Happy Hearts Day!

Valentine's Day doesn't hold a candle to Christmas for me, holiday-wise, but there is something about February that does draw me to all the pinks and reds. It could be the fact that it's the dead of winter and the summer pangs are at their worst....

Whether you celebrate Valentine's Day or not, a little rose gold eye shadow and bright red lip never hurt anybody. Happy hearts day, Frockers!

Lorac Unzipped Palette
L'Oreal Color Riche Collection Exclusive in 401
Sweater from Korea

                                                         

'Tis The Season...For The Most Fun Nail Art Ever

There are a lot of things I look forward to during the holidays....the decorations, the Christmas music, the gift-giving. But right up there in the top five is definitely the nail art possibilities. I can't think of a more fun time of year for the ol' digits. Glitter polish (though a pain to remove) is never more appropriate, and all the classic imagery is just begging to be splashed on a bed of bright red, blue or gold polish. I only wish it were socially acceptable to sport Christmas nails in October....

So many manis, so little time.
                                                                         

On The First Day Of Nail-mas

It's that time of year again, Frockers! Pretty lights, first snows and glittery polish adorned with festive nail art. This year, I've opted to try out nail water tattoos from Amazon and I gotta say, I'm kind of loving it. It's so much faster and easier than free-hand designs and so much sleeker than traditional nail stickers. You can't even see the edges! Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!
                                                                    

Kiss Nail 2016 Preview

Ok Frockers, I need to catch my breath for a second because I have just been to the most exciting press event of the year so far...the Kiss 2016 preview! Now, everyone and their mother knows by now how much I LOVE a good mani, especially with some funky nail art. The Kiss event did not disappoint. We met celebrity nail artist Gina Edwards (she's touched Lady Gaga's hands y'all), who walked us through some releases from the brand for the coming year. From stick-on nails to make-your-own-glitter-polish kits, I gotta say, their new releases are some of the most exciting things I've come across in nail art in a while.

I was quite intrigued by the waterless nail tattoos. They are so easy to apply, they don't have adhesive but you just press it into your nail and it sticks! And they are much thinner than traditional nail stickers, so it's a much more sleek and professional look.

And I'm also super excited to try their blooming lashes. Whereas most false eyelashes have a single angle to each lash, this collection has multi-angled lashes that gives a really cool, more natural yet voluminous effect. They come in 6 different styles and I'm so happy Kiss gave me some to try because they won't be released until December 2016 and I think they would be really great on a bride. So thank you Kiss!

I also loved their DIY glitter polish kits. They are super fun and the glitter they include in the kits are really pretty! Here are a couple of my concoctions. I just can't get over all the sparkle...

No doubt about it, I was in mani heaven!

                                                         

Boo! Happy Halloween

I'll be honest,  Frockers. When I was first invited to a Star Wars halloween party, I was rather dismayed at my costume options. I wasn't really feeling robes or hairy aliens. But I managed to whip up a look that I quite enjoy, cause what's dress-up without a bunch of glitter?

Have a spooky Halloween everyone!

 

 

                                                    

Fall Favourites

I'm finally getting into the swing of things and embracing fall to its fullest potential. And by that I, of course, am talking about switching out my corals and bright pinks for some fall beauty favourites (both new and rediscovered!) Here are some of my fall must-haves this season:

Sally Hansen Insta-dri nail polish in 370 Show Steel-er

I've never really delved into greys in my beauty routine before, but it has been really speaking to me lately. In general I tend to stay away from cool-toned anything because I just don't think it compliments my skin tone as well as the warmer hues. But this shade of grey polish is not too blue or dark on me. I just love it!

OPI nail lacquer in Got The Blues for Red

What's fall without a collection of rich burgundies and oxblood? This OPI polish is a classic. It's so rich and deep yet vibrant. This is one I will continue to repurchase again and again.

Annabelle blushon in Rosebud

This was part of the spring collection from this year, but I haven't whipped it out 'til now because re: cool-tones = not my thing. Or so I thought! Just goes to show you how our pre-conceived notions could be wrong and everything is worth a try. I am IN LOVE with this blush for fall. For some reason, it gives me the perfect pink flush to compliment my rotation of lip products. Maybe because I'm starting to get paler so the peaches and corals that made me look perfectly sunkissed in the summer and complimented my orange and pink lipsticks, aren't working so well now.

ELF blush palette in Dark

This is a new product for me and it is not disappointing. I picked this palette up in the states in August and the hues are perfect for fall. They have the same versatile combo of warm-toned, cool-toned and neutral blushes as the Light version of this palette, but they are much deeper and richer. I especially love the blush on the right bottom corner. It's such a beautiful berry colour that appears much lighter on your cheeks than how it looks in the pan. It reminds me of the beautiful flush you get when you've been walking outside in the cold.

