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!

When in Rome, definitely do as the Romans do! Especially if it involves a trip to the Colosseum!

Good morning everyone!
This Vasanti kick I've been on has been a tough one to break. With all the great products I've won and their quality blowing me away I've got to share them with all of you! So, as you may have heard I won a prize pack from Vasanti over Christmas that included their Brazilian Bronzer, Vitamin E infused Lip Shine, this eyeshadow duo and their Brighten Up! Enzymatic Microdermabrasion. 


To be completely honest with you all, I wasn't jumping with joy to open their Silky Eyeshadow Duo. I own about a million and never use any (I generally stick to black eyeliner & mascara for everyday) so this was the product I was least enthused about.

I opened it last expecting some strange colours that I would never wear like bright blue & green or pink & purple - what colour would a Colosseum be anyway? Well, after opening the box I was initially pleasantly surprised with the gorgeous packaging these eyeshadows come in.

A gorgeous, sturdy silver case with a flip top lid? How vanity worthy! I want a collection of these just for display purposes alone. I don't want to put this in with my other eyeshadows in fear of it becoming scratched or damaged. I think it's already earned a "stay out" spot.

AND not only is the outside gorgeous but there is a large mirror inside paired with a couple of amazingly shimmery and soft eyeshadows. I was thrilled to see these shades as I'm always looking for a delicate neutral eye that I can do everyday or a shimmer shadow to add to my basic black eyeliner look.

So to answer my own question I guess the Colosseum is a mixture of golden flecked ivory and shimmering rose gold? All I know is if it looks as good as these shadows, I want to see it! Could there be a better neutral pair?

Now, I will say these shadows aren't incredibly pigmented, but they also probably shouldn't be. I see them as more "enhancing" shades than stand out shades. Something for the brow bone or a sheer wash of colour. They are shimmery without being over the top and do stay true to the colours in the pan. They are incredibly soft and wear well throughout the day without creasing (I use an eyeshadow base, usually NYX). I use the rose gold shade all over my lid then the ivory shade on the brow bone and tear duct. The rose shade gives a warmth to the eye and a little depth, while the ivory makes everything it touches stand out.

As you can see, once again, this whole kit is super co-ordinating. All the colours I received are amazing for creating a soft, bronzy, glowing look without being overly done. All together these look pretty great (will have to do a FOTD). I'm looking to pick up some more of these shadows, I think they may make it into my everyday routine - I know this one already has! I haven't stopped wearing it since the day I got it. It adds a little something extra to my basic eye and also adds a little light. My next choice is definitely Eiffel Tower - two gorgeous matte shades.

Summary
Vasanti Silky Eyeshadow Duo - Colosseum
$20.00 CAD
Available at: Rexall & Vasanti

Have you tried Vasanti's eyeshadows? What do you think of them?

I'm going on a trip... To Vasanti's "North Sea"

Hey everyone!

As you may have read in my previous Vasanti post, I was lucky enough to win a gift set over the Christmas holidays filled with Vasanti goodies from my local Rexall. The set included their Brazilian Bronzer, Lip Gloss, Eyeshadow Duo and Brighten Up! Microdermabrasion Enzyme scrub. Today's post is dedicated to the lip gloss.

I must be honest, I'm very picky about my lip glosses. I hate the feeling of having sticky, heavy or tacky "goop" on my lips, mostly because my long hair always gets stuck in it and partially because it makes me  lick my lips and rub them together incessantly. Needless to say many lip glosses fall into the category of sticky and thick so I was skeptical about trying this gloss.

I was also taken aback by the colour when I pulled the gloss from the box. I thought, "A shimmering nude, brown? I don't know about this." Being so pale it's really easy for a colour like this to wash me of any colour I may have had. Of course I instantly applied this in my rear view mirror while leaving Rexall because, well, don't we all?

This gloss comes with a doe-foot applicator (which I prefer to brushes, less messy in my opinion) that really grabs a lot of product, making "double dipping" not necessary. The gloss also looked a lot lighter on the wand than it did in the tube, which made me a little less uneasy. I slathered it on my lips and stared in my rear view mirror with a grin on my face. To my surprise this gloss wasn't sticky or tacky but smooth and light feeling! The colour was also very sheer so it gave me a great glossy shimmer and a touch of nude without being over powering or washing me out!

I actually have to say I love this gloss. After being disappointed by so many others I'm so pleased I found a good one! And the colour is great and since it is sheer, would work on any skin tone for a glossy shine or as a finishing touch over a nude lipstick. As you can see, it goes great with their Brazilian Bronzer (swatched below) for a beachy, tanned goddess look. Not only are these glosses great in colour and texture but they are loaded with Vitamin E and other antioxidants to keep your lips protected.

I would highly recommend these glosses if you don't like sticky and thick but want a great sheer wash of colour. I definitely want to try this gloss in more shades and will be picking some up soon, I'm thinking I want to try Caspian Sea and Java Sea next, what do you think?

Thank you Vasanti for making me believe in lip gloss again!

Summary

Vasanti Vitamin E Infused Lip Shine - North Sea

$15.00 CAD

Available at: Rexall & Vasanti

Meet My Latin Lover!

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I bet you thought this post was going to be about a tall, dark and gorgeously tanned man - unfortunately it is not, but I think I have the next best thing! This is Vasanti's Brazilian Bronzer. Just before Christmas I was lucky enough to win a giveaway at my local Rexall of a Vasanti prize pack. I was absolutely thrilled as I've wanted to try Vasanti products for a long time but hadn't purchased any yet so this was my first taste. Also see my Eyeshadow Duo, Lip Shine & Brighten Up! posts.

Included in my package was this gorgeous bronzer. I will say that I'm not a huge bronzer person in the winter because I get so incredibly fair and it's really hard to find one that is light enough for me but I do love bronzer in the spring, summer and fall. Having said that, this bronzer is in fact a little dark for me at the moment but that doesn't change my opinion of the bronzer in general (I just need a little colour, it's so cloudy here all winter!).

The packaging of this bronzer is great. I love the large mirror and the really generous pan size. It also has gorgeous artwork (which is unique to each bronzer!) on the front and printing all through the inside. The magnetic closure is another big plus for me, it stays closed even in my incredibly over-stuffed makeup bag!

This bronzer has a great colour and finish. The colour is so natural when applied, not orange or red or pink, just a gorgeous believable bronze that would work on such a large variety of skin tones. It also gives a great sheen to the skin that isn't too shiny or glittery like some bronzers can be. I tend to steer towards matte bronzers for contouring but this one is great for adding extra healthy colour and a really natural glow to the cheeks.

This is a saturated swatch applied with my finger so you can see the true colour and texture against skin. When blended out it is much more sheer. This really is a true "bronze", actually one of the most true bronzers I have ever come across and really does give you that amazing "Brazilian Glow" that we are all striving for (without the damaging real tan!). I know I'm going to absolutely love this in the summer but right now I'm just too darn pale. I can't wait to make this part of my routine so I can have a piece of my "Latin Lover" everyday!

This bronzer also contains nourishing and anti-aging benefits and is talc free. An added bonus to an already stellar bronzer.

Summary

Vasanti Brazilian Bronzer

$25.00 CAD

Available at: Rexall & Vasanti

Have you tried this Bronzer or any other Vasanti products? What are your thoughts? Let me know!