Sunday Video Love: Breathing Underwater

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

"Out of place all the time in a world that wasn't mine to take."

One of my favourite songs off of Synthetica.

MAC Pressed Pigments

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

This past Thursday, MAC released a new collection called Pressed Pigments. It is a small extension collection comprised of 12 shades of Pressed Pigment, which will become part of the permanent line. Of the 12 shades, three are re-promoted shades from September's Face and Body collection, and nine are new. MAC describes Pressed Pigment as "an intensely creamy highlighter offering extreme pearlescence and versatility of finish" that "provides eye-catching sheer-to-moderate buildable coverage and natural dimension finish." This product can be used "dry for a high shine, or on damn skin for a dramatic wet look." It is safe for use on the eye area. They come in regular black packaging with clear lids. Each Pressed Pigment contains 3 grams of product, and retails for $25.

Clockwise from left: Enlightening, Angelic, Flicker, and Blonde Streak

Enlightening, Angelic, Flicker, and Blonde Streak

Enlightening is a pale silver with intense shimmer-sheen and glitter. This is a new and permanent shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. Due to the nature of the product, there is fall-out. It is more silver than Forgery. 
Angelic is a pale silvered white with intense shimmer-sheen and glitter. This is a new and permanent shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. Due to the nature of the product, there is fall-out. It is more softer than White Frost. 
Flicker is a pale softened white with yellow undertones and intense shimmer-sheen and glitter. This is a new and permanent shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. Due to the nature of the product, there is fall-out. It is less yellow than Nylon. 
Blonde Streak is a pale creamy white with intense shimmer-sheen and glitter. This is a new and permanent shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. Due to the nature of the product, there is fall-out. It is more glittery than Mylar.

Clockwise from left: Sweet Acting, Light Touch, Day Gleam, and Deeply Dashing

Sweet Acting, Light Touch, Day Gleam, and Deeply Dashing

Sweet Acting is a light cool-toned pink with intense shimmer-sheen and glitter. This is a new and permanent shade. It is a little on the grittier side, so it goes on a bit patchy. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. Due to the nature of the product, there is fall-out. It is more glittery than Pink Freeze. 
Light Touch is a light peachy cream with intense shimmer-sheen and glitter. This is a re-promoted shade from September's Face and Body collection and is now permanent. It is a little on the grittier side, so it goes on a bit patchy. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. Due to the nature of the product, there is fall-out. It is more glittery than Vanilla. 
Day Gleam is a medium warm-toned peachy brown with intense shimmer-sheen and glitter. This is a re-promoted shade from September's Face and Body collection and is now permanent.  It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. Due to the nature of the product, there is fall-out. It is darker and warmer than Era, and lighter and less yellow than Soba.  
Deeply Dashing is a dark red-toned brown with intense shimmer-sheen and glitter. This is a re-promoted shade from September's Face and Body collection and is now permanent.  It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. Due to the nature of the product, there is fall-out. It is lighter and much more shimmery than Swiss Chocolate, and less plum than Twinks.

Clockwise from left: Blue Willow, Smoky, and Jet Couture

Blue Willow, Smoky, and Jet Couture

Blue Willow is a light blue-toned silver with intense shimmer-sheen and glitter. This is a new and permanent shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. Due to the nature of the product, there is fall-out. It is more blue than Forgery. 
Smoky is a medium-dark greyed blue with intense shimmer-sheen and glitter. This is a new and permanent shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. Due to the nature of the product, there is fall-out. It is lighter than Weathered Pro Longwear Eyeshadow. 
Jet Couture is a dark warm charcoal-black with intense shimmer-sheen and glitter. This is a new and permanent shade. It has a soft, buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. Due to the nature of the product, there is fall-out. It is much more glittery than Legendary Black Pro Longwear Eyeshadow.

As someone who loves glittery eyeshadows and is a fan of MAC's Crushed Metallic Pigments, I really love these. I don't love the fact that MAC felt the need to release four shades that are almost identical when applied, but I am glad they are now permanent. I can see how people can find them hard to use, but I find the effect to be dazzling and totally worth working with. I recommend using a stiffer brush (like MAC's #239) to press them on the eyelid, and also using an emollient eyeshadow base. Yes, they have a lot of fall-out, because these are essentially the pressed versions of MAC's Crushed Metallic Pigments. If you apply it to your eye, the shimmer will fall down on your cheeks because that's just the nature of the product. I advise doing your eyes first when using these before continuing on to the rest of the face so you can clean off any fall out. I've been wearing these for the past week and I get compliments all the time on how gorgeous they look on my eyes. If you love all things shimmery and glittery and shiny, then these are definitely worth looking at.

Friday Five: Sum

on
Friday, December 28, 2012
This week's Friday Five:
  1. Who stands out among people you met in 2012? Jack. I only met him this summer, but it feels like I've known him forever.
  2. What new interest did you discover in 2012? It's not really a new interest, but more of a renewed interest in reading novels. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that this was the first year in many years that I didn't have school, so I can actually enjoy reading books instead of seeing it as a chore.
  3. In what way was 2012 better than 2011? I think I learned a lot more about myself and matured in a different way. I know when to cut my losses and when to persevere, when something is worth fighting for and when something isn't.
  4. What small, symbolic item might serve as a good souvenir for 2012? This is going to sound weird, but my Tory Burch flats that I got in New York this Spring. I wore them pretty much every single day from the day I bought them until the day it was too cold to wear flats (which was in, like, October). That pair of shoes was the one constant during a period of turbulence in my life.
  5. Many years from now, what song, when you hear it on the radio, will remind you most of 2012? Ellie Goulding's "Lights" and any remix of that song. It was released a couple years ago, but it was the most played song for me this year, both on my own playlists and on the radio. And I still love it to this day, despite being so overplayed.

Julep Maven Box: December 2012

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

After an underwhelming box in November, I got extremely excited about my December Julep Maven Box. While November focused on "suedes," December is, of course, all about sparkle (!). And if you've been following me long enough, you will know that I am a complete sucker for all things shimmery, glittery, and generally shiny. I decided to keep my usual "It Girl" style box, and added two more nail polish shades along with a new bottle of Julep's Nail Therapy (my favourite base coat) for $4.99. The shades I got this month are:

Colbie, Harper, Ivy, Julia, and Vivien

Colbie is a clear base with multi-sized metallic pistachio green glitter. It has a thicker consistency that is common with chunkier glitter polishes, but it doesn't hinder the application. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. Because the glitter comes in both fine and medium sizes, it goes opaque in three medium coats. I cannot think of any dupes for this. 
Harper is a medium turquoise-blue base with gold micro-shimmer and multi-dimensional turquoise, green, and gold glitter. It has a thicker consistency that is common with chunkier glitter polishes, but it doesn't hinder the application. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. Because the glitter comes in both fine and medium sizes, it goes opaque in three medium coats. It is similar though has chunkier glitter particles than Zoya's Charla, and is lighter and more blue than China Glaze's Atlantis. 
Ivy is a dark sapphire blue with multi-dimensional blue and purple shimmer. It has a fluid consistency, but is on the thinner, more watery side. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has medium-high pigmentation, and will go opaque in two medium-thick coats. It has more purple shimmer than Nicole by OPI's Listen to Your Momager. 
Julia is a medium-dark orchid purple with multi-dimensional gold and bronze shimmer. It has a fluid consistency, without being too thick or runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation, and will go opaque in two medium coats. It is similar to Zoya's Daul. 
Vivien is a clear base with pale metallic gold micro-shimmer and hexagonal glitter. It has a thicker consistency that is common with chunkier glitter polishes, but it doesn't hinder the application. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. Because the glitter comes in both fine and large sizes, it goes opaque in three medium coats. It is lighter and has more micro-shimmer than Deborah Lippmann's Boom Boom Pow.

