Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer in No More Waity, Katie

on
Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Butter London released a nail lacquer called "No More Waity, Katie" a few months ago, obviously in honour of the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. It's an exclusive and limited edition shade, so there was quite a bit of hype over it. It's a dirty mauve-purple with lavender glitter, but honestly, I thought the shade was going to be a bit more special or unique or, you know, regal. To me, the shade doesn't really reflect upon Kate Middleton or her marriage to Prince William. Shade aside, the formula on this one really disappointed me, especially given how great Butter London's other polishes are. I had to use a full three coats to get an opaque look because the sheerness of the base colour goes on so patchy. And I had to use two coats of top coat so I could even out the grittiness of the glitter. It's a pretty shade, don't get me wrong, but it just takes too much effort to use, especially when there are nicer purple, glitter, and purple glitter shades out there.

Marc Jacobs Ginger Cocktail Splash

on
Monday, June 27, 2011

Marc Jacobs has released three new "splash" fragrances for the summer, all inspired by cocktails: Curacao, Cranberry, and Ginger. All three smell lovely, but I have found my ultimate summer fragrance in Ginger. It is described as a "citrus, spicy, refreshing" fragrance and contains notes of "ginger, nutmeg, cognac oil, grandilla, gernaium bourbon, rhubarb, sandalwood, amber crystals, and musks." It's definitely one of those scents that smells different on everyone's skin, but on mine, it smells like lemons and ginger ale but the slight spiciness cuts the sweetness, and the subtle muskiness makes it smell almost unisex. What I love about it is that it's first and foremost a very fresh-smelling fragrance, even as it dries down. The lightness of it (it says it's an Eau de Toilette, though it seems lighter, hence the term "splash") keeps it from being cloying, which is essential in the summer, when heat and sweat can alter a fragrance so much. Moreover, I like the simplicity of the packaging, from the rectangular bottle to the black-and-white label. It retails for $85, but at a whopping 300 ml, who can really complain?

Weekend In Niagara Falls: Part II

on
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Shawn and I left the wedding reception early and took a walk around Niagara Falls since it would've been a shame to have travelled all the way there and not seen any of the sights.

A really bad photo of the American Falls (after the lights went out)

Clifton Hill (just outside the Fantasy Fudge Shop)

Clifton Hill (just outside The Great Canadian Midway)

Stopped for a mocha cappuccino swirly ice cream cone

The Niagara SkyWheel

The volcano at Dinosaur Adventure Golf

The T-Rex at Dinosaur Adventure Golf

Skylon Tower

We're such tourists. But those ice cream cones are phenomenal.

Weekend In Niagara Falls: Part I

on
Shawn and I went to his cousin's wedding last night at The Hilton Hotel in Niagara Falls, and it was beautiful.

Red rose centerpieces

A wedding favour of rum cake (a popular dessert in Guyana)

First course of dinner: Mixed winter greens with shaved apple and dried cranberries in a cranberry vinaigrette

Second course of dinner: Chilled Gulf martini shrimp cocktail

Main course of dinner: Double roasted prime rib of beef au jus and fingerling potatoes served with beans and baby carrots

Dessert: Chocolate and raspberry tartufo and fresh berries with brandy snap tulip bowl and raspberry coulis

Everyone on the dance floor

I don't really know Shawn's cousin or any of his extended family, nor do I dance, so for me, the best part was the dinner. And the dinner was phenomenal. Seriously, even the salad was ridiculously good. By far the best free meal I've ever eaten. Had I known wedding receptions could have such good food, I would've attended way more.

MAC Bloggers' Obsessions: Lipglasses

on
Friday, June 24, 2011

MAC reached out to 80+ beauty bloggers earlier this year to submit a shade idea for either an eyeshadow or lipglass for an exclusive online collection. MAC flew the nine finalists to Toronto to their lab in Markham (represent!) to create and develop their individual products, from shade and finish to name. On June 21, the four eyeshadows and five lipglasses were released online in a collection called Bloggers' Obsession. After some debate, I decided to pick up three of the five lipglasses from the collection. MAC Lipglasses are known for their sticky texture, but they do last a good three to four hours on the lips. They have a vanilla scent but are taste-free. Each lipglass contains 4.8 grams of product and retails for $17.50.

