Laura Mercier Extreme Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette Review + Swatches

I know what you're thinking: "Jaime, seriously? Another neutral palette?" and I promise that is how I felt about this too until I tried it. Out of the box, the Laura Mercier Extreme Neutrals Palette looks really rather ordinary, but what it actually is, is a beautifully put together palette with a fabulous balance of warm and cool tones in a variety of finishes. How's that for a solid performer?

Helping Hand | Beauty Products Best Applied with Your Fingers

I love my fancy makeup brushes as much as the next makeup lover, but occasionally I like to reach for products that I can pat, press and swipe on with my finger tips (usually when I'm in a rush or need that extra 10 minutes of sleep!). I've discovered a few products in my collection now that I actually prefer to use with fingers for the look it leaves, so if you're the type that doesn't want to invest in brushes, or finds them a pain to use, this post is for you!

What to Wear Vol #2 | Styling All Black

RINGS | HANDBAG | EYELINER | BLACK JEANS | BLOUSE | BRONZER | SHOES

In the second installment of the What to Wear Series, I'm tackling how to wear all black for a chic look that doesn't wash out or look drab!

2015 | My Top Ten Makeup Products

Last week I posted about my Top Ten Skincare Products of 2015, and a promised, here are my Top Ten Makeup Products of 2015! I feel like 2015 was definitely the year I found myself having some distinct favourites and holy grail products added into my collection, and I can't wait to see what 2016 has to bring/ Let's break down the products I couldn't be without last year...

This Just In | 6 New Products I Want to Try

With the end of this year rapidly approaching, many brands are already launching their Spring releases (crazy, I can't even think of Spring yet!). No surprise, there are some exciting new products that I very interested in trying. Here's a little round up of 6 new launches that I'll be keeping my eye on in the next month or two!

Party Pretty | Favourites for the Holiday Season

With the holiday season in full bloom and regardless of what you do and don't celebrate, chances are you might have at least one festive gathering or event to attend to this year. Over the years I've attempted all sorts of looks for said events, and have now got my favourite products and tricks down to a bit of an art. Here are some of my must-haves and must-tries for a gorgeous party pretty look this season.

The 2015 Holiday Gift Guide | $75 and Beyond...

I'm finally rounding up Gift Guide Week with the the ultimate eye candy gifts. I started out the week with Gifts & Stocking Stuffers under $25, followed by my picks for the Under $75 range, and now we're talking about $75 and beyond folks... there are some really droolworthy gifts in here to give (or maybe keep for yourself... you've earned it, I promise you that!)

Laura Mercier Matte to Metal Caviar Eye Colour Set for Holiday 2015

One of the best purchases I made last year was the holiday set of Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Colours - I  did a full review of it here.  As a big fan of the formula and ease of use, I was thrilled to see that for Holiday 2015 there was another set, the Laura Mercier Matte to Metal Collection*, this time with six shades, including two more satin finish versions!

The Problem Solvers Series | Avoiding the Dreaded Cake Face

One of the biggest problems I find with applying makeup, especially foundation, is that it sometimes just doesn't sit very well on my dry skin. Oppositely, when you have oily skin and need to layer your products to ensure lasting power, sometimes things get a little much. I'm talking about cake face people. It can happen when there is too much product, or the skin texture isn't smooth, or purely because it isn't the right product for your skin type, and it's not pretty. Here's my tips for getting that flawless base without the dreaded cake face.

The Artistry Series Vol #2 | Laura Mercier (+ Giveaway!)

"Love Yourself Before You Can Love Someone Else"

-Laura Mercier

I'm thrilled to be bringing you all another volume of The Artistry Series, this time spotlighting the beautiful Laura Mercier. Starting out in a Parisian Art School for drawing and painting, Laura's career jump started in 1985 when she moved to New York to work for Elle Magazine. Then after a photoshoot for Vogue, she was hired on as Madonna's personal makeup artist (that might be when you know you've 'made it' so to speak!)
Celebrity name dropping aside (because Laura never actually had the desire to work with movie stars and pop princesses for her career goal in the beginning, she just aimed to make women feel pretty), I think the brand has to be one of my favourites simply because I know the products are reliably well made and make for effortless prettying up.  Keep reading to see what my must have Laura Mercier products are, as well as stick around to enter the giveaway (open worldwide!)

