 1.3 seconds. Just like the Nintendo Wii, they'd arrive in the stores and immediately sell out. I had to give it a whirl, and I'm really glad I did.

The lotion comes in a simple tube which is pearl white just like the serum. When you dispense it onto a fingertip, it has this wonderful, rich consistency. It's highly emolient and soaks into the skin quickly, and it feels silky when you put it on. I originally bought it to use under my eyes (to battle the raccoon bags that live there - damned thin skin!), but I use it all over my eye area and as an emolient aid when a product is too thick. It blends with concealer very well, which helps keep it from being too visible on my thin under-eye skin.

The goodies in it are antioxidants and retinol, so I use it mainly at night and always-always use a sunblock if I'm wearing it during daylight hours. I wouldn't swear as to how much it helps reduce wrinkles, but I do find it plumps up fine lines a little and makes the skin very soft and supple.

The Boots website has a great feature called the Skin Wheel, and it's wicked! You drag the wheel to describe your skin condition, and the website kicks out a 'report' of the Boots products best suited to your skin. Great advertising feature if you're unfamiliar with the product lines. I always have trouble sorting out which line will work best for my skin and my needs. It's the whole denial thing: "I don't need to worry about anti-aging products!"

27 October 2008

Whadda Bahgain: Clinique at Sears

It's Clinique Bonus Time again! Sears is offering a gift with purchase from 25 October - 12 November 2008.

For those of you who want to try the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, this is a great way to try a sample. These are also perfect travel sizes.

If you spend $26.50 CAD (before taxes), you receive the following:

  • Different Lipstick in your choice of shade: Spiced Apple (Nudes) or Rose Aglow (Pinks)
  • Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo in your choice of shade: Butter Pecan (Nudes) or Chocolate Kiss (Pinks)
  • Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser
  • Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
  • Clinique mirror
  • High Impact Mascara in Black
  • Cosmetics bag

26 October 2008

Link Luv: Makeup Tutorial from Petrilude - "Frozen"

Well, after weeks of being told we're having sunny weather and that snow was far away, we've had a dusting of flakes this weekend. Once again, Canucks are thinking about how to make their costumes for Halloween cold-weather friendly.

This Halloween, Petrilude has been proving why he's my hero for the Youtube makeup tutorial. He has outdone himself and created a variety of incredible looks this year.
He's done a snow fantasy look called "Frozen" which seems to go well with our recent change in the weather.

Take a look at this tutorial. I love the snow details as a finishing touch!




His explanations are really clear, and his technique makes it look easy. I'm considering doing something like this for my costume. Even though I'm comfortable doing most makeup looks, I get nervous doing really elaborate looks. Still, he makes this look so easy that I feel that even I could do it.

What are you doing for Halloween this year?

25 October 2008

Sephora is carrying the limited-edition Smashbox palettes released in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Young Survival Coalition, an international non-profit network of survivors and supporters dedicated to the issues unique to young women and the fight against breast cancer.

Get pretty for a good cause!!!

The Kit includes:

  • Pink Power Eye Palette in Celebrate (ivory sheen/ pink champagne shimmer/ olive shimmer)
  • Pink Power Lip Palette in Inspire (pink shimmer/ neutral pink shimmer/ pink beige shimmer)
  • 1 dual ended eyeshadow applicator and 1 lip brush

24 October 2008

Pink Bites: Oakley Ravishing & Enduring Sunglasses

I love glasses and sunnies, when they have good quality lenses. Oakley always has a lot of sweet colours and awesome looking, lightweight frames. They have released two special edition sunglasses to support the Young Survival Coalition’s mission of action, advocacy and awareness.


Oakley is donating US$20 from each sale of the special YSC breast cancer awareness edition sunglasses to the organization. The YSC’s core purpose is to improve the quality and quantity of life for all young women facing the challenges of breast cancer.

The special YSC breast cancer awareness edition Oakley Enduring™ and Oakley Ravishingsunglasses feature lush contours of lightweight O Matter® frame material that is accented with a pink ribbon design. The breast cancer awareness ribbon is also laser etched at the corner of the lens with Oakley’s pure Plutonite® lens material filtering out 100% of all UV rays.