Evolution Revolution, Caqui, Sonoran Rain

Evolution Revolution (created by Karen) is a sheer, light, milky pink-peach with multi-coloured micro-glitter. I actually felt that the coverage on this was more in-line with a Plushglass or Cremesheen Glass than a Lipglass, which was kind of disappointing, since Lipglasses are known for being more opaque. This is ideal for layering on top of lipsticks, or for those who want just a hint of colour on their lips. This shade looks kind of like a hybrid of Love Nectar Lustreglass and Big Baby Plushglass.

Caqui (created by Lily) is an opaque vibrant persimmon orange with red undertones in a cream finish. This is a must-have for those who love their corals and oranges, and I imagine would be just stunning with tanned skin. This shade is definitely better suited to those with warmer undertones, but would look beautiful on all skintones from light to dark. It's kind of like a more orange version of Viva Glam Cyndi Lipglass.

Sonoran Rain (created by Aileen) is an opaque bright ruby red with gold and red shimmer. This is a gorgeous rendition of a red lip look, and is ideal for those who want a glossy red lip with more dimension. It's a very rich, luxurious colour, and is very much meant to be worn alone. I actually find that this red leans slightly warmer, but it's equally wearable on both cool and warm undertones as well as light to dark skintones. It's like a warmer version of Russian Red Lipglass, but with gold shimmer.

Of the five lipglasses, I think Sonoran Rain will be the most coveted because it just looks so beautiful on every undertone (cool and warm) and skintone (light to dark), and it has excellent pigmentation and opacity. The most disappointing shade was Evolution Revolution, because even though it's a pretty shade, it's not very unique and doesn't have very good colour pay-off and pigmentation. There are too many other sheer peach-pink glosses that are permanent at MAC. You'd think that, given the chance to create any shade of lip gloss, Evolution Revolution would've been a little more interesting. That having been said, the sheerness of the product makes it very wearable. All five shades are currently still available on MAC's Canadian website, so if they interest you, order them now because they're limited edition and exclusively online.

MAC Bloggers' Obsessions: Eyeshadows

on
Thursday, June 23, 2011

My order from MAC's Bloggers' Obsession collection arrived today! For those who don't follow beauty sites, MAC reached out to 80+ beauty bloggers earlier this year to submit a shade idea for either an eyeshadow or lipglass for an exclusive online collection. MAC flew the nine finalists to Toronto to their lab in Markham (represent!) to create and develop their individual products, from shade and finish to name. On June 21, the four eyeshadows and five lipglasses were released online in a collection called Bloggers' Obsession. After some debate, I decided to pick up three of the four eyeshadows from the collection, only because the last one (Sparkle Neely, Sparkle) didn't seem particularly unique or noteworthy to me. Each eyeshadow contains 1.3 grams of product and retails for $17.50.

Parisian Skies, Hocus Pocus, Jealousy Wakes

Parisian Skies (created by Lesley) is a dusty medium blue-grey with a subtle sheen in a Satin finish. I was actually pleasantly surprised at the pigmentation and colour pay-off with this shade, because Satin finishes can end up looking more matte and powdery. It was also soft and smooth and easily blendable. It's like a bluer, more pigmented version of Scene eyeshadow.

Hocus Pocus (created by Lianne) is a dark sooty grey-tinged brown with green and gold shimmer in a Satin finish. I was surprised this was a Satin finish, because the texture seemed more like a Veluxe Pearl: soft, smooth, pigmented, good colour pay-off. As a Satin finish, I found that the pigmentation and colour pay-off was slightly better than Parisian Skies. It's like if Silver Ring and Greensmoke had a baby and that baby had another baby with Club. Which is to say, there isn't really anything similar in MAC's current permanent range.

Jealousy Wakes (created by Christine) is a vibrant emerald green with teal and gold shimmer in a Veluxe Pearl finish. I'm so glad that at least one of the final eyeshadow shades was Veluxe Pearl, because it has a smooth, almost buttery, texture with great colour pay-off. This shade is probably the most unique of the eyeshadows released, and MAC hasn't released a colour like this, at least in recent memory (as in, the last five years). The closest permanent shade might be MAC's Emerald Green pigment (PRO only), but Jealousy Wakes is definitely less yellow-based.

