Bouncin' and Blushin'

Hey all!

I've had a great (and exciting) day today! You all have helped me reach a huge milestone of 400 followers on my blog and I couldn't be more thankful and appreciative! So..

Thank you!

Now that I've said a huge (literally) thank you to you all, I have some more great news! I was lucky enough to learn that I won Toronto Beauty Reviews (Elaine) Korres Giveaway! I'm so thrilled, I love Korres and am so excited to start using more of their amazing products. Okay enough rambling by me, lets get to these cute and strange little blushes.

These are Maybelline's Bouncy Blushes. I picked up two shades I wouldn't normally have gotten. The last thing I need is another medium-pink blush! The first one is Coffee Cake. This is a gorgeous bronzy-peach that I wasn't sure about in the pan but adore once it's on the cheeks.

Next up is Hot Tamale. A super bright red-pink with a bit of shimmer (both have a hint of shimmer) that definitely isn't as bright as it appears in the pan but still gives a gorgeous flush of colour.

These blushes are the funniest things! I can't get over the texture of them they are super airy and light and don't feel greasy at all like some cream blushes can. The only thing I can even slightly compare this to is Maybelline's dream mousse blushes but they still don't really compare. You have to feel these for yourself to understand the full effect.

With flash

I apologize for these photos, I couldn't get very good ones. The pigmentation of these blushes is great! They are sheer enough to be layered and look realistic on the cheek but they have enough pigmentation to use only a small amount of product each time. (These photos have a heavy swatch)

In natural daylight

I'm always pretty skeptical of quality when brands come out with gimmicks like this but these pleasantly surprised me. I personally think they are adorable and have great feel and blendability with an extensive colour collection and a reasonable price. I love a cream blush and these just jumped to the top of my list! Especially since they have the staying power of a powder (thanks to the cream to powder formulation).

Have you tried these funny little blushes? What did you think of them?

Summary
Maybelline Bouncy Blush - Coffee Cake & Hot Tamale
$5.99-$9.99 CAD
Available at: Drugstores (if you hurry they are on sale at Shoppers!)

Come on, Brighten Up!

Hey everyone,
I'm such a late night poster, I don't know why. I have plenty of time to do it throughout the day but I usually just end up taking and editing pictures and then finally getting to actually putting them into a post by around 10pm! Oh, well at least its up!

Tonight I'm sharing with you one of my new favourite items! I recently won a gift box from Vasanti and Rexall and I have to say I was thrilled to see this in there! I had been eyeing up Vasanti's Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvinator for a while (even picked it up off the shelf once or twice) but had yet to buy it.

This is, as the name may suggest, an exfoliator/scrub. This is not just a scrub though, oh no! Not only does this contain 25% dermatologist grade micro-crystals for dramatic yet gentle exfoliation but also powerful papaya enzymes for added chemical exfoliation. It also contains coconut, aloe vera and panthenol in order to keep your skin feeling hydrated even after you're finished.

The texture of this is really interesting. It's almost mousse-like in consistency and you can really feel all the particles - but they are tiny!

This exfoliator is creamy (but not greasy at all), which I appreciate in a scrub as sometimes my skin can wind up dry after using them. I'm always pretty leery when I try a new scrub as my skin is easily sensitized and can wind up red and irritated for days, so although I was excited to use this, I was also scared. To my surprise, even with the high amount of micro-crystals, this exfoliator is extremely gentle. I never end up red or irritated and my skin feels smoother than anything else after using it. If you have been following me for a while you may remember my Colbert M.D. post where I raved about their microdermabrasion pads, I thought I would never find anything to replace them (too expensive to repurchase) but I finally have!

Not only do I notice my skin feels smoother but it also feels lightly hydrated and any product I put on afterwards is instantly absorbed! I only use this once a week (maybe twice if I forget to take my makeup off one night and I'm in need of a deep cleaning) and it keeps me smooth until the next week.

If you're looking for an outstanding exfoliant this is it! You only need a pea-sized amount as well so it will last you forever - a little really does go a long way.

Summary
Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator
$34.00 CAD
Available at: Rexall & Vasanti

Vasanti seems to make skin care that is just as amazing as their cosmetics. I've heard raves about their Eye Wonder eye cream - that just may have to be put on my list!

You Shine a Little Love on my Life (Clap, Clap)!