Oakley’s High Definition Optics® takes clarity to the edge of a wide peripheral view with impact protection and is also available with Oakley authentic prescription lenses.

Enduring has a pearl white frame with pink temple sleeves and pink G20 wraparound lenses. The Unobtainium frame was designed for a woman's head, and the adjustable nosepad makes the fit even more comfortable.

Ravishing has a polished black frame with multicoloured print. The shape is a larger, Jackie-O style. The grey lens is perfect for medium to bright light.

Each pair of sunglasses comes with a specially designed pin, an eyewear case, plus a custom MICROCLEAR™ bag for lens cleaning and frame storage.

Oakley retails Ravishing for US$130 (CDN$155) and Enduring for US$160 (CDN$195). That is cheaper than the regular line sunglasses, and they donate $20 from the purchase to YSC.

23 October 2008

Easy, Now: De-Stressing Tips for Work and School

I've been really stressed at work for the last week or so. I've had additional duties at work assigned to me for an undetermined amount of time to assist another department. I'm still enrolled in two courses of night school, and my annual bout of SAD just kicked in, so I'm feeling pretty overloaded right now.

There are lots of things you can do to keep your stress from overpowering your life. I'm doing what I can to keep my mood up. Here are 10 of my tips:

1) Take daily vitamin supplements to keep my B-complex, C, D, magnesium, iron, calcium, zinc and potassium levels up. Deficiencies in these vitamins and minerals have strong links to depression.

2) Eat lunch away from the office at least three times a week. It doesn't mean eating out; I bring a sandwich or a salad. When I get bogged down in work, it's easy to feel chained to the desk. This gives me a chance to breathe and regroup.

3) Don't skip meals. This is one I struggle with because I tend to skip breakfast. Right now, I make sure I eat breakfast, whether it's a bowl of oatmeal or a breakfast bar.

4) Do stretches at work. I make a point of joining the office in the morning stretching sessions which are part of my company's health & wellness program. This allows me a chance to relax in case I was stressing out on the drive to work. It also gives me a chance to have a laugh with the people I work with, since these are light-hearted sessions.

5) If you have to vent, do it before you get home. Don't vent work-stress once you finish the drive from work. I try to say something good about my day once I get home, so I'm not focusing on the negative parts of my day.

6) Treat yourself once a week. When I can't afford something big like a spa treatment or a shopping spree, I give myself a pedicure or take a relaxation bath.

7) Stop for two minutes to laugh and smile. Smiling is proven as a weird biofeedback thing to improve your mood. An eight-hour work day has 480 minutes; laugh for two of them. I set an alarm, but I take two minutes in my busy workday to joke with a friend.

8) Use a massage tool. You don't need to be a pro. Throw it in a desk drawer and use it on your back or calf muscles while you're on the phone. I found a great body massager at Winners for $8 that is double-sided and feels great.

9) Make a list of the tasks you want to get done for the day, and mark them off when you are done. A five minute list lets me see my accomplishments for the day so I don't feel like I didn't getting anything done.

10) When you are feeling overloaded, talk to someone. Try to talk to your supervisor. You don't need to feel like you are whining if you say what parts are dragging you down, and it gives everyone a chance to evaluate the workload. If you can't talk to your supervisor, ask your HR department if your company has an employee assistance program. Companies put these in place to help, not to judge. I used my company EFAP program to get help with treatment for depression one winter when my SAD was out of control.

When it feels like the world is weighing on your shoulders, just remember to breathe. It's important to think about how things will change from day to day. Stress can produce results, so work through it, and try not to be negative to the people around you. Tomorrow is full of possibilities, and things can improve.

If you can't say something nice, say nothing. Negative attitudes at work are contagious. Apart from spreading the cranky around, you may cross the wrong person. As Sigourney Weaver's character said in Working Girl, "Today's junior prick is tomorrow's senior partner."

22 October 2008

Okay, dude... YUM.

I am a coffee junkies but need to moderate my intake. I don't seem to feel more alert from caffeine, but I do get giddy and talkreallyreallyfast when I have too much. My limit seems to be one cup of joe or one can of Dr. Pepper a day (BOO!). If I take more than that, well... it's just bad.