Overall, I'm very impressed with the quality of the eyeshadows. Seriously, the swatch picture doesn't do them justice. Hocus Pocus and Jealousy Wakes have the best overall pigmentation, texture, and blendability. That having been said, I think Jealousy Wakes will be the most coveted if only for the uniqueness of the shade. All three of these shades are currently sold out on MAC's Canadian website (they were actually sold out within hours of release), though MAC may release more in the next couple weeks, so keep checking if these shades interest you, 'cause they will not be available in stores.

YSL Volupté Sheer Candy Glossy Balm: #4 Succulent Pomegranate and #6 Luscious Cherry

on
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

I stopped by Murale to redeem some points I got from the 20x Optimum points event at Shoppers Drug Mart over the weekend, and finally got the opportunity to grab a couple of Yves Saint Laurent's new Volupté Sheer Candy Glossy Balm Crystal Color lipsticks. They actually came out last month at Sephora and select department stores, but I held off, wanting to take advantage of the Optimum points program. Murale only had four of the six shades in stock, so I picked up two shades, #4 Succulent Pomegranate and #6 Luscious Cherry.

#6 Luscious Cherry and #4 Succulent Pomegranate

The formula on these is really gorgeous: lightweight, semi-sheer, smooth, and hydrating. I actually find these to be more hydrating (e.g. leaves lips softer) and thus more balm-like than both Chanel's Rouge Coco Shines and Dior's new Addicts, though the actual finish and look of YSL's Volupté Sheer Candy lipsticks is similar to the two. I find that the packaging, in elegant and weighty silver tubes with the logo in classic gold, screams, "Luxury!" more than the other two, though. Each Volupté Sheer Candy lipstick contains 4 grams of product and retails for $38 a pop (which is why I'm glad I got them for free!).

#6 Luscious Cherry and #4 Succulent Pomegranate

#4 Succulent Pomegranate is a semi-sheer bright watermelon pink in a glossy finish. Its red undertones makes it wearable for both warm and cool undertones, though I find that the sheerness of the product makes it harder to show on darker skintones. #6 Luscious Cherry is a semi-sheer cherry red with subtle golden shimmer in a glossy finish. I actually found it to be a fairly neutral red, so this shade is also great for both warm and cool undertones, but again, the sheerness won't read as well on darker skintones. This is a great shade for those who want to try the red lip trend but don't want to go too dramatic. The result of both looks like a popsicle-stained lip; very cute and summery. They are both scented in a fruity aroma, though I can't quite put my finger on which fruit (maybe mango or papaya), and are taste-free. Those with particularly picky noses might be turned off from this lipstick for that reason, but the formula is gorgeous enough to overlook it.

Summer Solstice

on
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

I hate humidity, insects, and mosquito bites, but summer does bring some nice things, too.

Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer in Dosh

on
Monday, June 20, 2011

After opening and unstocking about 20 boxes at work, my nails were completely wrecked, which is a shame because I loved the colour I had on. But that gave me the opportunity to try yet another shade from Butter London. Dosh is an apple green with gold and green shimmer. I find that depending on the light, it can look more acid green or more pistachio green. It's a really funky colour, and is great if you like brighter, more unique shades. The only problem I had with the polish was actually in the formula. All the other Butter London shades I tried were so opaque that I could get away with just one coat. I found that Dosh definitely needed two, almost three coats to really get the same opacity. That having been said, it still had the same smooth application, easy flow, quick drying time as the other Butter London shades. I'm just being nit-picky, though, since it's still infinitely better than many, many other brands' formulas.

Hero Certified Burgers

on
Sunday, June 19, 2011

What I did today (first day off in six days):
  • Played The Sims 3 (with Ambitions and World Adventures Expansion Packs!)
  • Downloaded City and Colour's new album, Little Hell, from iTunes
  • Got seven inches of hair chopped off (first hair cut in a year)
  • Went to Hero Burgers with Shawn and got an 8-ounce Hero Burger with Canadian cheddar, lettuce, tomato, mayo, ketchup, and Hero sauce, along with their Ultimate fries that are so fresh cut, some of them still have the root hairs on them (Hero Burger is still my favourite "fast food chain" burger, though South St. Burger has slightly better fries)
  • Finished Breaking Bad: Season 3 (now waiting impatiently for Season 4, because holy shit, Season 3 was ridiculously good and both Bryan Cranston's and Aaron Paul's Emmy Award wins last year were so well-deserved)
Overall, it's been a pretty good day.

