Pick-Ups & Deliveries: December 2013 — End of Year Haul

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Monday, December 30, 2013
Well, folks, this is officially the last haul post of the year. Surprisingly, I didn't do nearly as much Boxing Week shopping as I thought I would, partially because I just didn't have the patience to actually check out stores and partially because I did a ton of shopping just before Christmas, but mostly because the sales just weren't that great this year. I think people did so much shopping on Black Friday that retailers just didn't want to risk ordering that much more stuff for Boxing Day for fear that they wouldn't sell through their products. So, actually, this haul isn't technically post-Christmas haul, it's more like "everything I got after my last haul post" haul.

Bath & Body Works Spring St. Sweet Shop Collection 3-Wick Candles in Pineapple Cream Puff, Honey Cinnamon Crumb Cake, and Lemon Drops

Bath & Body Works Winter Market Collection 3-Wick Candle in Merry Mango, Travel Body Lotion in Amber Blush, and Lambie Shea-Infused Lounge Socks

It all started with the candle sale at Bath & Body Works during the week before Christmas. I know I already bought quite a few candles during Indigo's Black Friday sale, but Bath & Body Works had a 3 for $33.50 sale on all their 3-wick candles and I had a coupon for 30% off any $30 purchase, so I could not resist (it ended up being three candles for $23 after tax!). They came out with a ton of new "spring test" candles right before Christmas, too, which enticed me even more because I'm not really fond of their winter scents. I ended up getting three from their Spring St. Sweet Shop collection: Pineapple Creampuff, Honey Cinnamon Crumb Cake, and Lemon Drops. I'm typically not one for gourmand scents, but I fell in love with these ones for some reason. Then, my Secret Santa gifted me a Merry Mango candle (this is my favourite scent from all the new releases, but they were all sold out of it during the sale), plus a mini Amber Blush body lotion and a pair of super-cute lamb shea-infused lounge socks. 

Bath & Body Works Body Lotion in Country Chic, Cashmere Glow, Japanese Cherry Blossom, and Be Enchanted

Janetta also e-mailed me a coupon for a free body lotion from Bath & Body Works, with no purchase necessary. The flaw in the system here is that you don't need to print out the coupon; you can just show them the coupon through your phone. I assume it's one per customer but the coupon code is the same on every coupon and they don't take your information down, so there's no way for them to keep track of who's received or used the coupons. So I ended up going into the store two different times to get two free body lotions, and then I sent both my mom and my friend Suzie to get me two more free body lotions. Because I have no shame.

Lush Christmas Friends Gift Box

Lush Christmas Friends Gift Box contents: Bombardino Bath Bomb, Snowman Bath Bomb, Melting Snowman Bath Melt, The Magic Wand Bubble Bar, Father Christmas Bath Bomb, and The Christmas Penguin Bubble Bar 

Lush Mr. Punch and Angel's Delight Soaps and Cinders Bath Bomb

My delightful friend, F., who works at Lush and already gifted me with loads of goodies on my birthday last month, spoiled me some more for Christmas. I told her how much I've been loving the Christmas bath stuff that Lush came out with this year, so she surprised me with a Lush Christmas Friends Gift Box, which includes their Bombardino Bath Bomb (my favourite — smells like lemon cupcakes!), Snowman Bath Bomb, Melting Snowman Bath Melt, The Magic Wand Bubble Bar, Father Christmas Bath Bomb, and The Christmas Penguin Bubble Bar. Seriously, I'm set for all my bathing needs for the next two years. And then on Boxing Day, I went into the Lush store to see what they had left of their Buy One, Get One Boxing Day sale (the only sale they ever have), and though they were sold out of pretty much all their Christmas stuff, I managed to grab a couple slabs of Mr. Punch and Angel's Delight soaps, which ended up being about $9 total. And since my other Lush friend, A., was working that day, he also gifted me with an extra Cinders Bath Bomb that he had stashed away, 'cause he's nice like that.

The Body Shop Body Butters in Brazil Nut, Shea, and Coconut

The Body Shop Body Butters in Honeymania, Vitamin E, and Papaya

The Body Shop Shower Creams in Brazil Nut and Coconut, Almond Hand & Nail Cream, and White Musk Body Butter

The week before Christmas, The Body Shop was having a crazy online sale where every single item was 50% off, and when you spent $75, you also got a full-size hand cream of your choice (along with free shipping). I like Bath & Body Works for their candles, but I've always liked The Body Shop more for their actual body products. I just think their products are more effective and better quality, and I generally like their scents more. Plus, they're cruelty-free and way more eco-conscious. So, I took the opportunity to stock up on body butters, which are my favourite products from The Body Shop, and ended up getting seven: Brazil Nut, Shea, Coconut, Honeymania, Vitamin E, Papaya, and White Musk. I also snatched up two of their Shower Creams in Brazil Nut and Coconut (amazing for dry skin in the winter), and picked the Almond Hand & Nail Cream as my freebie 'cause I spent over $75. 

Formula X for Sephora The X Look Nail Color Gift Set

I also got the Formula X for Sephora The X Look nail polish gift set from another Secret Santa, which includes nail polish in Dark Matter (black cream), Atom + Eve (ruby red glitter), Bond, Ionic Bond (iridescent champagne glitter), and Mr. Positivity (emerald green glitter), plus two ASAP Accent nail appliqués in black-and-red geometric and black-and-gold art deco. Finally, I received cash from my relatives, and a pair of black Aerie Boyfriend sweatpants (I always complain that no one makes pajama bottoms with pockets for women, so he got me these instead) plus dinner reservations to Sassafraz from Edward. All in all, a good ending to the year, me thinks. 

