The Revamp: Make Up For Ever Water Blend Foundation vs Face and Body

You know that moment when you find out one of your favourite products of all time gets discontinued and you immediately panic and plot out how many is considered reasonable to stock pile? I felt this way when I found out that the Make Up For Ever Water Blend Foundation was the replacement for my beloved Face and Body Foundation. The panic subsided slightly when the brand announced that the iconic formula was 'back and better than ever' - but I still knew I needed to put it to the test myself. So, does Water Blend hold up to my high expectations set by the original?

A Tale of Two Brushes: Morphe M433 vs MAC 217

If there is one brush every makeup artist from here to edge of the Earth has owned at one time or another, it's the MAC 217. More than a humble blending brush, the 217 has the perfect tapered edges for crease work, while still being flat enough to lay down colour, and it's soft enough to blend everything out. If you asked me to recommend only one eyeshadow brush that would give you the most bang for your buck, it would be the 217. But what if I told you there was a dupe for a quarter of the price?

Five Favourites : Bronzers

The sun is finally starting to show it's face around here in Vancouver, which immediately has me switching into Spring/Summer mode when it comes to my makeup. While I wear bronzer all year round (let's get real, I need all the warmth I can get for my complexion!) but I get a bit more consistent and serious about it this time of year. Here's 5 of my favourite bronzing powders, and the reasons why I love each one...

This Just In | L'Oreal Brow Stylist Definer

Finding decent brow products at the drugstore has always evaded me. My biggest challenge has been finding something in the 'brunette' range that isn't red tinged or golden in tone. The struggle has been real, which left me always purchasing high end products at 2-3 times the cost in order to get a decent match to my cool toned dark brown hair. I've been so let down, I almost didn't pick up the L'Oreal Brow Stylist Definer when I saw it in a new display the other day, figuring it was just like all the others - but guess what? It's not!

Urban Decay Does Brows

As a girl who will forever be filling in her naturally sparse brows, I am always curious about new brow products on the beauty block. When I heard Urban Decay was launching two new brow products I knew I needed to try them.

Revisting Contouring with the NYX Hightlight & Contour Pro Palette

So I did that thing. You know the one where I said I wouldn't spend my money on another trendy contouring palette because they generally had way more than what the average non-makeup artist needs. Then I went and bought myself the NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette. #sorrynotsorry
It happens, and at $28 CND it would be silly not to buy it. Right? Thought So...

Mascara Monday | Dior Diorshow Maximizer Lash Primer Review

Many moons ago I splurged on the full sized version of the Dior Diorshow Maximizer Lash Primer, but I honestly could remember liking it, hating it or even using it much. I just knew I had tried it.

So naturally when it came up in the Sephora points perks recently, I grabbed one so I could remind myself, and trial it again for all of you!

Weekend Round Up | The Highlights of March 29th - April 3rd

Rounding up my favourite looks, post highlights and products I've got my hands on this week. Here's some of the best for March 29th- April 3rd 2015.

A Tale Of Two Sponges | Beauty Blender vs Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

For the longest time I really couldn't understand the hype around using a damp (and expensive) makeup sponge to blend foundation. I mean surely it didn't work as well as buffing it in with a brush? Even more so, could they possibly be worth upwards of almost $30 CND? Finally, does the drugstore 'dupe' work just as well? Let's break it down, shall we?

Sunday Steals | Maybelline Color Tattoo in Creamy Beige

I love a good bargain as much as the next gal - even better when it prices in at under a tenner. Not only is this Sunday Steal a complete dupe for a higher price tagged brand, but it's been my go-to everyday easy eye look several times in the last couple of weeks.

THE NEW FAVOURITE | Marc Jacobs Highliner in Ro(cocoa)

One of the first makeup bits I can remember really falling in love with, enough to repurchase over and over, was Mac Teddy Eye Kohl. I wore that eyeliner day in and out for years, and frequently got asked what it was I was wearing. The only problem with it? The staying power. being a creamy kohl, it just disappeared by the end of the day. Thus began the search for a long lasting dupe...

CULT CLASSICS | Love It Or Leave It?

Being a beauty addict since my preteens I can distinctly remember specific products touted in my Seventeen and YM magazines (wow, remember YM? Hello Jaime, the 1993 is calling...) As I got older, certain products took cult status from the likes of Allure, Youtube and various beauty blogs. Over time, I've tried several of these so called amazing cult status beauty products, and have some pretty opinionated thoughts on many. Let's dive in, shall we...

MASCARA MONDAY | Maybelline Pumped Up Colossal Volume Express

I saw this in the drugstore the other day and was surprised because previously I hadn't heard a single thing about it. Usually when a new mascara arrives on the market its all over blogs and YouTube within a week. The package claimed 12x the volume, so I decided to put it to the test and grabbed the waterproof version.

THIS vs THAT | A Possible MAC Chromagraphic NC15/NW20 Dupe?

Ages ago I wrote a post about nude liners, and how I still hadn't found a decent dupe for my beloved MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in NC15/NW20. Given that it is a MAC Pro product, and my local MAC Pro store has been out of a it for a good solid 3 months, I was feeling the urge to find a decent dupe again...

SUNDAY STEALS | 6 Under $10

While I have a much too spendy habit on much too spendy cosmetics, I love a good bargain as much as the next girl. Here are my picks for budget friendly beauty that is all tried and tested by your's truly with a promise not to break the bank. 

DUPE ALERT | Essence I ♥ Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara

"Dupe" usually refers to a product that matches up pro for pro with another, usually something that costs more, therefor making finding an affordable "dupe" a highly covetable discovery. But what about when your so-called dupe actually out performs it's higher priced twin? Well then we've got a real winner on our hands, now don't we?

LUXURY LIPS | Is Dior's Creme de Rose Hypeworthy?

You know when you splurge on something and you think to yourself, "it's just got to be that good to cost this much" ? I felt that way when I shelled out $29 CAD for the Dior Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm (yep its a mouthful. Ha, see what I did there??) After reading about it incessantly on blogs everywhere, and being a forever dry lipped gal I knew I need to give it a go.

NUDE LINER | MAC NC15 NW20 vs RIMMEL SCANDALEYES NUDE

DUPE - the word we all know and hope for when a product comes out that strains the ole wallet a little, or becomes famously elusive. I've often heard of it to describe the Rimmel Scandaleyes Nude pencil to the Mac Chromagraphic nc15 nw20 pencil. But is it really a dupe, or is it just similar? 

CREAM BRONZER BATTLE | Chanel Soleil Tan vs Bourjois Bronzing Primer

Ever since the first time I saw the lovely Nic from Pixiwoo use the Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base (phew, that's a mouthful!) in one of her YouTube videos, I knew it was something I "needed" in my life. The very idea of it suited me perfectly - one less powder product to pile onto my dry skin. However, something that really didn't suit me was the hefty price tag {$52 CAD}