Friday Five

on
Friday, June 17, 2011
This week's Friday Five:
  1. Of the products you use just to keep yourself clean and presentable, what seems to be the most overpriced? Skincare. Cleansers, toners, serums, and moisturizers; my skincare routine is expansive and expensive. The most expensive skincare product I buy on a regular basis is Lancôme's Génifique. At a retail price of $125 per 50ml bottle, I'd say that's overpriced. After skincare would definitely be make-up, but because I get so much of it at a discounted price or as gratis (free), I don't see it as overpriced anymore, even though the retail price of it is.
  2. Where in your house is a reliable place to get a few quarters? There's a box in my dad's old bookshelf in which he used to put all of his extra change that he couldn't be bothered carrying around.
  3. A rare yes-or-no question on Friday 5: Have you ever dropped your cell phone onto your face? Haha, totally. For example, playing Angry Birds while lying down on my back in bed. Oh, man, I've dropped my cell phone on my face more times than I can count, and it hurts.
  4. What did you last take out of your freezer? A honeydew-flavoured Melona creamsicle.
  5. How many rolls of wrapping paper do you have in your house? None, actually. Any presents I buy are either pre-wrapped (like, at the store), or go into gift bags.

Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer in Victoriana

on
Wednesday, June 15, 2011

I actually had some time to myself tonight after work so I decided to paint my nails, as I tend to get antsy if I keep the same nail colour for too long (I've worn Lady Muck for six days!). Since I'm still in love (read: obsessed) with Butter London, I decided to try Victoriana. This shade is a kind of hard to describe, because it looks like a medium-dark dusty peacock blue with silver micro-glitter in the bottle (and in the picture), but it looks different in different lighting (probably due to the micro-glitter). I find that in indoor lighting, it looks more true to the bottle, whereas in outdoor lighting, it looks a more like a murky green. Either way, it's a unique and spectacular shade, and I'm really glad I picked this one because it wasn't really what I expected it to be (in the best way possible!). As with the other Butter London nail lacquers I've tried, the formula on this one is phenomenal: smooth and even application, fast drying time, long-lasting, and opaque in one coat without being too thick or goopy. I also found out that Holt Renfrew sells Butter London, so no more online shipping fees!

East Side Mario's

on
Monday, June 13, 2011

Had dinner with Shawn at East Side Mario's because I hadn't been there in ages. I ordered the Vernazza Peppercorn Alfredo (chicken and mushroom fettuccine in a creamy peppercorn sauce), which was last year's winning recipe from an annual pasta creation contest they hold. It was good, not phenomenal, but it satisfies any craving for creamy pasta. The best part about the dinner, though, was not the pasta, but the unlimited salad and garlic bread. I seriously thought about getting the pasta doggie bagged, and just getting full on salad and garlic bread, but I thought it'd be too Asian of me...

Markham Station

on
Sunday, June 12, 2011

Dinner: French onion soup. Win.

Cold Stone Creamery

on
Saturday, June 11, 2011

Shawn and I went to Cold Stone Creamery and shared a bowl of the Mint Mint Chocolate Chocolate Chip: mint ice cream, chocolate chips, brownies, and fudge. Looks gross, tastes so damn good. It is so dangerous that I live five minutes away from this place and that they are open 24 hours a day. Hello, ice cream cravings at 3:00am!

Friday Five

on
Friday, June 10, 2011
This week's Friday Five:
  1. What goes into your coffee or tea? In my coffee, half and half cream and Splenda. In my tea, nothing.
  2. What goes into a good omelet? Cheese, cheese, cheese, and either bacon or ham.
  3. What goes into your ears on a good morning? I assume this is regarding music, not like, a cotton swab or something... In which case, I've been recently loving Girl Talk's All Day in the morning. It makes me feel more energetic, or at least more awake.
  4. What goes into a healthy but yummy lunch? A tuna salad sandwich (I like my tuna salad with just tuna, mayonnaise, and lots of dill), with cucumber and tomato slices on toasted and buttered rye bread. So good.
  5. What goes into a productive evening? If I get to do what I want to do, whether it be meeting up with Shawn for dinner, or my friends at a bar, doing laundry, or playing The Sims 3, I consider it productive.

Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer in Lady Muck

on
Thursday, June 9, 2011

I had to cut my nails because they were getting a little too long for my liking, but I also don't like the way my hands look when I have shorter nails, so I wanted a shade that was more inconspicuous. But I also wanted a colour that wasn't nude. Enter Butter London's Lady Muck. This is another shade from Butter London's Spring-Summer collection. Lady Muck is a dusty grey that leans a little blue with soft shimmer. I like it because it's a subtle, neutral colour and it can be worn every season. Like Blagger, Lady Muck went on smooth and opaque in one coat, and the dry-time is phenomenal (maybe three minutes between coats). And as always, Butter London's nail lacquers are 3 Free. What's not to like?

Pho 88

on

With this evening's beautiful, cool weather, I could actually enjoy a bowl of Pho 88's delightfully spicy, slightly coconutty, and just-rich-enough satay pho with beef. It's not the nicest-looking dish in the world... but it is damn delicious.

Something Else

on
Wednesday, June 8, 2011

I just downloaded Diamond Rings' album, Special Affections, and I can't stop listening to this song. His lip gloss is badly applied and therefore distracting in the video (at least, to me), but press play, anyway. You won't regret it.

Luxe Box

on
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
I had originally read about Birchbox at xSparkage a little while ago, which is a service that sends 3 to 5 deluxe sample-sized beauty products to your home every month for you to try for a small monthly subscription price. Of course, being a cosmetics junkie and all, I was intrigued because it's a fantastic way to discover to brands and products. Alas, Birchbox is only available in the States. Then, when I read that Sydney had signed up for Luxe Box, which is the Canadian equivalent of Birchbox, I immediately signed up. At the time, Luxe Box was invitation-only, so you had to sign up with your e-mail to get on the waiting list, and when they had an opening, they'd send you an invite to join. It has since become public, however, so anyone can join now! It's currently $12 a box if you sign up for one month, $36 for three months, and $120 for a year. I love that you have the choice of signing up for only one box (it's not a scam, like they'll charge you every month for a new box until you cancel), in case you don't like it enough to receive more. Anyhow, I received my first box this month:


In an adorable ribbon-tied cardboard box, I found a note from the Loose Button team on vellum paper, and a card describing the products inside. Wrapped inside deep teal tissue paper was a 13-gram bottle of Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant, a 9.6 ml bottle of China Glaze's Ink with Nail Art Brush, a full-sized Laura Mercier Eye Colour shadow compact in Sandstone, and a little square of Swiss Delice dark chocolate. So cute!

Overall, I'm quite happy with the products in my June box. I've been wanting to try Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant for a while, but couldn't bring myself to shell out $72 for a scrub, so this is the perfect way to try it without spending a fortune. I like that they give quite a substantial sample bottle, too, so you have enough to try it for over a month rather than those wimpy one-use packets. The China Glaze Ink polish is a great way for me to try my hand at drawing nail art; I like that I got mine in black because it'll match so many more colours that way (I'm thinking of doing maybe leopard- or zebra-print). And the Laura Mercier eyeshadow (full size!) in Sandstone is a beautiful light champagne shade in a satin finish that suits every skintone. I like that it's not too shiny, either, so it's perfect as a highlight colour. I'm really glad I decided to sign up for this service so I can try out a few new products every month without being overwhelmed. I can't wait for my July box!

The Keg

on
Monday, June 6, 2011

Dinner with Shawn tonight at The Keg. Needless to say, I had a good day.

Monster

on
Sunday, June 5, 2011

I actually think Paramore sound better without the Farro brothers. And if their song for the Twilight soundtrack didn't already make them blow up, this song for Transformers 3 will.

Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer in Blagger

on
Saturday, June 4, 2011

After reading tons of rave reviews on Butter London's 3 Free Nail Lacquers, I decided to purchase several shades for myself to see what the hype was all about. They're not the cheapest nail polishes on the market at $17 a pop, but they are a 3 Free brand, meaning their products are free of formaldehyde, toluene, and phthalates, and they offer a nice mix of unique and classic shades to boot. I decided to try Blagger first, which is from their Spring-Summer 2011 collection. Blagger is a rich, decadent, striking cobalt blue in a cream finish. Not the most "summery" colour, but stunning just the same; I can see myself wearing this one all year round. Aside from the gorgeous colour, the formula was absolutely beautiful: smooth, even flow, and opaque with just one coat. So I guess you can add this post to the massive pile of rave reviews out there.

Friday Five

on
Friday, June 3, 2011
This week's Friday Five:
  1. What was your best summer vacation like? I've had a ton of good ones, but I think the best summer vacation would be the one I spent three weeks in Asia. I think I was 14 or 15 at the time, and I went with my family and my cousins to Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Maybe it was because my brother and I were with our cousins, who are around the same ages as us, and could play games and stuff. But it's also seeing the different cultures and immersing ourselves in it.
  2. What was your worst summer vacation like? I don't know if I've had a really terrible vacation, but I remember when I went to Europe for the first time (I was 11 and we went to Rome for a week and then to Barcelona and then went on a week-long Mediterranean cruise). I was with my family and some of my parents' friends, and their friends were just such assholes. It kind of ruined some of the trip for me, because I dreaded going anywhere with them, even though the places we went to were beautiful.
  3. What food or drink reminds you of a particular summer? Fresh coconut water served in a coconut shell will always remind me of my trip to Thailand. And Rocket popsicles remind me of every childhood summer I had.
  4. What summer-only activity do you now look most forward to every year? A bunch of us usually go to Canada's Wonderland once or twice a summer, and it's always a lot of fun. We go on all the roller coasters and eat funnel cake with soft serve ice cream. So good. And we also go to The Ex once a year (though this is more at the end of the summer, in early September) to walk around and try different foods (last year, it was deep-fried butter and a deep-fried Mars Bar) and, of course, look at the different exhibitions.
  5. What summer movie or summer reading are you most looking forward to this year? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

Lollia Shea Butter Handcreme

on
Thursday, June 2, 2011
When I first heard of Lollia (a few years ago, after Oprah first announced her love for their products), they weren't available in Canada, at least to my knowledge. Slowly, they became a little more accessible in Toronto, being carried at independent gift shops and apothecaries. Then, they were available at Anthropologie when it finally opened its doors in Canada. I bought a tube of the Shea Butter Handcreme in Imagine (Flowering Willow & Lotus), and I was hooked. So I was surprised when I found a whole assortment of their products at Chapters (which actually have quite an impressive gift department), and that they actually have all of their Lollia products on sale for 30% off! With Shawn's additional 30% discount, you know I had to snatch up all of their Shea Butter Handcremes:

Calm (Hyacinth & Honey) and Wish (Sugared Pastille) - box packaging

Calm (Hyacinth & Honey) and Wish (Sugared Pastille) - tube packaging

Relax (Lavender & Honey) and Breathe (Peony & White Lily) - box packaging

Relax (Lavender & Honey) and Breathe (Peony & White Lily) - tube packaging

Lollia is known for their gorgeous packaging, each box and tube adorned with a different motif and colour scheme. But the product itself is fantastic: super-moisturizing but sinks right in and isn't greasy at all. And all of them smell positively delightful. If you appreciate beautiful products, definitely check out this brand. You won't be sorry.

Rescue Beauty Lounge

on
Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Firstly, can you believe it's already June? Like, half the year's almost over. Crazy. Secondly, my order from Rescue Beauty Lounge arrived today! I decided to get the three shades that were released with their Spongebob Squarepants collection last year: Bikini Bottom (pale watery aqua blue), Square Pants (light pineapple yellow), and Starfish Patrick (sheer peachy coral). RBL is only available in the States, so I finally decided to order them online even if the shipping cost an arm and a leg (it ends up costing about $24 per bottle). Still, they're just perfect for summer. And, hey, Spongebob!