Lucky for me that the coffee houses have decaf when I need a warm, creamy buzz. That way, I'm getting a creamy sugar rush without the jitters! But it also makes me a little obsessive about the smell of coffee. Since I can't drink much of it, I love candles and bath products that remind me of it.

Philosophy The Coffee House ($30) is great for those of us who need a caffeine fix but need to show restraint. The scents are rich, and these really lather up nicely. The Egg Nog and the Cafe au Lait are really nice, but the Caramel Mocha Latte is to die for. The scent wraps itself around you like a fuzzy blanket, and you smell edible all day.

Too good!

21 October 2008

Product Review: Rimmel London Eye Twist

I saw a review of the Stila Convertible Eye Color. I wanted to try it out, but I usually order my Sephora products online for the Airmiles. Recently when I was at Shopper's Drug Mart, I found myself in the cosmetics aisle. I decided to try the Rimmel London version.

Rimmel London Eye Twist is a dual eye liner and cream eye shadow combo pen. It's supposed to be very blendable, and I love that the pen sort of looks like a Sharpie marker.

Well, colour me disappointed. I wore this in Two True, the green shades. I used MAC Paint Pots in Painterly as a base so that it wouldn't crease, which is a problem with my oily eyelids.

The good news was that the colour was quite pretty. The eye liner went on in a thick line, but it did blend beautifully. The bad news was that the eye shadow creased withing three hours, even with the Paint Pot under it. It isn't very pigmented at all, so the colour is quite pale.

Overall, I'm not impressed. I won't buy it again.

Pink Bites: HBC Points Donation

In support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Hbc will donate your points to CBCF in the month of October.

Shop at The Bay, Zellers or Home Outfitters to buy products that make donations to breast cancer research and awareness. Then, donate your points!

I want to buy the Think Pink Umbrella ($15). You can never have too many umbrellas!

And since I've always wanted an HBC point blanket, I'm thinking about the Hbc Signature Pink Caribou Throw ($150).

20 October 2008

Reversible Halloween Costumes: Wickedly Fun

I'm starting to think about Halloween costumes (late again this year), and I came across a few fun ones online. Because I can design and sew, I feel bad if I buy a costume instead of making something, especially when the quality of the costume is blech. When I was snooping around online though, I found a couple of multi-use costumes that I really like. They are reversible, so you could hit up two parties and have a different look for each!

I really like the Miss Hellenback; when you can't decide if you're going to be good or bad, you can be both! I's made from reversible stretch jersey, one side is white with a ruffle skirt and the other side is black with red flames. The costume includes removable clear shoulder straps, two pairs of gloves, devil horns and a tail, a halo, wings and a wand, and a "Miss Hellenback" name tag.

I like that it's available in sizes 2-20 (S-2XL). and it's sexy with bodice seams to show off your curves. It's short enough to be saucy, but long enough to retain a little modesty while you party your wings or tail off! Sometimes when you get a costume that extends to a plus size range, it's just increased in measurements without thought to how it will appear. The result can be pretty frumpy. The alternative is that the outfit is really sexy and skimpy, and when it is increased in size it accentuates all the wrong things.

Curves on a woman are sexy, but you need things to open in the right places, and make those curves look, well, curvy. These things often are cut in plus sizes so they look dumpy.


The other costume that caught my eye was Buggin Out. It's a reversible dress made from stretch jersey. One side is red with black polka dots and black and yellow stripes. It has clear shoulder straps and a tutu-style hem. With antennae headband and wings, it's an easy costume to put together.

Buggin Out is designed for sizes up to 0-14(XS-L), and it's short enough that you wouldn't want it any larger or it would ride up just walking around. The wings remind me of the kind we made as kids with Mom's old nylons and coat hangers. These ones are nicer though, with sparkly veins across them and a nice harness.

Time is running out, so I have to pick soon if I'm ordering online. Have you picked a costume for Halloween?

19 October 2008

Product Review: Avon Line 'n Design Eye Duo

I'm extremely lazy when it comes to makeup, so I like products that do double duty. I like the Avon Line 'n Design Eye Duo because it acts as a creamy shadow base and matching eyeliner in one compact unit.

The colours are nice, with a hint of shimmer. I have Nectar Glisten and Shimmering Sand. It's tricky to use a creamy shadow as a base at first because they are a little hard to control, but blending patiently really works. The good news is that it doesn't smear as badly as some products I've tried.