Afternoon Ladies,

I'm not sure how many of you will be familiar with the title of this post (Song: ELO - Shine a little Love) but I found it pretty fitting for this particular product review!

Up today is Tarte's Smooth Operator Illuminating Serum. Again, can you tell that I'm on an illumination kick? This product is honestly worth its weight in gold (sort of pun intended)! And shouldn't be overlooked as an amazing, light infusing primer.

I purchased this product a LONG time ago before it was available for sale individually (hence why it doesn't have the "Amazonian Clay" label on it) in a kit called Radiant & Rested Complexion Set. It included the EmphasEYE's eyeliner inner rim brightener (flesh-toned peach), Mini Cheek Stain in Glisten, Mini Park Avenue Princess Mineral Bronzer, ReCreate Silicone Free Primer and this serum. It was a fantastic kit and I'm still so happy I purchased it!

Now that I've rambled, this product is a super lightweight highlighter without any really noticeable shimmer or glitter (everything I look for in a highlighter!). It comes in a huge tube (1.7 ouces) and a little goes a really long way. It is super versatile and lends a gorgeous "glow" to skin.

Above you can see the product straight from the tube. (NOTE: Be sure to shake this before you use it as it has a tendency to separate in the tube.) It is a soft flesh-tone that becomes undetectable once applied to skin. 

This is my favourite photo! As you can see, you can't see the product unless the light of the flash is reflecting off it in a certain way. This ensures that skin doesn't look "all over shiny" but has a hint of glow when the light hits. You can also see that the shimmer particles are so small that they don't even look like shimmer when the light catches them.

Tarte's website doesn't state how you should use this serum, but to me that means the possibilities are endless! My favourite way to apply this is over my foundation on places I want to highlight - cheeks, bridge of nose, around my eyes and nasal-labial folds. Then I apply a little MAC Mineralize skin finish to set it and ensure I don't look greasy. Another great way to use this is as a primer. I often mix it with a moisturizer before I apply foundation and it still gives a great "lit from within" glow without the intense sheen. 

Another great feature of this serum is that it is free from:

- Parabens

- Sulfates

- Synthetic Fragrances

- Synthetic Dyes

- Petrochemicals

- Phthalates

- GMOs

- Triclosan

And contains Amazonian clay, Camomille, Vitamin C, A & E and Hylauronic Acid! A beautiful glow and beautiful skin care ingredients? Sign me up!

Overall, this is an amazing product and is well worth the money, especially for the amount you get and for the versatility of the product. I would highly, highly recommend this for anyone seeking a believable glow.

Summary

Tarte Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum

$32.00 USD

Available at: Sephora & Tarte

Stila's Illuminating Liquid Foundation - Did it light up my life?

 

Hey gang! 

Little bit of a late post this evening and it's a review of Stila's Illuminating Liquid foundation. I'm all about a little illumination lately - glow enhancing primers, dewy foundations, light reflecting concealers, blush, bronzer, powder you name it! So clearly, this foundation was to be a perfect fit in my ever growing wardrobe of dullness obliterating products, right?

Wrong. I have to honestly say I was deeply saddened by almost everything about this product (sigh..) and with such a high price tag, I have to share what I've learned.

Firstly, this foundation's shade range comes in wittily appointed amounts of wattage. Being pretty fair, I was the lightest shade - 10 watts. This is a great colour for me, neutral undertones, no orange overcast and no noticeable pink or yellow. I was initially happy with testing it out, the shades are great, the problem was I didn't test it on my face - but more on that later. 

Secondly, the pump is extremely cheap feeling and looking. Why top off a lovely glass bottle with a cheap "plastic-but-painted-a-metallic-silver-to-look-like-metal-and-it's-already-peeling-off-in-certian-places" pump? For $50.00 CAD I expect a LITTLE more...

Anyway, moving on to what really matters, the formulation. I would have completely overlooked the tacky pump if the formula had been amazing or even relatively good for that matter.

The formulation starts out looking promising although it is much thicker than what I've come to know and expect from foundations labelled "liquid". I would class this as more of a cream foundation, especially since it's oil based. You'll see what I mean in the next photo.

Also, when I select a foundation with "sheer to medium" coverage, I don't expect it to be so incredibly pigmented and hard to blend. This is the swatch just spread over my hand. As you can see you can't see any of my skin through it (although it isn't thoroughly blended.) I was surprised at this as I was looking for something sheer, and usually products labelled "illuminating" are just that. Again, this Illuminating foundation is making up rules of its own.