Shopping a Sale Savvy | My Picks for the Sephora VIB Rouge 2015 Sale

If you've spent a questionable amount of money at Sephora in the last year than you might have VIB, or even VIB Rouge status. If that's the case then you my lucky friend will get a chance to shop with a 20% discount for the next few days! Now all that choice can be overwhelming, so I've compiled some tips for shopping the sale, as well as my picks for some amazing items to pick up with the awesome discount...

Shopping for the Perfect Palette | Five Favourites for Fall and Winter

When it comes to shopping for an eyeshadow palette, I always think it's important to think of three things: Texture, Tone and Uniqueness. If you don't have a drawer full of palettes organized by brand, colour and size like I do (I have a sickness) nor do you plan to, picking out that one special palette that can do it all be a bit tricky. Today's posts has five can't-go-wrong palettes for Fall and Winter, as well as my tips for how to pick out a palette that will fit all your needs!

Problem Solvers Series | How to Prevent Eyeshadow Fallout

Whilst on a family vacation two weeks ago, as my sister in law and I sat together putting on our makeup, she noticed I was using a dark shadow as my eyeliner. She then asked, "But doesn't it fall down all around your eyes? I always seem to make a mess!" and before I knew it, I'd rattled off a handful of ways to prevent the dreaded 'fallout', so I thought I'd share them here as a bit of a beauty hack so to speak.

The Great Cover Up | Four Different Concealers to Perfect Your Complexion

When it comes to concealers, there are so many options out there, it can be hard to know which one to choose for which purpose. I've picked four of my recent cover-up favourites and broken them down by which use they work best for to help save you a little time they next time you have a pesky blemish, dark circles or pigmentation you want to even out, pronto.

Hype Worthy? | Six Luxury Products Get Put to the Test

I love trying out hyped up 'cult classic' products to see if they really are worth their weight in gold (and priced seemingly so!) as many tout them to be, and it seems you as readers like it when I do as well! I've always been one of those 'exception to the rule' types, and find because of this I look at products with a skeptical eye, which benefits the blogging process of reviewing quite well. So here are six more products that have had plenty said about them on the web, magazines and word of mouth, put to the test by yours truly. Which ones do I think are hypeworthy?

Current Beauty Wish List September 2015

It's been a few months since I put together a good old wish list, and let's just say I was feeling like indulging myself in a little window shopping. Here's what's caught my eye this month:

This Just In | Laura Mercier Lip Parfait Creamy Colourbalm

When it comes to cosmetics, I honestly feel like Laura Mercier is one of the most underrated yet beautifully curated ranges out there. I've had a hard time finding anything from the line that I don't get on with, but hadn't tried many lip products. So naturally when I saw the new Laura Mercier Lip Parfait, described as a 'creamy colourbalm', I instantly was intrigued by the title. I mean, anything that has colour+balm in the description must be amazing, right? 

Five Blushes for Fall 2015

Autumn is one of those seasons I really find myself adjusting my makeup for, especially blush. After a summer of peaches and corals, I find myself desiring more rosy, pink and neutral tones. So here are five blushes I tend to gravitate towards for the Autumn/Fall season

Friday Face | Coppered Plum Eyes

I've been having plenty of fun playing with a new customizable eyeshadow palette this week so naturally it had to be included in my favourite look of the week for the #FridayFace post. Perhaps something I would normally associate with Autumn, I've been all about the burnished plums and rose golds lately. Here's what I used to get the look:

The Problem Solver Series | 5 Tricks That Might Make Your Lip Colour Last Longer

At some point, you've probably been there: You put on some lipstick only to find out it's migrated everywhere but where it is supposed to be. It's on your teeth, the corner of your mouth, or all over your wine glass. With some shades and formulas this might not be the end of the world, but if you're wearing a deep vampy red, or anything darker than your natural lip colour the embarrassment factor might be high. So here are 5 tips for getting that lip colour to look fresh and stay put: