Product Love | My Must-haves from Giorgio Armani Beauty

I recently looked at the Giorgio Armani collection and wanted to share the few items that are ideal staples from the line. Since Giorgio Armani is a higher end makeup line, this may help you pick the few items you may want to add to your own personal collection.

Here is the list and the gorgeous product shots below: 

1. #1 Eyes to Kill 4 Colour Eyeshadow Palette
2. #6 Eyes to Kill 4 Colour Eyeshadow Palette
3. #12 Smooth Silk Eye Pencil
4. #11 Smooth Silk Lip Pencil
5. #502 Scarletto Rouge Ecstasy Lipstick
6. Blender Brush

Smokey Eye Must-Have: #1 Eyes to Kill Eyeshadow Palette: For all of us, we always want the basic smokey eye and this particular palette allows you to do just that. A mix of silver/grey toned shades with the dark grey and black matte colours, you can create a soft to a very intense traditional smokey eye with this palette!

A Neutral Everyday Palette: #6 Eyes to Kill Eyeshadow Palette: Not everyone is comfortable with a dramatic eye makeup look and we all need an everyday palette. What I love about this one is that these colours look good on all skin tones! Also, you can wear this one everyday and make it more dramatic when you need to! A perfect starter shadow palette for anyone who is new to make up and the mini aspect of this compact make these quads perfect for travelling!

Everyday Liner that is a multi-tasker: #12 Smooth Silk Eye Pencil: A black eye pencil is a good staple to have, but having the chocolate version is also a must for many reasons! It provides a softer, diffused look to all eye colours and it's more comfortable to wear because the colour is not as dramatic as black. The smudger that is included gives you versatility as well. You can also use this pencil as a base for your eye shadow so that the shadow on top is more intense and you can CONTOUR your cheekbones with this pencil too!

A liner that can double as a lipstick: #11 Smooth Lip Pencil: This deep plum toned pencil is my obsession! The pencils are smooth and super pigmented so you can fill in the entire lips and not have to add lipstick. Keep it Matte or add a gloss on top and you are good to go, a great shade for the season!

Hydrating and Full Colour Lipstick: #502 Scarletto Rouge Ecstasy Lipstick: This colour is HOT! It looks great on everyone! This lipstick is a CC Lipstick which is Colour + Care, with Vitamin E and Shea Butter. It gives you smooth lips each time you wear it, a perfect shade to wear for a boost!

The perfect Foundation Brush: Blender Brush: This brush is my perfect tool to use with Luminous Silk Foundation. The rounded shape and the sable bristles leave a blended and smooth finish. I find that I use less product since the brush does most of the work! It really gives you a flawless and airbrushed look.

Be sure to check these must-haves out and add to your own collection!

Product Love | Laura Mercier Mini Caviar Stick Eye Colour Collection

As a beauty junkie, I feel it is important for me to share when I am in love with a product. Because I will share my thoughts from two perspectives, as a beauty lover and as a Makeup Artist. For me, the product needs to WOW me and also be good quality. I recently picked up these goodies and I have no regrets, because they have successfully done both! The Laura Mercier Mini Caviar sticks are like...Hoh my gawd! 

These little gems are perfect! This collection offers you gorgeous balance of colours which are perfect for everyday and for the holidays!  If you want a quick, effortless and long wearing smokey eye or any eye shadow look, you can easily achieve it! 

I love that you can literally scribble these on with no effort and can use your fingers to smudge out to achieve the perfect look.  Meaning: You can do the 1 minute smokey eye! If you want to, you can layer eye shadow on top but I find you can totally wear these alone.

• Rosegold: Soft Pink Gold Tone. Reflective Sheen.
• Amethyst: Pinky Brown Tone. Soft Sheen.
• Moonlight: Silvery Brown Tone. Reflective Sheen.
• Copper: True Vivid Copper. Reflective Sheen.
• Khaki: Dark Deep Green Brown. Semi Matte.
• Cocoa: Dark Chocolate Brown. Semi Matte.

Check back on the blog soon because I will be posting looks using these babies! Be sure to check out the Laura Mercier counter at Holt Renfrew Sherway Gardens. The lovely Paige and Courtney will be happy to show you the regular shades of the Caviar Sticks and what's new for the holidays!

Review | Maybelline Master Kajal

I love eyeliner and when I came across the ad for this Eyeliner by Maybelline I had to check it out. The Maybelline Master Kajal is pretty amazing! I loved the shape and love that I don't have to sharpen this pencil. The unique shape allows for precision eye lining whether it be for the waterline or upper/lower lashline.

Pros:

• Easy to Use.
• Multiple ways to line eyes (Waterline, Under lash line or on the Top Lash line).
• Shape allows for easy application inside the waterline. 
• You can tightline by closing your eyes during the application.
• Smokey and Smudgy effects can be achieved.
• Never need to sharpen it!

Con:

• Would love if it were waterproof, but it's not bad for long wear, with minor transfer.
• Will not give you a sharp liner look. (Which is ok!)

Tip:

• Use the pencil on an angle to keep shape and for even easier application.
• Black shade is called Onyx Rush

Overall I am impressed with this product. It has worked very well for me as well as on my makeup clients. Worth the buy and I will be checking out the other colours that they offer too!

Review | My Open Box Review of BH Cosmetics

I was really excited when I had discovered BH Cosmetics! Through the many YouTube beauty videos I have watched over the years, I was introduced to this site. They offer a wide array of gorgeous makeup palettes, specifically for eyes!  

BH Cosmetics allows for a start up makeup artist, a beauty enthusiast or even a Pro Makeup artist the opportunity to build a personal or a professional kit for the fraction of the cost.  From Eye & Face Palettes to makeup brushes, you can get everything you need with a few clicks and without having to break the bank.