The formulas on the majority of these (with the exception of Julia) were a little more time-consuming to use, but they aren't any more or less difficult to apply than any other glitter polishes. Either way, I thought they were all worth working with, because all of them are absolutely stunning. I think my favourite of the five would be Colbie, only because I cannot think of a single dupe for it. (I also happened to receive the most compliments while wearing that one.) Though I really loved Julia, too, because of the formula and because it reminded me of an amped up version of MAC's Trax eyeshadow, which I love. A big thumbs up for this month's Julep Maven Box!

Survey Says...

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Wednesday, December 26, 2012
This week's Survey Says... from Temptalia:
  1. Your skintone/colouring? Medium with yellow/olive undertones (NC35), dark brown hair and eyes.
  2. Perfect New Year's Eve lipstick? This year, I'm thinking a pinked nude lip after all the holiday reds. My current favourite combo is MAC Faux with Double Happiness Cremesheen Glass on top.
  3. Perfect New Year's Eve highlighter? NARS Miss Liberty. The peach in it softens it and keeps it from being too stark on my skintone, and it has the prettiest micro-shimmer in it that gives a beautiful glow without looking metallic.
  4. Perfect New Year's Eve eyeshadow combo? A warm smoky eye, using MAC All That Glitters, Sable, and Sketch. 

Maxim Bakery & Restaurant

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Tuesday, December 25, 2012
My mom and I went for our annual Christmas dinner at Maxim this evening. On the menu this year:

Norwegian smoked salmon with potato latke and sour cream

Roasted duck meat with cabbage and onion salad

Shrimp with spicy mayo on seaweed salad

Bacon-wrapped boneless quail stuffed with shitake mushroom

Lobster bisque au Cognac

Pan-seared Rossini-style filet mignon topped with paté

Mango meringue

Most of the menu stays the same every year, but I loved the variety this year with the appetizers, especially the smoked salmon with potato latke. The bacon-wrapped quail was every bit as decadent as it sounds, and while I like the lobster bisque at Day & Night (another Asian-run fine dining restaurant) more, Maxim's version is still rich, creamy, and flavourful. Of course, the comparison ends there, because in the end, I still prefer Maxim to Day & Night. The filet mignon was super-juicy, tender, and beautifully cooked to medium-rare perfection. The paté on top was a surprising touch and I thought it paired very nicely with the steak.

Maxim, originally being a bakery, is well-known for their cakes, and like every year, they offered a "mini dessert buffet" of their popular offerings. The only flaw here is that I was so damn full by time I finished the steak that I only had enough room for one dessert (first world problems, for serious), so I picked my favourite: the mango meringue. It's essentially whipped cream and fresh mangoes between two meringue cookies, and it is positively delightful. It's not overly sweet, and still light and airy while satisfying any sweet cravings. All in all, a fantastic dinner. I would come here more often, but I feel like I wouldn't appreciate their food nearly as much, so I think this place will remain our Christmas tradition (also because my mom and I are far too lazy to actually cook Christmas dinner).

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!


Maxim Bakery & Restaurant
9665 Bayview Avenue, Unit 1-4
Richmond Hill, ON L4C 9V4
(905) 883-1465

Merry XX-mas!

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This is the only way I can listen to Christmas music — when it's covered by an awesome band and sounds nothing like a Christmas song. Hope you are all having a safe and happy holiday!

Smoke's Poutinerie

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Monday, December 24, 2012
I finally tried out Smoke's Poutinerie with Ronsee:


Pulled Pork Poutine

Hogtown Poutine

We decided to share two poutines: the Pulled Pork and the Hogtown, which includes double-smoked bacon, Italian sausage, sautéed mushrooms, and caramelized onions. The Pulled Pork poutine is a favourite of many and is the most popular choice here. The pulled pork is just beautiful: tender, melt-in-your-mouth, flavourful with a zesty kick. It wasn't too sweet, either, which I prefer. In the Hogtown, the smoky flavour of the bacon and the spice of the Italian sausage are beautifully married and will satisfy any meat lover. The gravy is thick, rich, and luscious, and the cheese curds are authentic and come in very generous portions.