This is the foundation after I blended the begeezus out of it with my fingers. It doesn't melt, sink into or blend with skin at all. The pigment in it is just so heavy it doesn't let it do any of those things. There also isn't much illumination in this product. It just feels thick and heavy on the skin even after I blended it off with a damp sponge to try to sheer it out. Not only that but I actually had someone comment about my "cakey" foundation that day. It had settled into every line and pore on my face (and I'm 23 I didn't think I even had lines!) and made me look old, dull and greasy.

I'm sad to say this product did nothing good for me. I probably won't be trying any more of Stila's foundations either at risk of the same thing happening. For the price I expected more, frankly I would have expected more out of a foundation that cost 1/5th of this. 

Summary

Stila's Illuminating Liquid Foundation

10 Watts

$50.00 CAD

Available at Sephora and Shoppers Drug Mart

Have you tried this foundation? Did you have a similar experience or did you love yours? Let me know in the comments section below!

 

Deals & Steals: NYC Color Wheel (Mosaic Face Powder)

Hello everyone! I'm starting a new segment called "Beauty Bargains" where I'll highlight some of the best and most inexpensive drugstore products. I'm going to start off with one of my favourite (and not to mention least expensive!) drugstore items that I have re-purchased time and time again.

Here I have NYC's Color Wheel - Mosaic Face Powder. The shade I have this in (and to be honest, the only shade I have ever purchased) is Translucent Highlighter Glow. Now, with a name like that, I expected a lot of shimmer to be laced throughout this powder (although I couldn't see any initially, I've been tricked before!). I was happy to discover that this powder actually contains no shimmer - either that or its just so fine I can't detect it.

This powder extremely soft, oil absorbing and does provide a nice glow without shimmer. It evens out my skin and doesn't cake up and also doesn't appear too matte. 

Pros:

- Not too powdery

- Inexpensive & Readily available

- Soft and extremely blendable

- Gives a soft "glow"

- Controls Oil

- Doesn't look cakey

- You get a lot of product - 9g

Cons:

- This is not translucent! I can actually use this as a light bronzer (but I'm very pale!)

- Packaging isn't all that appealing or functional

For the price, I would say this is an outstanding powder. I prefer it over my MAC Blot Powder because it lends a much less "powdery" or matte look. This blends into skin and is almost undetectable as long as you use a light hand (but that goes for any powder).

I highly recommend trying out this powder if you're looking for a great, inexpensive glow. You can find this (in Canada) for around $5.50 or if you find it on sale (usually at Rexall) around $3.00. 

A great beauty Bargain!

REP Beauty: Blush (Review)

Good morning everyone! Today I have another REP Beauty post for you, this time on their Blushing Blush. As you may know from my last post REP Beauty is a Canadian brand out of Edmonton, Alberta that offers a great range of high quality beauty products. This blush is another item that I received from REP.

The shade I received in the blush is Romance. This is a light, pure pink with intense icy shimmer. I was so excited with the colour, as I love a light pink blush, but was a little disappointed when I noticed the amount of shimmer in the product. Not only is there a "sheen" shimmer but there is also much larger pieces of shimmer, almost along the lines of a glitter. I am one to steer clear of any glitter, I don't even like a lot of shimmer in my eyeshadows or lipglosses most of the time so I don't find myself getting much wear out of this blush. 

It was hard to get a photo to show the true amount of shimmer in the product, but if you enlarge you may be able to see. Although I personally don't get a lot of wear out of this blush the formulation is excellent. The colour pay of is great, not too much pigment and not too little, and the texture is better than any blush I've ever felt. It is soft and creamy feeling and applies with no streaking at all. Whenever I wear or swatch this blush it stays true for so much longer than I expect. Like with shimmer eyeshadows, I expect the colour to wear off and the shimmer to remain but that is not the case with any of REP Beauty's products. The colour stays just as long as the shimmer and that is quite a while. When I do reach for this blush I use it at night and usually as more of a highlighter or lightly layered over another blush. It looks really nice at night but definitely would not be daytime appropriate. 

The quality and texture of this blush is enough for me to try another shade - hopefully one with less shimmer. I am definitely not discouraged by the shimmer in this particular shade and would highly recommend purchasing the Blushing Blushes. These sell for $14.50 which is very reasonable for the amount and quality. Again, REP Beauty products are available for purchase on their website.