NYX matte lipstick in Alabama

Another new addition to my collection is this gorgeous burgundy matte lipstick. I had been on the hunt for a burgundy that was more brown-based than purple or pink and not too dark. It took me a while to find the perfect shade, as I can be quite picky about these things. But this lippy does not disappoint. It's just a little vampy without being over the top. My only criticism is the packaging. It's a bit flimsy for my tastes but for a drugstore lipstick, I really can't complain!

Kat Von D everlasting liquid lipstick in Lolita

This is also a new product for me, and honestly, the biggest surprise of the season, in a season of quite a few surprise loves. I know the deep purple/grey 90s colour is all the rage this year, but I have never been a huge fan of that tone of lipstick. It just feels so muddy and gothy to me. But this shade from Kat Von D seems to have just enough brown and pink in it that I'm kinda diggin' it. And it's not too dark either, which can look a bit grungy in my opinion. I can see why this lipstick is so popular!

NYX prismatic shadow in Jaded

Olive and army greens scream fall to me, but instead of a boring matte, a shimmery shade of eye shadow can add so much interest to a look. Just check out this NYX shadow I picked up recently. In the pan, it looks like a true army green shimmer but in a particular light, it can read more blue or grey. A smokey green eye with a nude lip is one of my favourite looks for fall!

L'oreal infallible eye shadow in Goldmine

And lastly, this is a new discovery for me as well. I had never been into gold eyeshadows before but I am in love with this pigment from L'oreal. It's the perfect lid colour for a classic brown smokey eye and goes with all the shades of red lipstick you could possibly have. These shadows from L'oreal have a crazy amount of pigment and shimmer to them. A must-have, in my opinion!

                                                   

Saying Goodbye to Summer

I've finally accepting that fall is here (less willing to accept that it means winter is coming), but I've embraced a new colour palette full of oranges, browns, blacks and burgundies. Hey, if it takes some nail polish or makeup to ease me into a new season, I don't think that's a bad thing. I've put away all the coral lipstick and bright pink polish and I've rediscovered neutrals and darker hues. I just have to keep reminding myself of the caramel apple spices, beautiful fall colours and the fact that there will be much fewer bugs and spiders in the coming months and I can practically embrace the autumn. 

Almost.

                                              

A Little Bit of Bridal Glam

Happy Canada Day, Frockers! I thought I'd wish Canada a happy birthday with a little bit of glam and share my latest wedding makeup adventure with y'all. As you know, I've been messing around with looks for the past few months to try and find one that really speaks to me and I think I may have stumbled upon the one.

Of course, it will all depend on the dress in the end, but I came up with a pretty great look by accident! I was seriously just messing around and then this happened:

 

Ignore the wonky eyelashes and eyebrows please! I still need some practice in some areas...

So anyway, I surprised and impressed myself and was eager to not let this be a fluke. I filmed a tutorial so I could practice and remind myself how I did this at any time in the future. Also, I had posted these pics on Reddit to ask for some internet stranger advice (aka the most honest kind) and it got so many upvotes and kind comments. It was really overwhelming. I honestly thought I might be crucified for having crazy eyebrows and uneven shadow application, but a few people even asked for a tutorial, so as soon as I had some free time, I filmed my very first makeup tutorial. Hope you guys like it!

                                                               

My Fiance Does My Makeup!

I've been making the YouTube beauty guru rounds lately and the "boyfriend does my makeup" thing has got to be one of my favourites. I mean those guys are such good sports, cause it's not like I would want anyone filming me doing something I have no idea how to do...that sounds terrifying! So I thought I'd ask Kyler if he wanted to film one with me and these are the results:

The camera quality could be better (we still haven't gotten a proper one) but I think you get the gist. Poor guy, he was so nervous and shy on camera, so go easy on him! I think he did a decent job.

He said he would be up to trying again too, so what do you guys think? Should I challenge him to do the most contoured, smokey-eyed, cohesive look ever?
                                                       

Coral Bride

Marcelle Double Precision Liquid Eyeliner Pen in Intense Black

Maybelline Great Lash waterproof mascara in Very Black

Ardell human hair falsies in 116

NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown

NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Black/Gray

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Soft Beige

Jane Iredale Amazing Base Loose Mineral Powder in Bisque

NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Red Cheeks

Milani Baked Powder Blush in Corallina

Benefit Watts Up higlighter in Soft Focus

Maybelline Colour Sensation lipstick in Vibrant Mandarin

NYX Butter Gloss in Cherry Cheesecake

This look is all about them rosy cheeks and pink pucker. It's neon sweet. I've been particularly obsessed with coral these days and I think this look would make a positively radiant bride. I find that pinks don't necessarily translate as beautifully on film as they do in real life however. Maybe it's the camera, but I really wanted more of a colourful effect with this look. It would depend on the dress too of course. 