The Hogtown seems heartier with the amount of toppings, but I found them both to be just as filling and both absolutely worth getting. I'm not going to compare the poutine here to the ones found in Montreal, because no matter how many imitations there are, it won't be the same (they usually make their gravy from their smoked meat drippings, but I find that their smoked meat can never be duplicated). However, I will say that they're fantastic in their own way and they are by far the best poutine I've had in Toronto. I just can't believe it took me this long to try them out. Of course, I'm now determined to try every poutine on the menu.


Smoke's Poutinerie
218 Adelaide Street West
Toronto, ON M5H 1W7
(416) 599-2873

Sunday Video Love: Radioactive

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Sunday, December 23, 2012

My current feel-like-a-badass-driving-at-night song.

An Early Christmas Dinner

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Saturday, December 22, 2012
Janetta and her family invited me over to her house for my first ever Christmas dinner:

A 16-pound turkey for six people (!)

Slicing action

Served and ready to be devoured

Bread and mushroom stuffing with celery, onions, carrots, apricots, cranberries, and raisins

Shredded Brussels sprouts sautéed with onions and garlic

Roasted parsnips and sweet potatoes

Herb and garlic mashed potatoes

Deep-fried wontons

My glorious plate o' food drenched in homemade gravy

Peach berry pie

Cinnamon "wreath"

Christmas dinner seems to be a lot like Thanksgiving dinner. So much so, that Janetta accidentally called it "Thanksgiving" instead of "Christmas" about 12 times. But like my first-ever Thanksgiving dinner in October, Christmas dinner was just as epic and Janetta did a phenomenal job at cooking this festive feast, which she slaved over for two days. Thanks again for having me over, Janetta!

Now excuse me while I pass out from a severe bout of itis.

Friday Five: It's Not the End of the World

on
Friday, December 21, 2012
This week's Friday Five:
  1. What's something gross you've seen or tasted recently? I don't think I've tasted anything gross recently, but I was watching an episode of Hoarders in which a woman had like, 15 dead cats buried under crap in her house. Thought that was pretty gross.
  2. What movie this holiday season are you most looking forward to? Django Unchained. I'm always excited for new Tarantino!
  3. What makes one photographer better or worse than any other? This is clearly a very subjective question, but for me, it's a matter of creativity versus technicality. I've always viewed photography from an artistic point of view, so I don't care so much about the technical settings; I care more so about the aesthetics of the final photo, whether it looks good visually. I also think one's dependency on post-processing (e.g. Photoshop) plays an important role; I appreciate a photo that is aesthetically pleasing with minimal post-processing. Filters are fun for Instagram, but not for anything else.
  4. What specific, annual part of this season most makes you feel all the positive feelings again? I don't really celebrate Christmas or anything, but I do love the holiday drinks that coffee places offer this time of year. And good shopping deals. And twinkly lights. And paid statutory holidays.
  5. What are your thoughts on eggnog? I'm sort of indifferent to it, but I would never choose it if there was another drink option.

Joey Don Mills Grill & Lounge

on
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Went for dinner with Jack at Joey this evening:


The reason we went there to begin with is because Jack was craving their lobster grilled cheese, so we both ordered the same thing since it seems to be the most recommended item on their menu. For $16, you get a grilled cheese sandwich made with big chunks of Atlantic lobster and a generous amount of brie and cheddar in between two slices of perfectly crispy and extra-buttery sourdough bread. While it definitely doesn't have a lobster tail's worth of meat, it is still the best lobster grilled cheese I have ever had (if you're in the area, completely pass on Glow's version and head straight to Joey). It's a small portion, but it's extremely rich and fairly greasy, so that one sandwich will make you sufficiently full. On the side is a bowl of thin-cut golden fries, and two smaller dishes holding ketchup and cocktail sauce; don't waste the grilled cheese sandwich by dipping it in sauces, though, and use the fries instead. If you ever go to Joey, definitely order this — it's probably a bajillion calories but it is entirely worth it.