REP Beauty's Website

Don't forget to follow their blog and follow them on twitter while you are there! Have any of you tried REP Beauty products? Will you? Let me know in the comments!

Disclosure: I won these products in a giveaway. All opinions on the product are my own and I did not receive any compensation for this post. 

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation (Review)

Good morning everyone! Today I have a review post for you on Rimmel's Match Perfection Foundation. There are a lot of these "skin matching" foundations floating around the market lately: Cover Girl's Tru Blend, Maybelline's Fit Me, L'Oreal's True Match and of course, Rimmel's version. I am a permanent skeptic when it comes to foundations, I generally always find something wrong with them but keep trying out the latest formulas hoping to find my "perfect match". 

I first picked up this foundation when I was visiting my dad in Phoenix, Arizona in February. I was excited to see it because it wasn't yet available in Canada so I was fast to scoop it up. Since February I have gone through 3 (yes 3!) bottles of this foundation. I can honestly say this is the first foundation I have EVER repurchased, and there is good reason. 

Rimmel's Match Perfection Foundation has a lot of great things going for it. First off, I have found that I'm always able to find a good match in colour with any Rimmel foundation. Although I find their shades vary wildly depending on the formula, I'm usually able to find a good shade for me. They don't seem to lend to the orange side and are generally neutral in base which works great for me. The Match Perfection line has an even better range of shades and a light consistency but medium coverage formula. That was one thing that really surprised me about this foundation, the consistency is liquidy and disappears in the skin but the coverage is quite impressive without looking (or feeling) heavy or cakey. 

This foundation is also moisturizing and provides a natural, dewy finish. I have relatively oily/combination skin and this formula doesn't break me out or leave me with excess oil. Having said that, after I apply this with my fingers (I've found that it works best for this formulation) I use a blotting paper to soak up excess oil before applying my MAC Blot Powder. Doing so helps it stay all day on my oilier skin, although I found it has great staying power anyway. 

I couldn't ask for much more in a foundation; great staying power, a perfect match with my skin tone, a flattering dewy finish and amazing coverage without looking like it. I will continue to repurchase this amazing foundation (until I get bored and want to try something new - you all know what I mean!). 

My Shade is True Ivory. 

Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation

Good morning ladies! I am officially snowed in my house today as I can't get my tiny car out of my parking spot (SO much snow!)! I'm taking a little break from studying for my midterms to share a foundation with you all! I'm really surprised I didn't blog about this product sooner - but that is probably a good thing, and I will tell you why!

This is Rimmel's Stay Matte Foundation + Skinpure Complex. This is described as a "Clarifying Matte Foundation" and is geared towards oily skin types. I jumped at trying this because I do have oily skin that is prone to breakouts and the "skinpure complex" definitely caught my eye! Like most of you I'm sure, I am always on the hunt for the next amazing foundation that won't leave my skin oily or break me out. Here is what I found with this foundation.

So, I've actually had this foundation or a while now and at first I was not a fan - in the least! I didn't find it mattifying at all and its a rather rich, cream like consistency. Needless to say, not what I was expecting!  Recently, I've gone back to this foundation because it actually has some great qualities that I overlooked because it was not what was described. This foundation has great coverage that feels lightweight on the skin, the blends great and looks very skin-like once applied. It does give a really pretty hydrated look, nothing too dewy, but definitely not matte. I actually think this would be a great foundation for anyone with normal to dry skin. I find it workable on my skin type as well, as long as I use a mattifying primer and set it with powder. It wears great all day and has no shimmer particles so it is matte in that sense. 

The shade selection is pretty limited in this foundation and I find Rimmel foundations to be a little on the pink side. (Although they are usually better once blended). I like to apply this foundation with my stippling brush to get the most even and skin like finish, then I lightly set it with MAC Select Sheer Loose powder which keeps the finish light and still hydrated looking. This foundation doesn't break me out at all but I don't find it "skin clearing". I've also learned that I can use it over and around my eyes so there aren't any harsh anti-acne ingredients. 

Overall, I'm glad I waited to review this product! It actually is a great foundation as long as you don't expect it to be mattifying or oil absorbing. I would recommend this especially if you can find a good shade to match your skin tone. The texture is great, the finish is great and it is very inexpensive! I like it better than the Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation for oily skin - check out my review for that product as well!

Deals & Steals: Hard Candy - Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer

Good Morning ladies! Sorry for the intermittent posts lately, I've been a busy girl! Today I'm reviewing a product that I am quite amazed with and wanted to share with everyone. A while back, I won a Twitter contest from Hard Candy and this was my prize!

This is Hard Candy's Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer. I was super excited when I realized that this was my prize! I love a good concealer and we have yet to get these in Canada (at least in Calgary). I'm not sure if you can tell from the photo, but this is a HUGE tube of concealer and will probably last me forever! It is bigger than the Clinique All About Eyes concealers for comparison (which I already think are huge haha). 

I like to have a lot of difference consistency concealers for different problems - liquid for under eyes, cream for blemishes, cake for other blemishes haha and of course my Maybelline dream mousse for everything! I have a really hard time covering blemishes so I'm always looking for a new concealer to do the job, this one is incredibly impressive!

First off, they sent me the shade medium, which I was kind of skeptical about because I am pretty fair. The surprising thing about this concealer is that it is extremely neutral in its undertone! There is no pink, orange, red - it's a true beige. I was happy to see that because I don't have many distinct undertones to my skin so this ended up being extremely versatile for me! It also blends into skin really well and is almost undetectable. 

Honestly, this is probably the most pigmented concealer I have ever come across (I'm sure there are many more pigmented - I'm just going with the ones I have in my collection!) This concealer covers every single bit of redness you may have in your skin and completely neutralizes it out! When I first tried it, I couldn't believe what it was covering and how little you needed to get the job done! I also love that it comes with the tiny concealer pencil (which also gives amazing coverage with a different consistency) that is great for using on blemishes, broken capillaries and other tiny imperfections that you need to be precise with. 

My only issue with this (the cream part - tube) is that it can build up on the skin and be noticeable if you apply too much. This is easily corrected if you go over it with a damp sponge or just be very careful about how much you are applying - you only need the TINIEST bit! I know this is a very inexpensive concealer (not sure of the price because it isn't in Canada) and would definitely be worth a try if you are looking for a highly pigmented concealer at a great price! 

Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation

Hey ladies! I hope everyone had a great start to their week! I've been catching up on some blog posts as I had a busy day yesterday at a Bridal Show (for my friend, not myself haha)! So, I have an obsession with obtaining the perfect complexion and the necessary products to achieve that (skincare, foundation, concealer, powders - anything "corrective"). Here is one of my latest attempts to find my ultimate foundation!

This is Rimmel's Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation. First off, who in the world wants their makeup to last 25 hours? And who is awake for that long? lol I guess they are just trying to emphasize that it is a "long lasting" foundation, but still, I couldn't get over the 25 hour claim! 

This foundation is inexpensive and available everywhere. I got mine at Shoppers Drug Mart when it was on sale for about $5, which is a great price! I'm not sure if you can tell yet - but this foundation isn't my favourite. That is NOT to say that it isn't a good foundation though! I have oily skin thats prone to breakouts so I need a mattifying formulation that isn't too thick but still gives a great coverage (I think I'm asking a lot haha). This foundation has a thicker consistency that feels really moisturizing and the "dewy" feeling doesn't really go away like some other foundations. This doesn't fly with me! (but honestly would be fantastic for someone with dry skin!) I hate "feeling" my makeup on my face and I can really "feel" this one because of my oily skin - it just isn't a good combination! 

With the texture not being for my skin type, I must say that the colour (True Ivory) is perfect for my skin tone and the look of the finish is gorgeous! I would definitely recommend this for anyone with normal to dry skin! I think the shade selection is really great (they don't have those harsh pink undertones or orange undertones!) This also lives up to its claim of "lasting" even on my oily skin. The colour didn't fade all day and everything that needed to be covered, stayed covered! This formula applies well without streaking, blends well and provides a really great finish (I applied with both my fingers and a sponge and both came out great!). Even with setting powder this didn't "set" for me and stayed a little liquid-y on my face (which I'm sure is only due to my excessive oiliness!). 