I found this was really useful when I went to visit my sister in London this spring. It was one of the things that helped keep my luggage size down.

What multi-purpose makeup products do you like to use?

Pink Bites: Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook-Pink Plaid

My favourite cookbook of all-time is the Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook. Everyone knows it as the red plaid cookbook, so named for the slammin' red plaid tablecloth-style cover. I learned to cook using this book under my Mom's instruction, so I naturally bought a copy for myself when I moved out on my own.

They released a new version now called the
pink plaid in support of breast cancer. In support of the fight against breast cancer, Meredith Books will make a minimum $250,000 donation to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

It still has the basic cooking essentials for every aspiring chef: equivalencies tables, table settings, use of utensils and simple foundation recipes. It also has 64-page section devoted to living with breast cancer.
I was thinking about buying a new one to get the newer chapters on low-fat cooking, 20-minute meals and slowcooker meals.

I'd held off before because it seemed silly to buy a book I already owned, but I felt completely justified because my purchase add to the $250,000 contribution to
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The recipes are a mixture of the originals and new versions.

18 October 2008

RIP: James E Reilly

Okay, it's time for me to come out of the closet. I am a lifelong watcher of Days of Our Lives who has tenuously broken my addiction for the last three years. It's a daily struggle not to set the PVR to Salem, and to avoid the web updates (adding links to this post without peeking was hard!). I can't say its been three years completely free of DOOL, but I try to avoid it every day.

I was saddened to learn of the passing of James E Reilly. The former Head Writer created some of my favourite moments of Salem history, including the ridiculously fun possession of Dr. Marlena Evans Brady and my favourite couple, Jack & Jen.

Reilly even wrote Passions, which was the craziest soap since Dark Shadows. That was some funny daytime TV. This was the piece de resistance, when the best writer on NBC decided, 'sure, let's have a talking mannequin and an orangutan love story.' Awesome!

The best kiss to his work that I've read has been done by the Fug Girls at Go Fug Yourself. Read and enjoy. We'll miss you, James!

17 October 2008

Product Lust: Maybelline Go Currant Lipsticks

One of the standbys in my makeup case is the first dark lipstick I ever liked, Maybelline MoistureWhip lipstick in Go Currant. I'm not that crazy about MoistureWhip lipstick. I find it's very soft, but it fades pretty quickly.

Go currant is a deep, rich red. It's not too bright, and just blue enough for my skin tone to give a rose to my cheeks and always make my teeth appear a little whiter.


Still, I was bummed when they stopped selling MoistureWhip. Luckily, Maybelline carried the colour into the Moisture Extreme line. When my latest tube runs out, I'll have to give it a whirl.

Love my Go Currant colour! Maybelline, pretty please with cream and sugar on top, no matter what lines you introduce or kill off, never-ever-ever discontinue this colour!

16 October 2008

Product Review: Nature's Essence Cold Sore Relief

I'm hideous!

I had a cold sore pop up on Thanksgiving Monday on my lower lip. I only get one or two cold sores a year, either on my right lower lip or midway up my right upper lip. The stupid things drive me nuts because I already have a bad habit of chewing my lips when they are chapped

Cold sores make me lick and chew my lips even more, which leads to the scab getting white, puffy and irritated. Next thing you know, the scab comes off and then the healing takes that much longer, which means that much longer before I can wear pretty lip gloss and lipstick again!


I've been trying not to think about it all week, but I thought I'd share my treatments with you since I've been fixing these little suckers for 20+ years.

Okay, first I'll give you the ugly medical facts and statistics, courtesy of coldsores.ca:
  • Cold sores are a cluster of blisters on or around your lips and mouth, and (rarely) on or inside the nose, chin and cheeks. They often appear at the corners of the mouth. They are caused by the herpes simplex virus (mouth virus is HSV-1, genital is HSV-2). You can spread infections to other areas of your body (eyes, fingers, genitals).
  • 30-60% of children under 10 years old get infected with HSV-1, usually from family members. By age 50, 80-90% of us are infected.
  • Some people never show symptoms.
  • Often you are infected as a child; some children experience symptoms in their throat.
  • Once you are infected, it never leaves you.
  • When dormant, it hides in your central nervous system. When it activates, it erupts from the nerves in the skin.
  • Breakouts are often preceded by prodromal symptoms: tingling, itching, redness or burning.
  • Stress, sun exposure, menstruation or fever can cause an outbreak.
  • You can transmit the virus when you don't have an outbreak (asymptomatic shedding).
  • Cold sores usually reappear in the same location.