Joey Don Mills Grill & Lounge
15 O'Neill Road
Toronto, ON M3C 0H2
(416) 445-6391

Survey Says...

on
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
This week's Survey Says... from Temptalia:
  1. Your skintone/colouring? Medium with yellow/olive undertones (NC35), dark brown hair and eyes.
  2. Blush that's most flattering on you? MAC's Warm Soul, Sunbasque, and Springsheen.
  3. Lipstick that's most flattering on you? For red, MAC Viva Glam I. For a bright pink, MAC's Love Forever!. For a softer pink, MAC Lovelorn and Faux. For a nude, MAC Viva Glam II and Peachstock. For a vampy lip, MAC Rebel and Diva.
  4. Eyeshadow combo that's most flattering on you? My go-to eyeshadow combo is MAC All That Glitters all over the lid with Quarry in the crease.

Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer in Scuppered

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Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Okay, I know the Butter London Holiday 2012 collection came out ages ago (and I bought them over a month ago), but I only got around to trying them out now. As we all know, I have an obsession with glitter/shimmer polishes, so you can imagine how excited I was about this collection, in which all of the shades have some sort of sparkle element to it. They all have a Christmas-y or winter theme to them, but not predictably so. I thought I would try the most unique of the five shades first.


Scuppered is a medium-dark metallic bronze-copper base with fuchsia, gold, and bronze micro-glitter, and green hexagonal glitter. It has a fluid consistency, without being too thick or runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation, and will go opaque in two medium coats. I cannot think of any dupes at this time. This is kind of a weird shade, not just because it's so unique to Butter London, but because it has such an unexpected combination of components. It's not a striking shade, but there is a strange beauty to it, reminding me of hot apple cider and hot chocolate, putting up ornaments on Christmas trees, and shiny gift wrap paper. Festive without being obnoxiously so.

Sunday Video Love: I'm Not Your Hero

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Sunday, December 16, 2012

My latest song obsession. Heartthrob might very well be Tegan and Sara's best album to date and it hasn't even come out yet.

Szechuan Garden

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Saturday, December 15, 2012
Jack and I decided to meet up at First Markham Place for dinner, and it was a debate between Owl of Minerva or Szechuan Garden (but if you ever visit the place, the name on the awning of the restaurant says "Yummy Dumpling" not "Szechuan Garden," so it can get confusing). We had already been to Owl of Minerva twice in the past week, so Szechuan Garden ultimately won out.

Wontons in chili oil

Wonton in chili oil (innards)

Steamed pork soup dumplings

Steamed pork soup dumpling (innards)

Pan-fried leek pancakes

Even though I think the freshly-made dumplings at Chinese Dumpling House are better, the dumplings here will absolutely do in a pinch when the craving hits. The steamed pork soup dumplings were actually so addictive, we ended up ordering a second batch (which really sent us over the edge near the end... but not a dumpling was wasted!). I do think the pan-fried leek pancakes are better here, but given the choice, I'd still take Chinese Dumpling House over Szechuan Garden... Though I will take advantage of their "get second order of dumplings for half-price" deal at some point and eat my weight in dumplings...


Szechuan Garden
3225 Highway 7 East
Markham, ON L3R 3P3
(905) 513-7588

Friday Five: There's a Theme. Trust Me.

on
Friday, December 14, 2012
This week's Friday Five:
  1. How self-conscious do you get when someone's pointing a camera at you? On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being extremely self-conscious, I'd say an 8. Like, I'm not going to run away from the camera, but I hate people taking photos of me. I'm just not a photogenic person. I like being the photographer, not the photographed.
  2. What was the last meal you took a photo of? My pork bone soup at Owl of Minerva a few days ago.
  3. When were you last bitten or stung by something? A few years ago. I was having a smoke outside during the summer, and I was grabbing my cup of coffee off of a ledge where I had put it and there happened to be a wasp on it. And one of my fingers just happened to land on the wasp. My ring finger was swollen for days...
  4. What's something people miss most when they move away from your area? From my actual neighbourhood, probably the quietness and bigger roads. From my city, probably the multi-cultural aspect (and the food that comes along with it!). And from my country, probably the hospitality and kindness. And free health care.
  5. On long day-trips, do you prefer to be the driver or passenger? Why? I prefer to be the driver. I like driving long distances, and I also like being in control of how fast or efficient I get somewhere. And I find that if I am a passenger for too long, I can get car sick, which doesn't happen to me when I'm the driver.