What do you guys think of this sweet and simple bridal makeup?

                                                                            

Favourite Spring + Summer Lipsticks

I thought I'd share some of my favourite lipsticks for spring and summer. I'm all about bright pinks, corals and red. A positively delightful bouquet of colours!

As a quick note, I just wanted to add something I didn't notice when I filmed this quick video. I bought three NYX Round Lipsticks (Eros, Fire and Frappuccino) and have noticed a soapy taste to Eros and Fire. Frappuccino is quite odor-free, so it's a little weird (maybe it has something to do with the red dyes they use?) Anyway, it's very, very subtle and some people might not notice it and I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt and see if it bothered me when I wore it and unfortunately, it does. I don't really like lipsticks that have strong smell or taste and the fact that it's soap makes it worse. I'm so sad because Eros is such a beautiful colour, but I really can't stand the taste. 

I just thought I'd add a little footnote of warning in case anyone is interested in purchasing these!

What are you sporting on your pucker this summer?
                                                                 

Favourite Drugstore Blushes

If I had to pick just one makeup to use for the rest of my life, I'd have to go with blush. Yes, I'm a lipstick fiend, but blush just gives your whole face a youthful glow that instantly brightens your whole aura. I've had a couple of standard go-tos the past couple of years, but recently started experimenting with other brands and types so I thought I'd share some of my thoughts for the blush-lover in all of us. And I consider this to be a bonus, but they are all drugstore brands, so they are friendly on the ol' wallet as well! 

My new favourites at the moment are probably Milani's Corallina and ELF's blush in the St. Lucia Contouring Bronzing duo. Corallina is a really beautiful true coral that gives you a glowing sheen while the St. Lucia blush gives you a really sun-kissed flush, perfect for summer!

                                                       

The Retro Bride

Marcelle Double Precision Liquid Eyeliner Pen in Intense Black

Maybelline Great Lash waterproof mascara in Very Black

Ardell human hair falsies in 116

NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown

NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Black/Gray

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Soft Beige

Jane Iredale Amazing Base Loose Mineral Powder in Bisque

Milani Baked Powder Blush in Corallina

Benefit Watts Up higlighter in Soft Focus

Sephora lip liner in Real Red

ELF Moisturizing Lipstick in Velvet Rope

Here it is, the bridal look you've all been waiting for. One of my favourite looks for regular life, truth be told. It's the classic vintage cat-eye liner with a bright red lip. I already know this works on me, I wear it all the time. It's just a very clean face kind of look where the focus is on the eyes and lips. For my wedding, I would probably kick it up a notch with an even thicker eyeliner, more highlighting shimmer shadow on the lids, and a deeper and peachier blush to tie it all together. 

If you compare the last two images, you might notice the last photo has much longer and fuller lashes. I couldn't decide if this look really needed falsies or not so I'm asking you guys what you think. On the one hand, falsies really add such a feminine, striking touch to any look and I think your wedding is where you can really go all the way in the makeup department. But on the other hand, falsies might take over the eyeliner, which is a key feature I would really want to highlight.

Either way, this is one of my staple makeup looks that I would definitely be confident creating on my wedding day. I think this look is making it to the finals!

                                                 

Bridal Glam

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black

Sephora Collection Medium Shopping Bag Makeup Palette

Ardell Glamour Demi falsies in 101

NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Soft Beige

Jane Iredale Amazing Base Loose Mineral Powder in Bisque

ELF Studio Blush in Peachy Keen

Benefit Watts Up higlighter in Soft Focus

Annabelle lip liner in Nude

NYX Pump It Up lip plumper in Elizabeth

I have to say...

I LOVE THIS LOOK. I am not normally a smokey eye kinda gal. It looks a bit heavy in person but it photographs so beautifully, which is the main thing I'm concerned about for my bridal look. It probably helped that I used a combo of taupey and deep browns instead of straight up black, but the effect is so striking (if I do say so myself!) And you can tell by the second photo I definitely need to practice more...the shadow application is a bit uneven from lid to lid and check out those wonky falsies! Anyway, you get the idea...

I would definitely pair this eye look with a more muted lip and go light on the blush. This look is all about the eyes! And I gotta say, I love how the shadow and eyelashes accent the almondness of my eyes. I've always loved my eyes, they are one of my favourite features.

No doubt about it, look number 2 is making it to the wedding finals!