My Mom has always told me to try prescription medication for them, but since they're kind of mild, I usually just use over-the-counter medications to treat the cold sore and a lip moisturizer I dispose of when I heal. I have tried nearly every cold sore treatment on the market since I was a teenager, whether it was a liquid or a gel. I've also tried the home remedies: lemon juice and salt paste was the best tasting, but didn't work better than anything else.

My favourite cold sore treatment is Nature's Essence Cold Sore Relief, and it rocks hard. This little 4ml potion is made from essential oils including Tea Tree, Geranium, Bergamot, Eucalyptus, Chamomile and Lavender. These essential oils combine anti-viral, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Most importantly, it keeps the cold sore moist without being too wet. This is really important because if the sore gets too wet, it gets mushy; but if it dries out, it tends to crack, which also takes longer to heal.

As soon as I feel that familiar tingling, I apply Nature's Essence like mad on the first day (several times an hour), and it keeps the site from filling with liquid into a big blister. This is the first treatment I've ever used that consistently keeps the blister from popping up. Every day after, I keep using it to heal the sore fast and keep it moist enough to avoid cracking.

I'm still not brave enough to take pictures of myself for this blog, but on Wednesday a girl at work did a double-take when I told her I had a cold sore. She hadn't noticed it was there. I'm already at the healing stage, and the inflammation is almost gone.

14 October 2008

Product Review: Bourjois Paris Ombre à Paupières

I was in London this spring, visiting my sister. We stopped at a Boots pharmacy during one of the only rainy spells. Since I'd packed lightly, including makeup, I hit the cosmetics aisle to see what was different about makeup in the UK compared to Canada.

It was no surprise that the big boys were all present (Maybelline, L'Oreal, Revlon), and Rimmel London was there, along with Boots brands. But the other large display I saw was Bourjois Paris, and this intrigued me. There are about four Bourjois Paris items available at the Sephora website, but I'd only seen one or two items there and not an entire product line. Sis had bought me a cellphone charm lip gloss as a stocking stuffer last year for Xmas which was a hit, so I decided to take a closer look.

There were all sorts of products lined up, all with cute packaging. I decided to try the Ombre à Paupières
, a wet/dry baked mineral eyeshadow (in the UK, they just call it Little Round Pot Eyeshadow). After humming and hawing over colours for about ten minutes (my little sis is sooo patient!), I decided to go with the Rose Tentation, a clear pink with larger gold shimmer. I thought it would match my makeup I'd already brought, but be the pink shadow I was missing. I brought it home and tested it out immediately.

The pot is quite large, and the makeup is baked until it's very hard. I haven't used water on it, but it applies almost like a pot that has already been wetted. The pot is very grainy to the hard and touch, but it goes on smoothly; I don't feel any graininess from the shimmer on my lids. I find that my brush picks it up well, but you have to work it onto the brush.

It's a shame that website really doesn't show how pretty these shadows are, and doesn't show all the cases, because the cases are the actual colour of the shadow inside. The shadows really change with the angle of the light, and it's very sheer colour that builds up slowly. Overall I'm loving it!

Unfortunately, it looks like Sephora is discontinuing the product from their shelves because what they do carry is now on clearance. I really love this line, so I'll have to source them online, or bribe Sis to bring some with her. I'd like to try a few more colours, but I can't choose which: they all look so good! My favourites so far:

  • Bleu Myosotis (silvery blue with finer shimmer)
  • Prune Intense (purple with gold)
  • Rose Peau (pale shimmery pink with finer shimmer than Rose Tentation)
  • Marron Glace (shimmering dark brown)
  • Noir Cobalt (blue black)
  • Rose Perle (iridescent pink)
  • Turquoise Ensoleille (golden turqoise)

13 October 2008

Product Lust: Urban Decay Urban Ammo Eye Palette

There is definitely a palette of colours I want to try. Urban Decay Urban Ammo Eye Palette (Sephora, $34) has a beautiful range of colours. I like Last Call, an irridescent plummy-purple, and Smog, a deep coppery-bronze.