MAC Taste Temptation: Nail Lacquers

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Thursday, December 13, 2012

Today, MAC released their first post-holiday collection called Taste Temptation. It is inspired by "a style of chic that surfaces after-hours and materializes with a magnetic pull, drawing in an exotic panorama of pleasure-seeking, night-blooming violets. Creativity and experimentation play out in a hypnotic neon violet haze, disappearing at dawn." This collection will see the release of 16 products — seven of which are new and limited edition, four of which are re-promotes, and five of which are permanent. This is more of a small, trend-based launch, rather than a full-blown seasonal colour collection, which is typical of MAC during this time of year. There are two limited edition shades of Nail Lacquer released with this collection, one of which is new and one of which is a re-promote. Each Nail Lacquer comes in a regular clear glass bottle with a black rubberized cap, contains a total of 10 ml of product, and retails for $19.

Blue Gaze and For Fun

Blue Gaze is a medium-dark indigo blue with purple tones in a Cream finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a fluid consistency, without being too thick or runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has intense pigmentation, and will go opaque in one medium coat. It is more purple than Deborah Lippmann's I Know What Boys Like and Julep's Gunta, slightly lighter than Nails Inc. London's Belgrave Place, and similar to MAC's Breezy Blue.
For Fun is a medium-dark magenta-purple in a Cream finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2009's Nail Trend F/W (Jin Soon Choi for MAC) collection, and is limited edition. It has a fluid consistency, without being too thick or runny. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has high pigmentation, and will go opaque in two medium coats. It is darker and more purple than Illamasqua's Grab, and slightly more magenta than Sephora by OPI's What a Broad.

I am happy to report that MAC has finally upped their game with their nail polishes! Both shades went on beautifully — smooth, even, pigmented, and completely self-levelling. MAC has a few shades that go on really nicely, but for the most part, their limited edition shades have either application or pigmentation issues. Considering that their nail polishes are more expensive than say, their eyeshadows and lipsticks, it makes a lot of people turn away from them and go to other brands for their nail products instead. I hope MAC's nail polish developers keep on making their formulas like this because we know that they're capable of it — seriously, Blue Gaze was a one-coater, you guys. Both are definitely worth getting if you love the colours; these are actually worth their inflated prices.

MAC Taste Temptation: Mattene Lipsticks

on

Today, MAC released their first post-holiday collection called Taste Temptation. It is inspired by "a style of chic that surfaces after-hours and materializes with a magnetic pull, drawing in an exotic panorama of pleasure-seeking, night-blooming violets. Creativity and experimentation play out in a hypnotic neon violet haze, disappearing at dawn." This collection will see the release of 16 products — seven of which are new and limited edition, four of which are re-promotes, and five of which are permanent. This is more of a small, trend-based launch, rather than a full-blown seasonal colour collection, which is typical of MAC during this time of year. There are three new and limited edition shades of Mattene Lipstick being released with this collection. MAC describes the Mattene Lipstick formula as "intense colour and semi-matte velvety finish while offering a creamier, softer, more glide-on application. Non-caking, non drying. Moisturizing and incredibly wearable yet absolutely matte." Each Mattene Lipstick comes in rubberized matte slim black tubes, contains a total of 2.3 g of product, and retails for $18. These are not applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program.

Nocturnal Instincts, Night Blooming, and Seductive Intent

Nocturnal Instincts is a light-medium dirty mauve-pink in a Mattene finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is soft and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and more greyed than Syrup, and slightly darker and more pink than Faux.
Night Blooming is a medium vibrant cool-toned magenta-fuchsia pink in a Mattene finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is soft and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is slightly lighter and more blue-toned than Girl About Town, and darker and more vibrant than Love Forever! Pro Longwear Lipcreme.
Seductive Intent is a medium-dark vibrant magenta-purple in a Mattene finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is soft and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and more magenta than Up the Amp, and lighter and less purple than Violetta (PRO).