From an objective point of view, this is a great foundation formula! Even if it isn't for me I can recognize a great formulation! So overall, if you have any skin type that isn't oily, check this out! :)

Maybelline - Expert Wear Blush

Expert Wear Blushes

Good morning everyone! I have been so behind on my blogging for a multitude of reasons! Mostly camera problems and lighting but I've also been busy getting back into school! So today is my "dedicated to blogging day!" and I'm going to try to get a ton of posts done for the week to come and for today! :)

First up is a couple of my newly favourite blushes! One of these blushes is another item from Pammy at Pammy Blogs Beauty and our makeup swap! I had never tried Maybelline blushes before but I know she loves this blush and anted to share it with me too! :)

This is the blush that Pammy sent me! It's Maybelline Expert Wear Blush in Sweet Cinnamon. This is a gorgeous shade that I think would look great on so many skin tones! It has an amazing shimmer/sheen to it that in no way looks glittery or overly sparkly! It is also a great shade that is hard to describe - It is definitely more of a peach but has a pink undertone to make it good for everyone! I don't have many peach toned blushes so I was very happy to get this one! I usually go for more pink tones but I'm starting to realize that peaches can look just as great on my skin tone! 

This is the blush I picked up after falling in love with my first Maybelline blush! This is Maybelline Expert Wear Blush in Plushed Plum. This one is infinitely different from the Sweet Cinnamon blush! This colour is matte but with enough sheen to not look chalky on the skin. It also is a gorgeous different colour than any colour I've had before! I would describe it as a pink/plum but nothing too purple to be unwearable. It actually gives the cheeks a gorgeous flush that looks really natural! I love this when I don't want too much shimmer on my cheeks or if I have excessive shimmer somewhere else haha!

Both are gorgeous and extremely different from each other! The best part about these blushes is I picked mine up for... Wait for it... $1.59! Unheard of! haha Thank you Rexall for your great sales! These blushes are still a great price even when they aren't on clearance at around $4.99 each - and they are definitely worth more! As you may be able to tell from this photo, the Sweet Cinnamon has more pigmentation than the Plushed Plum. I assume it has to do with the finishes, shimmer vs. matte. You can still build up an amazing colour with the Plushed Plum, it just takes more than one swipe! (Personally, I like that in a blush because I'm prone to over applying! haha) These both have a luxurious feel and are super soft with no chalky appearance. I often overlook Maybelline but now that I know their quality is so great, I will definitely not be passing by the Maybelline section! :)

Sonia Kashuk Creme Blush

Good morning ladies! If you have been following my blog posts or tweets, you may know that I adore cream blushes! I feel like they give me a very realistic flush of colour and add an extra layer of colour for under powder blushes (just in case they begin to fade through the day!). I also don't like the chalky appearance some powder blushes can leave behind and the intense shimmer that a lot of them contain! I have fairly oily skin so that shimmer doesn't do me any favours! ;)

What is this?

This is Sonia Kashuk Creme blush in Blossom - 03. Now, being from Canada I have no access to the Sonia Kashuk range :( but thanks to my good friend Pammy over at Pammy Blogs Beauty I was able to get my hands on some! If you don't know, Pammy and I had a pre-holidays swap in December where I sent here items only available in Canada and she sent my items from the States! I love that we do this because I don't often go to the states and hate to pay the through-the-roof shipping fees of most sites! I specifically requested something from the Sonia Kashuk range because it looks so high end without being so high-end priced and I was extremely curious! Pammy picked the best possible item (she knows I love Cream Blushes!!) and in a (what I think is) universally flattering shade! 

Onto the colour, this is a very neutral, skin-toned pink. It provides a subtle flush and changes to a powder finish once applied - unlike most other cream blushes I have used! It also has a very subdued shimmer which shows up on the face as more of a healthy sheen. I love that because most cream blushes rely on a dewy/wet finish for their sheen and sometimes that doesn't translate well onto oily skin (or wear well for that matter!) 

Here I have it swatched next to a few of my closest in colour cream blushes. Oddly enough, in the pan it looks closest in colour to Stila Convertible Colour in Lily (2nd swatch) but when applied to skin they look NOTHING alike! I would say that the Sonia Kashuk Creme Blush in Blossom is closest to Stila Convertible colour in Hibiscus (LE) (3rd swatch) with it also being very close to MAC Blushcreme in Ladyblush. They major differences between them is the texture, sheen and dewy feeling. I think the Sonia Kashuk Creme Blushes are better suited to oily skins and the MAC Blushcreme for drier skins! (Stila Convertible Colours are good for any skin type as they are not too "dewy"). The SK blush also seems to have less pigmentation than the others so it would be great for a subtle finish or for people inexperienced with cream blushes (its hard to over do it!).