These are their best-selling colours and they look good. You could use this palette to produce a simple dark smoky eye or a lovely rainbow palette.

12 October 2008

Product Lust: MAC Dame Edna Collection

Shut the front door! MAC is releasing a collection 26 December 2008 inspired by my favourite TV talkshow diva, Dame Edna Everage. Yeah Boxing Day!

I looked at the colours, and they look pretty fun.
Corals are not usually my thing, but I might give these a whirl as a compromise for the current orange trend. The blues and purples look fun, and the purple nail polish is called Varicose Violet; sign me up!


Lipstick (LE) - $14.00USD
Kanga-rouge – Creamy dark blue red (amplified creme)
Gladiola – Matte mid-tone blue pink (matte)

Coral polyp – Creamy mid-tone coral (amplified creme)

Lipglass (LE) $14.00USD

Hot Frost – Sheer mid-tone blue pink with multi-dimensional pearlized pigments (frost)
Splendid – Frosty pale pinky coral (frost)
Possum Nose Pink – Sheer bright coral with multi-dimensional pearlized pigments (frost)

Eye Shadow Trio (LE) - $32.50USD
Royal Tour Eye Trio
Royal Tour – Mid-tone cool lilac (satin)
Dame’s Desire – Frosty mid-tone reddish purple (frost)
Climate Blue – Dark blue violet with pink pearlized pigments (velvet) (Repromote from Cool Heat)

Wisteria Eye Trio
Fineshine - Frosty true-silver (lustre) (Repromote from Lustrevision)
Wisteria – Frosty robin’s egg blue (velvet)
Divine Night – Frosty charcoal with silver pearlized pigments (velvet)

Highlight Powder (LE) - $26.00USD
What a Dame! – Pale orangey pink
Spectacle – Pale soft pink

Nail Lacquer (LE) $11.00USD
Asiatique – Creamy classic red (creme) (Repromote from Ornamentalism)
Varicose Violet – Frost mid-tone pinkish purple (frost)

Images courtesy of bunnybunnybunny at specktra.net Color collection courtesy of Specktra.net

11 October 2008

Teardrop Contact Lenses

Do you ever worry that you'll cry and smear your eye makeup? Nobody wants a raccoon face, right? Well, Dutch designer Eric Klarenbeek has created a contact lens with jewels hanging off them to look like tears running down your cheek.

Okay, I'm taking a firm stance on this and stating that I think this is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard. I was an optician for five years (opticians are those friendly folks that help you select your glasses and learn to put on contact lenses), so I get nervous putting eyeliner on my waterline. But this!... Gimme a break!

If you look at this and don't see the potential problems you can get, I think you're nuts. If nothing else, this is just begging for a beauty case of conjunctivitis (pinkeye). Of course bacteria is going to ride up that little medical wire and plop down on your eye. But just picture all the other problems that will happen with this. The designer says that his design is constantly being refined and that they are perfectly safe, but all I'm seeing is something tickling your cheek and irritating you ev-ery ti-me you mo-ve your he-ad. Folks, think twice about this. If you need to look this permanently emo, just pull out a nosehair or two and you'll see the tears.

10 October 2008

Whadda Bahgain: Pizza Pizza

During the month of October, Pizza Pizza is offering a coupon for a free slice of pizza. If you like Pizza Pizza, gimme a hell-YEAH!

Whadda Bahgain: MAC Coupon

MAC online buyers can get free shipping from 10-12 October 2008.
Offer Code: 3DAY

09 October 2008

Whadda Bahgain: Maybelline Great Lash


It's not my thing, but there are a lot of girls who swear by Maybelline Great Lash Mascara as the only mascara they use. For those who love it, this link will give you a permanent coupon for $2 off discount.

If you love Great Lash, save the link and reuse it.

Pink Bites: One A Day Women's Make Up Call

If you're like me, even if you try to eat healthy, you fall into the trap that "I'm not doing enough" and take vitamins. I do because I don't always eat as healthy as I want to, so I take vitamin and herbal supplements. My mom's advice was always to take a multivitamin because usually the balance of vitamins is good and it's more of a no-brainer.

One of the multivitamins I've gone back to over and over again is One A Day. The balance of vitamins is good, I trust the quality of the products and I like that they add other things to the mixture for specific needs, like men's formulas and supplements for people over 50.

In honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, One A Day is doing a lot. First, they are donating $200,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation's mission is to achieve prevention and a cure for breast cancer in our lifetime. To learn more click here: www.bcrfcure.org.

Also, how would you like to get a phone call from a celebrity? One A Day Wake Up Call lets you send a call from Ellen Degeneres to someone you love reminding them about their breast health. To test this out, I sent a message to myself through email (you can also send it to a phone number). This was a very cute message from Ellen, funny without being too glib, and was a strong, yet positive, message about women's breast health.

I think this is a great way to remind your friends and family about their own health. Send a phone message to someone you love and remind them to take their health seriously.

08 October 2008

Pink Bites: Sony Pink Shopping Affair


Sony is da bomb, baby! I love their electronics, and have ever since my dad bought me my first Walkman that folded shut the same size as a cassette tape case.

Sony Style is proud to present
The Pink Shopping Affair to fight breast cancer.

Beginning on October 1st until the 31st, proceeds from every pink purchase made on sonystyle.ca will support Breast Cancer research in Canada. As a token of our appreciation we will send you a Pink Ribbon Keychain with every pink purchase you make.

Some of the donations are quite decent in size:

Shop Sony Pink to find the cure!

Art & Science Combine: Body Worlds

I saw the Body Worlds I Exhibit in August; it was amazing and very entertaining. The blending of science and art to express mortality and the expression of the complexity and frailty of the human body was really powerful.

The only way to make it more interesting to see Body Worlds is to see it at the Witching Hour.


07 October 2008

Pink Bites: Aveda Hand Relief



During the month of October, the first 100 guests that mention sweetspot.ca at participating Aveda Experience Centres in Canada will receive a complimentary purse size sample of Aveda Hand Relief.

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Aveda is launching a limited edition pink ribbon Hand Relief.

It has an herbal fragrance that I love, and it's thick and rich. The Hub doesn't have this on his luv list, because he describes it as "stinky and greasy." I wouldn't go that far, but it does take a little while to really soak into your skin, but when it does it feels wonderful.

05 October 2008

Whadda Bahgain: Lancome Bonus (Online Only)

While supplies last, Lancome is offering a bonus with any $50 online purchase.

What you get:
  • Bienfait Multi-Vital SPF 30 Moisturizer tube, 15 ml
  • Colour Design Sensational Effects Eye Shadow
  • Definicils High Definition Mascara in Black
  • Le Rouge Absolu Lipstick SPF 15 in Champagne
  • Lancome signature cosmetics case with matching cosmetics pouch

04 October 2008

Whadda Bahgain: Estée Lauder Bonus Time at Sears

Until 11 October 2008, if you spend a minimum of $32 on Estée Lauder products, you'll get a nice gift set.

What you get:
  • your choice of lipstick shade (warm OR cool)
  • your choice of eye shades (warm OR cool)
  • Hydra Bright Skin-Tone Protecting Moisturizer or Resilience Lift Extreme Ultra Firming Creme Soft Clean Tender Creme Cleanser or Perfectly Clean Splash Away Foaming Cleanser with the cleanser that works best with it,
  • 2 chic bags


If you spend $75 or more you can add the shiny tote bag to the gift for free!

I especially like that you can pick cool or warm eye & lipstick shades.

03 October 2008

Pink Bites: Clinique Great Lips, Great Cause Lipstick Set

You may notice that I'm posting in pink all month in honour of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Not only are there already lots of great pinks out there in Beauty Land, there are also special edition products that companies release, donating a portion of the proceeds to charities.

One of my favourites this season is Clinique Great Lips, Great Cause Lipstick ($17). The Colour Surge Butter Shine lipstick is a beautiful shade called Ribbon Pink, the case is a pink bamboo shape, and it comes in a nice silver package with a mirror in the lid. Exclusive to Sephora, $10 from each purchase is donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Sometimes with products like this, you read the fine print and find out the donation is going to "Bob's Charity" or the money all goes to administrative fees. BCRF is a good organization: at least 85% of donations goes to research and awareness campaigning, and this October they are awarding over $34 Million in research grants to 166 scientists.
Take a look at their website to see some of the work they do and see all their corporate partners.