These are by far the star products from Taste Temptation. Mattene is my favourite lipstick formula from MAC, and it makes me really sad to see that they are still not apart of the permanent range of lipsticks. All of the Mattenes that I tried from this collection are beautiful — creamy and non-drying, smooth and even application, rich and opaque colour, and comfortable to wear. Mattenes technically have a demi-matte finish, so they go on creamy with a slight sheen, but they dry down to a matte finish. They are not touted to be long-wearing, but they lasted about six hours before they started to fade even a little. If you like a matte look but want a less drying formula, definitely check these babies out, and snatch up every single shade you like, 'cause they are going to sell out fast.

MAC Taste Temptation: Taste Temptation Eyeshadow Quad

on
Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Tomorrow, MAC will release their first post-holiday collection called Taste Temptation. It is inspired by "a style of chic that surfaces after-hours and materializes with a magnetic pull, drawing in an exotic panorama of pleasure-seeking, night-blooming violets. Creativity and experimentation play out in a hypnotic neon violet haze, disappearing at dawn." This collection will see the release of 16 products — seven of which are new and limited edition, four of which are re-promotes, and five of which are permanent. This is more of a small, trend-based launch, rather than a full-blown seasonal colour collection, which is typical of MAC during this time of year. There is a new and limited edition eyeshadow quad being released with this collection. It comes in regular black packaging with a clear lid. Each eyeshadow quad contains a total of 5.8 g of product, and retails for $47.50.

Look at the Eyes, Stay Sultry, Carbon, and Naval

Look at the Eyes is a light greyed lilac in a Frost finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2009's Make-up Art Cosmetics collection, and is limited edition. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more grey than Beautiful Iris, and more purple than Crystal.
Stay Sultry is a blackened navy-purple with navy blue shimmer in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a slightly dry texture, and goes on a bit unevenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more purple than Nehru, and is more blackened than Contrast. 
Carbon is a softened black in a Matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a dry, stiff texture, and goes on a patchy and unevenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered easily, but is difficult to blend out well. It is more black than Nehru, and more pigmented than Black Tied.
Naval is a medium-dark indigo blue with purple undertones in a Velvet finish. This is a permanent PRO shade. It has a dry, stiff texture, and goes on a patchy and unevenly. It seems that this version of Naval is different than the permanent version, which I find to be much smoother and more pigmented. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered easily, but is difficult to blend out well. It is darker and more purple than Atlantic Blue, and lighter and more purple than Contrast.

MAC typically releases a dark, smoky eyeshadow quad this time of year, so it's not surprising that they released this; the colours included here are really quite beautiful for a dramatic, sultry eye look. My concern here is not so much the colours, but the texture of the shades. Three of the four shades are on the stiffer side and require quite a bit of work to blend out well. While they do go on smoother and more pigmented on the eye than in a swatch, for the average make-up user, it will be more time-consuming and more difficult to use these shades. I would suggest using a stiffer brush to apply the colours and then using a slightly fluffier brush to blend out the edges. I would also recommend a good eye primer so the shades look more vibrant on the eye. However, at $47.50 a pop, you're better off creating your own custom palette at MAC. I would suggest getting Beautiful Iris or Crystal, Nehru or Typographic, and Indian Ink or Naval (the permanent pan version, which is different than the one here). They're not exact dupes, but the looks created from them will be similar and they are all much easier to work with.

MAC Taste Temptation: Powder Blushes

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Tomorrow, MAC will release their first post-holiday collection called Taste Temptation. It is inspired by "a style of chic that surfaces after-hours and materializes with a magnetic pull, drawing in an exotic panorama of pleasure-seeking, night-blooming violets. Creativity and experimentation play out in a hypnotic neon violet haze, disappearing at dawn." This collection will see the release of 16 products — seven of which are new and limited edition, four of which are re-promotes, and five of which are permanent. This is more of a small, trend-based launch, rather than a full-blown seasonal colour collection, which is typical of MAC during this time of year. There are two shades of blush being released with this collection, both of which are new and limited edition. They come in regular black packaging with clear lids. Each blush contains 6 g of product, and retails for $24.