Overall, I LOVE this blush! I like it more than my MAC Blushcremes because of the powder finish on my oily skin and although I don't know the price, I assume it is much more affordable than MAC and Stila! Next time you are at Target (pretty sure thats where it is sold haha) be sure to check these out! They are definitely worth a try!

Coach for Estée Lauder Collection

Hi Everyone! Sorry I've been absent for so long, the holidays got away from me - I went into SUPER lazy mode, I don't think I even opened my computer for two weeks straight! (Partially due to the lack of internet when I was up at the Ski Hill!) So, for my coming back I thought I would do an extra special post on one of my most favourite Christmas gifts this year!

This is the Coach for Estée Lauder Collection. This was one of those buy-with-purchase items during the holidays - you know, if you spend blank amount of money you can purchase this collection for blank amount of money. Personally, I had no idea this was out there! If I had known I would have already bought it before Christmas! I have never really used Estée Lauder cosmetics, the only thing I have owned from them was their liquid bronzer from a few (like 6) years back - which was actually really great! Honestly, I would have bought this for the makeup bag alone! How adorable is this little golden bag? It goes especially nicely with the new Coach Handbag I got for Christmas too! :)

(This is not yet a review, but they are to come! :))

Close up!

Cute little Estée Lauder Signature tag, as well as the Coach Signature Leather tag!

Here are a few more pictures of the bag close up, just because I can get enough of it!! Not only did I get this amazing little bag (that is now a staple in my purse) but it came packed with makeup goodies! (Just to let you know - None of these are Limited Edition Colours, all can be bought separately!)

First up is this cute little, luxurious, compact! It is packed with 3 Pure Color Eyeshadows and a Signature Silky Powder Blush. When I first opened this I was shocked at the purple shade - "What is that doing in there?" I thought - it just looks so out of place! But after swatching it, it is actually a gorgeous muted purple that goes great with the other two shadows to create a really different eye look that I would never have thought of! Plus, it looks great with my green eyes! :) (Sorry no swatches, I will tomorrow - my camera battery ran out!) The shades (from left to right) are Ivory Slipper (Satin), Hot Cinnamon (Shimmer) and Amethyst Spark (Shimmer). Oddly enough, when applied these look completely opposite of how they are described! The two that are marked "Shimmer" look like satins with only a slight sheen, while the light "Satin" shade looks like a shimmer! Either way, they are gorgeous and in no way too shimmery or glittery! The blush is a great, everyday Nude Rose. It is matte with no shimmer but the slightest sheen to give it a gorgeous finish that isn't chalky. 

Next up are two of Estée Lauders Pure Color Long lasting Lipsticks. I'm not a big lipstick wearer (as you may know) but these are two really gorgeous and wearable shades that I am definitely going to try out! On the left is Sugar Honey and on the right is Pinkberry. Both shades are much darker than they showed up in the pictures (sorry, flash photography at night!). Sugar Honey is a definite shimmer/frost shade while Pinkberry has no shimmer particles, just a great sort of mauve satin!

Next up is Estée Lauder's Artist's Eye Pencil in 01 Softsmudge Black. I'm a sucker for any black eyeliner - you can never have too many! This one is super soft, doesn't tug at your eyelids and can create a very thin line without wearing down too fast and without being TOO soft! The original Artist Eye Pencil comes with a smudger on the end but thats okay because I rarely smudge my eyeliner anyways. It seem to set really well without smudging after the fact but I have yet to wear it for a full day so that review is to come!

Next is a mini Pure Color Gloss in Wired Copper. I really like the smell of Estée Lauder glosses (smelling this one reminded me that I had a sample of this before!), they are sweet but not candy sweet and isn't overpowering! This color is a full on shimmer with quite a bit of sparkle and a close to metallic finish and very high shine. It isn't very pigmented, more of a traditional gloss - just to add shine to the lips!

This set also came with two mini covered brushes. Although I probably won't use these very much they are great to throw in my little makeup bag for quick touch ups! The eyeshadow brush is very soft and they blush brush could actually apply color nicely!

Overall, I LOVE this set!! I couldn't be happier with it - the Coach makeup bag, the shimmering golden cases and the rich colours are to die for! I will be happy to have this in my purse and I'm so so glad that my mom was able to snap me up one of these! Please keep an eye out for swatches tomorrow!

Did you get any great makeup gifts for Christmas? Let me know! :)