When I heard that ItsJudyTime, from YouTube beauty fame, was going to launch an eye palette through a collaboration with BH Cosmetics, I was thrilled (Click here for that post!). I also was in need of more brushes (As a makeup artist, you can never have enough brushes!), so I placed my order for both items.

The paperwork side of the transaction was simple, easy and quick. The site is user friendly and I could have easily purchased a lot more, but kept it to the palette and the brush set. Almost instantly I received notification of the transaction details along with the timeline. Happily the package arrived before the 10 day timeline which is always a PLUS!

Presents all year round, even if this one I bought myself! ;)

The items were very tightly packed.

Included with my items was a flyer for new things!

The ultimate easy eye palette that goes from day to night in a minute! No cracked or loose shadows!

The brush set was perfect! It fits neatly and tightly into my kit and has all the essentials (except for a foundation brush) however the ones included are essentials. The brushes included are:

1. Dual Sided Brow & Lash
2. Spoolie
3. Skinny Eyeliner Brush
4. Fine Eyeliner Brush
5. Angled Eyeliner Brush
6. Smudge Brush
7. Fan Brush
8. Flat Eyeliner Brush
9. Small Eyeshadow Brush
10. Eyeshadow Brush
11. Blush Brush
12. Powder Brush

  

Sleek and Compact. Fits neatly into my kit!

Overall my experience with BH Cosmetics was amazing! I was very happy with my new goodies and have already put them into good use!  Check out the products that I purchased here:  Brushes & ItsJudyTime

Summer Must-Haves: Glowing Summer Skin | The Body Shop

I was lucky to have stopped into the Body Shop recently when they were having a 50% off sale! That's right 50% off sale. It was the perfect time since I needed to replenish and pick up my summer items to help protect, nourish and revive the skin!

1. Daytime Summer Skin:  Vitamin C Daily Moisture Lotion with SPF 30

Vitamin C - Daily Moisture Lotion SPF 30

I cannot stress how important it is to have SPF, especially for the face. This moisturizer really helps to boost radiance while protecting the skin. I use enough to moisturize the face and ensure its set into the skin before applying makeup.

2. Protective Night Skin:  Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream

Vitamin E - Nourishing Night Cream

This stuff is heaven! It is the best treat for the skin at night. When you wake up in the morning, skin is smooth and feels incredible.

3. Body Care - Strawberry Body Puree

Strawberry Body Puree

This moisturizer has the best texture. It's very light and instantly melts into the skin! Your skin is left hydrated with a delicate strawberry scent.  A perfect product to use instead of fragrance/perfume which can be strong and heavy for Summer.

4. Foot Care:  Smoothing Scrub, Intensive Foot Rescue & Reviving Leg Gel

Peppermint Smoothing Pumice Foot Scrub

Peppermint Intensive Foot Rescue

Peppermint Reviving Leg Gel

This is a much-needed treat to the feet and legs! The scrub works wonders on the heels and really exfoliates. After the scrub, use the Intensive Foot Rescue and the Reviving Leg Gel which will be the best at-home treatment. Your feet and legs will be summer ready in no time!

Be sure to check out these products at The Body Shop! Whichever you choose, all are great additions to your Summer Skincare routines!

Product Love | Easy Bold Lips featuring NYC City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Colour

I love products that make my routine fast and quick! An added bonus is when the product is multi-purpose. If you lead a busy lifestyle, want an easy lip product that is moisturizing to wear, then you have to check out these lip pencils! 

I picked up these awesome jumbo lip pencils by NYC from Target!  They are called: City Proof Twistable Intense Lip Colour. I picked two of my favourite colours for this season!

Pros:

• Easy to apply
• Super moisturizing
• Fast Application and feels like a balm
• Medium Pigment yet build-able
• Twistable, so you don't need to sharpen
• Mild Fruit-like scent

Cons:

• It applies more like a lipstick, therefore if you need a precision lined lip, use a lip liner.

The colours I picked were a pretty pink and a gorgeous plum called: Ballroom Blush #041 & Gramercy Park #031. Check out the swatches below:

Ballroom Blush is a beautiful bright shade that is a mix of dark cherry and hot pink. A gorgeous choice for a bright lip for the summer!

Gramercy Park: is the perfect deep wine plum. An excellent choice for a dramatic lip for a night out!

The best part was that these are very affordable, less than $3 bucks!!  So if you need an easy, affordable and moisturizing lip product, be sure to check these out.  I picked up these and other goodies from Target!

A mini makeup haul from Target, more blog posts to come!

Mini Haul of the Week + DIY Jewellery Organizer

Part 1 - The Haul

Let's face it, it's been a tough year with having to tighten that financial belt.  But if you come across a good deal and it fits within your budget, you are winning! (Can't help it, I know that term is over used, but it's the one thing from that Actors' ordeal that made me laugh, that and tiger blood).

Moving right along, I picked up three earrings from Ardene, that were 3 for $10, check them out below:

If you are looking for some great, fun, and inexpensive jewellery for the Xmas season, it would be worth a visit, especially since they have some great deals going on for December.

Part 2 - DIY Jewellery Organizer

One big challenge with Jewellery is organization.  I am sure that at one time or another, we have experienced the frustration of having to untangle necklaces from one another, or trying to find a favourite pair of earrings, because they got lost in the drawer.

One option is to purchase jewellery organizers; however, if you want an easy option that you can put together, then I think I have an option that works!  

Here is what you need:

- Cork Board
- Thumb tacks
- Paper Clips

Most of these items you can find around the house.  The cork board was something I inherited, so no cost there, the other items I found in the house.  For hanging your necklaces you use the Thumbtacks and for Earrings you use the Paperclips, see the pics below:

Nice and easy!

Always Smile :)  - Sand