Passionately Tempted and Unconventional

Passionately Tempted is a darkened vivid magenta-plum with red undertones in a Satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a slightly dry, stiff texture, and goes on a bit patchy and unevenly. It has very high pigmentation and intense opaque colour pay-off. Due to the texture, it is easy to layer but can be difficult to blend out. It is darker and more reddened than Rhubarb (PRO only), and more pinked than Stubborn Pro Longwear Blush. 
Unconventional is a pale cool-toned lavender pink with shimmer-sheen in a Frost finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly lighter and more lavender than Well Dressed.

While Passionately Tempted is a beautiful colour, it can be difficult to blend out because of the drier texture, so I would take caution when applying it, using light layers with a fluffier brush, especially on lighter skintones. Unconventional has a gorgeous texture, smooth and soft, and despite the cool undertones, it doesn't turn ashy. However, because it is such a light colour, it will show up as a blush best on light skintones and as more of a highlighter on darker skintones. A great way to utilize both shades would actually be to layer Unconventional over Passionately Tempted — the latter will provide a pop of colour, and Unconventional will help soften it, even out the texture, and add a nice glow with its shimmer-sheen. You'll be left with a beautiful mid-tone colour that looks lovely on the skin, and is still in-line with the rest of the Taste Temptation collection.

The Owl of Minerva

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Tuesday, December 11, 2012

After last week's major disappointment, I was determined to go back to Owl of Minerva for pork bone soup, especially given the bitterly cold temperatures recently. So, the gang and I headed there and all four of us got the same thing. I usually get mine with glass noodles (I might be the only Asian person in the world who doesn't like pork bone soup with rice), but I decided to try the rice cakes this time and they are fantastic (I like the textural contrast they provide). The soup is perfectly flavourful with just enough spice (I usually get mild, and that's all the spice I need because I generally don't eat spicy), and the meat, of which you get three full hocks, are super-tender and falls off the bone easily. It was every bit the epic deliciousness that I expected. Still the best pork bone soup I've had in the city.


The Owl of Minerva
3255 Highway 7 East, Unit 7
Markham, ON L6G 0A5
(905) 477-7275

Estée Lauder Warehouse Sale — Winter 2012

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Monday, December 10, 2012
Jack and I went to the Estée Lauder warehouse sale on Friday. I reminded him to not let me buy any make-up because I have bought way too much recently and, let's be honest, I just have too much of it in general. I wasn't really planning on buying anything (I went "just to look"), but I picked up a few things that I thought were worth it.

Origins Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Soufflé, A Perfect World Intensely Hydrating Body Cream, and A Perfect World Highly Hydrating Body Lotion

Like last time, I stocked up on some Origins body moisturizers because I love them but would never buy them at full price. I've never tried the Gloomaway line, but it smells amazing so I picked up the Body Soufflé because it was on sale for $20 from $36. And since they're some of my favourite body products of all time, I re-bought both the A Perfect World Body Lotion (for $18 from $31) and Body Cream (for $20 from $39). I was tempted to buy the Ginger Cloud Smoothing Body Balm as well, but I'm on a budget and thought spending $60 on body moisturizer was more than enough.

MAC Pressed Pigment in Spotlit, Fluidline in Local Wares, Cremesheen Glass in Meteoric, and Lipstick in Shy Girl

Now, what was really worth it was the $5 MAC charity grab bags (all the money goes to MAC AIDS Fund and the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign). They don't display the contents anymore so each bag is a mystery, but from what I saw, each bag had at least three MAC products from collections that were released quite recently (one of which had a nail polish from the Marilyn Monroe collection!). Mine included a Pressed Pigment in Spotlit from September's Face and Body collection, a Fluidline in Local Wares from August's Styleseeker collection, and a Cremesheen Glass in Meteoric from July's Heavenly Creatures collection. I kind of regret not picking up more of the grab bags, but it's cash-only and I only had $5 on me. I take solace in the fact that I probably already have most of the products contained in the bags. But the free gift this time? Shy Girl lipstick. Totally worth going for that alone, since it's permanent and retails for $18 (and is universally flattering!).