Colour-Blocking

If you look hard enough, you will find colour blocking everywhere! Whether it be in Fashion, Makeup or even retail spaces, the vision of colours seamlessly blending into one another has always inspired me.

Below are a few photos that are bursting with colour and are great examples of colour blocking.  The Library I would LOVE to attempt, just not sure I have the patience for it :)

This to me is art.creativity and literacy wrapped into one. :)

Not sure what I love more, the heels or this ingenious way to store shoes :)

How can you not LOVE the colours in this palette :)

I had to take a picture of this, it made me so happy :)

Take a look around, when you are at the Mall, in a chic shop, or out walking in nature, where will you find your rainbow?

Always Smile :)  - Sand

Inspired Eyes - Blue and Gold

A few weeks ago I attended a beautiful wedding.  The wedding was a two day affair with the religious ceremony held at Black Creek Pioneer Village.  It was unique to see an Indian wedding against the beautiful backdrop of a clear blue sky and a green cascading lawn.  

I debated back and forth on what to wear to the reception and found the perfect outfit, a turquoise/blue Indian outfit embellished with gold toned details.  

Now as a Makeup junkie, you have to first find the perfect outfit but then you have to figure out the Makeup look to go with it.

My inspiration came from the jewellery I was wearing as well as the outfit.  Here is what I came up with:

My favourite part of this look was seeing it come together at the end and it was exactly what I wanted. I wanted the hint of gold with it washing into the turquoise blue.  Here is a breakdown of the look below:

Vasanti Liquid Cover - V4 (Eye base)

Vasanti E/S Duo Golden Temple, Lighter Shade (Inner Corner & Highlight)

Vasanti E/S Duo Lake Louise (Middle to Outer Corner) 

Vasanti Pure Pigment Mineral Shimmer Powder Sand Dune - (Middle of Eye)

Vasanti - Cleopatra Liquid Liner

Mascara – Vasanti Conditioning Long Lash Mascara

I lined the eyes underneath to reflect the hues on top, it completes the look and really makes the eyes stand out!

Always Smile :)  - Sand

Summer 2012

This summer I got a chance to explore the great beaches and bluffs in Toronto and I got a chance to go to Puerta Plata for a cousin's wedding.  Here is a collection of some of my summer memories via photos.  Enjoy!

View from my amazing room at The Palace Balaji in Puerta Plata :)

This place was incredible.

This chandelier was very impressive

The place did look like a palace

Private courtyard

Getting closer to the Ocean

The view was unreal, nothing but Ocean :)

A view of the private beach below

This view made me appreciate nature and life

The water was unreal.

The Beaches in Toronto :)

Board-walk - Loved the walk and the street meat available

Amazing beauty so close to home

Love the mix of majestic trees and sand

The Bluffs - Amazing what we have so close

Peaceful

Even though technically it is not over, I hope everyone had an amazing summer :)

Always Smile :)  - Sand

So many Books to choose from....

Well hello strangers it has been a very long time since I have posted or wrote for my blog.  What can I say, life, work, trips, family, weddings took a lot of my free time, but I always try to achieve balance.  So when life gets too busy I will try to take a step back, press re-set and make time for all the things that make me happy and strive for balance.  Therefore, writing and posting fun things on my blog is one of them, so I am back!  

(I encourage you all to do that!)

Today I am going to talk about books!  I love books and have an amazing waiting list:

As you can see there is a mixture of things.  I am currently finishing up Revolutionary Road. This book to me is incredible because it was written in the 60's, but the issues and themes within the book regarding marriage and married life I feel are subject matter that is present today.  

I always try to mix up my subject matter of reading options from book-to-book.  Therefore Revolutionary Road was realism life based book, I think my next read may be Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol.

Stay tuned for my "book report" for Revolutionary Road.  

Always Smile :)  - Sand

L’OREAL – MEN EXPERT

I was lucky enough to get my brother and Dad to review the products for L'Oreal - Men Expert line.  I am glad they were able to really use the product and experience it for about 6 weeks to give me their honest opinions. 

Check out the details below!

L’OREAL – MEN EXPERT

1. MOISTURIZER:  MEN EXPERT HYDRA ENERGETIC

Product Description:  Fast absorbing, non greasy, non sticky formula enriched with Vitamin C.

Who is it for?

Men's expert hydra-energetic anti-stress & fatigue moisturizer is for men under the age of 35, who want to proactively defend against skin stress, which, if left untreated, will lead to signs of aging and dull-looking skin.

Pros:

• Ease of Dispense
•  Non-greasy
• In different to Scent
• Absorbs

Cons:

• If you are use to wearing something heavier, you may wonder whether it is working and keeping you moisturizer.

Overall Opinion:  

• Was really good. Would definitely repurchase!

2. SHAVING FOAM:  MEN EXPERT COMFORT MAX ANTI-IRRITATION SHAVE FOAM

Product Description: Comfortable shaving foam that will help to protect the skin.  Contains a Hydra-Protective Shield that prevents skin dryness reinforces hydration of the skin and protects against irritations.

Who is it for?

Men of any age who want a close, smooth shave without all the irritation.

Pros:

• Aerated
• Goes on thick
• Used very little
• 6 Weeks (50 ml)

Cons:

• None found.

Overall Opinion:  

• Would spend the money to buy
• A GREAT product in all aspects, from design, dispensing and the product itself

Always Smile :)  - Sand

Nails for Spring 2012 :)

The Spring season brings beautiful days, blossoming flowers and amazing colours for Fashion and Beauty!  With recent trends of colour blocking and bright colours of pinks, corals, oranges and purples, nail colour choices are just as exciting for this season.  They will help compliment and complete your look.

The China Glaze colours I have picked are awesome because they work beautifully for this season.  If you are looking for a pop of colour or to help create a uniformed look, these colours are my Spring 2012 faves!

Check out the colours below:

A light champagne beige colour.

As the name says, a light peachy colour.

A beautiful petal pink colour.

If you are a sucker for purple, worth adding to your collection.

What I love about these shades is that they are opaque and pastel toned.  Awesome addition to your Spring Essentials!

Always Smile :)  - Sand

Product Review: Revlon Lip Butters!

I think it's pretty obvious that I love lipstick.  I was really excited when Revlon came out with the Colorburst™ Lip Butter line.  The collection is made of 20 vibrant and wearable shades.  The product details are as follows, (Courtesy of www.revlon.ca):  

• Hydrating mango, shea and coconut butter formula boosts lip moisture by 156%
• Pampering gel formula provides super charged hydration and glides on lips buttery smooth
• Sheer to medium colour with buttery shine
  

I chose three colours, 1 neutral, 1 medium and of course, 1 bold!  Check out the lip pics below:

PROS

Texture:  Buttery smooth feel.
Wear:  Moist/balm based and few touch ups required.
Colour Pay-off:  Bolder colours seem to last longer, than the lighter ones.

Cost:  Low to Mid range, affordable.


CONS:
Colour:  The lighter colour looked to light for me, so the medium and bold shades were better suited for my skin tone and lip tone.


OVERALL IMPRESSION:  
A definite must for lip balm lovers who also like a burst of colour.

Always Smile :)  - Sand