I'm picking up one for each of the special women in my life as an early Xmas stocking stuffer.

02 October 2008

Product Review: Avon mark. Shine Tubes Hook Up Lip Gloss


Lip gloss. Yay! Always something new out there to try. Easy to layer over lipstick for a whole new look. Flavoured so you are sweet and tastier than usual. What's not to like about lip gloss?

Well, lots of them have no staying power, to the point where some are even runny. I'm always trying new lip glosses to find ones that stay put, but my biggest disappointment is when I find a colour I really like and it won't hold. I'm always finding little gems, and since most lip gloss isn't too pricey, it's a way to experiment and stay frugal.

I like Avon products. I can order them from a sales rep and give a girl some side cash, or if no-one I know is selling it, I can order it online. The prices are always fair, and they do a good job of staying current. While some of my friends think of Avon as higher end, I consider Avon products to be on par to drug store brands. This isn't a bad thing (it's not like they're dollar store quality), but they don't compare to high-end boutique products. At these prices, how could they?

I don't have a friend selling Avon right now, so I grabbed a flier at the last women's trade fair I attended and put down the name of a local representative on my online order. I thought it would be nice to gie her the commission. I wanted to bump up to the next freebie level, so I needed to spend another $12. I decided to try the mark. Shine Tubes Hook Up Lip Gloss in Crème Caramel. At $7 it seemed like a bargain, and you can combine it with a mark. connector (free with every two purchased) to make a little portable two-piece set. I added the mark. Crystal Shimmer Hook Up Powder (a review for another day) and hit my upgrade level.

The order arrived at my door within a week, complete except for the mark. connector. The lip gloss came in a cute little tube and was a pretty raspberry colour. Not what I consider Crème Caramel, but pretty enough to keep. I was sort of glad since I'd ordered another lipstick that was a mocha colour. This meant I didn't order two similar things.

Well, it was pretty in the tube, and it was pretty on the lips. It tasted like berries and was very sweet. The shimmer in it was nice; bigger flakes but not crazy-big. However, it was really sticky, and it only lasted about 10 minutes before it vanished into nothing. The flavour also turned out to be pretty strong, because I could smell it the entire time I was wearing it; even when the colour was gone. The colour looks nice layered over another colour, but forsuch a dark colour in the tube, it thins out to almost nothing on the lips.

The tube was small and worked without the connector, but at $7 was not the typical good deal you expect from Avon. I called the rep about the connector, but after playing phone tag with her for two weeks I gave up trying to get the doo-hickey. Since I wasn't carrying it around anyway, it didn't seem worth my time.

Overall, it wasn't a great purchase. I won't try Avon mark. Shine Tubes Hook Up Lip Gloss again.

01 October 2008

Product Review: Avon Glazewear Liquid Lip Color

I love to wear lipgloss. I like that it makes my naturally thin lips appear fuller, and I find it's the best way to keep from chewing my lips until they are corrugated and sore. I unconsciously think that I'll ruin my pretty makeup and stop chewing. I am a lip-presser, though. I roll my lips and press the colour right off them.

Wearing ChapStick as a kid was my lips' best defense against myself. Mind you, they make such tasty flavours that it almost works the opposite way. When I discovered they still made Dr. Pepper Lip Smackers, I nearly lost my mind.

It's a tricky challenge to find lasting lip colour that doesn't dry my lips out even more. Most of the lipcolours marketed as long-wearing are either really hard to apply or really drying. The opposite end of the spectrum is that products that are shiny are often sticky and feel gross.

Avon has a nice gloss in Glazewear Liquid Lip Color. It's shiny, has decent staying power, and is enriched with Vitamins A, C and E. It has a nice, light cocoa flavour and goes on creamy, not streaky. It starts out a little sticky, but in about five minutes it's set and just has the sheen without the stick.

I especially like the Chic Mauve. It's nearly the same as my natural lip colour, but it gives a rosier hue to them and a little sparkle. Right now they are cheap-cheap: only $2.99 on the Avon.ca website.