So, what did y'all get for Christmas? Did you find any good Boxing Week deals?

MAC Magnetic Nude: Lipsticks

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Sunday, December 29, 2013

On Thursday, MAC released a new collection in-stores called Magnetic Nude, which was inspired by "your inner magnetism, as glimmering metallics and natural nudes redefine winter opulence." This collection consists of 26 products, of which 16 are new and limited edition, nine are re-promotes, and one is permanent. Magnetic Nude sees the release of four lipstick shades, all of which are new and limited edition. Each lipstick comes in regular black packaging, contains 3 grams of product, and retails for $18. These are applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program at all locations.

Sensual Sparks, Close Contact, Morning Rose, and Carnal Instinct

Sensual Sparks, Close Contact, Morning Rose, and Carnal Instinct

Sensual Sparks is a medium tan beige with orange undertones in an Amplified 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 more brown than Cherish, and less orange than Mocha.
Close Contact is a light-medium warm peachy beige in an Amplified 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 more beige than Peachstock (PRO), and less pink than Pure Zen.
Morning Rose is a medium warm rosy pink with soft golden shimmer-sheen in a Cremesheen finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is soft and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is more pink than Viva Glam V, and slightly warmer than Syrup. 
Carnal Instinct is a medium-dark reddened brown with copper and gold shimmer in a Frost 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 brown than Fresh Moroccan, and darker and more reddened than Strength.

Not the most exciting colours that MAC has released recently, but it's typical for MAC to launch a very neutral collection alongside a very dramatic collection on Boxing Day, and this year, they were Magnetic Nude and Punk Couture, respectively. While I do think there are very similar shades to these within MAC's permanent range, I will note that Close Contact is a great nude shade for fair to medium skintones, as is Sensual Sparks for medium to dark skintones. Plus, they are both in Amplified formulas, so they're pigmented and rich in colour but are creamy with a soft sheen. Morning Rose is the one shade that literally looks good on everybody from fair to dark, and Carnal Instinct is probably the most unique shade from this launch, working as a great vampy shade for lighter skintones while being a wonderful "everyday" shade for dark skintones. Whereas Punk Couture gave us extremely dark, almost gothic shades in matte finishes, we see the complete opposite here with creamy neutrals and nudes with sheen and shimmer. So whatever your cup of tea is, you'll be sure to find at least one lipstick you'll like from MAC's Boxing Day collections.

MAC Magnetic Nude: Extra Dimension Eyeshadow in Silver Dawn, Platinum Love, A Natural Flirt, Sweet Heat, and Amorous Alloy

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Saturday, December 28, 2013

On Thursday, MAC released a new collection in-stores called Magnetic Nude, which was inspired by "your inner magnetism, as glimmering metallics and natural nudes redefine winter opulence." This collection consists of 26 products, of which 16 are new and limited edition, nine are re-promotes, and one is permanent. Magnetic Nude sees the release of five shades of Extra Dimension Eyeshadow, featuring three new and limited edition shades, and two re-promoted shades. All the Extra Dimension products feature a "liquid-powder hybrid formula with prismatic reflections" that create a "luminous, visually arresting, well-defined finish." Each Extra Dimension Eyeshadow features a wave design embossed on the surface with the MAC logo imprinted around it, and comes in regular black packaging, contains 1.3 grams of product, and retails for $22.50.

Clockwise from bottom left: Silver Dawn, Platinum Love, A Natural Flirt, Sweet Heat, and Amorous Alloy

Silver Dawn, Platinum Love, A Natural Flirt, Sweet Heat, and Amorous Alloy

Silver Dawn is a medium-dark neutral taupe-brown with a soft satin sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a lightweight, 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 more brown than Satin Taupe, and more grey than Sable.
Platinum Love is a pale silvered white with a metallic sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a lightweight, 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 more metallic than Crystal Avalanche, and similar though smoother than Forgery.
A Natural Flirt is a light peachy beige with gold shimmer and a soft satin sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2012's Glamour Daze collection, and is limited edition. It has a lightweight, 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 darker and more shimmery than Orb, and more peach than Dazzlelight.
Sweet Heat is a light-medium bronzed peachy pink with a metallic sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2012's In Extra Dimension collection, and is limited edition. It has a lightweight, 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 more bronze than All That Glitters, and more pink than Honey Lust. 
Amorous Alloy is a medium-dark warm terracotta copper with a soft frosted sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a lightweight, 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 more reddened than Antiqued, and darker and more brown than Coppering.

I've always been a fan of the Extra Dimension formula, and I'm so glad MAC decided to release new eyeshadow shades with it. It somehow has that really smooth, ultra-pigmented look of a Veluxe Pearl eyeshadow while being super-lightweight like a Mineralize Eyeshadow. And you can use these both wet and dry, so you can play around with the intensity and colour pay-off. Most of these shades are fairly dupeable within MAC's permanent eyeshadow range, but they are all universally flattering and the Extra Dimension formula is honestly just a dream to work with. My must-haves from this collection are Sweet Heat, which literally looks good on everybody as an all-over shade (fairer skintones can use this as a crease colour, and darker skintones can use this as a highlight, too), and Amorous Alloy, which is the most unique of the five and just has a gorgeous depth to it that translates beautifully on the eye.

MAC Magnetic Nude: Extra Dimension Blush in At Dusk, Autoerotique, and Pleasure Model

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Friday, December 27, 2013

Yesterday, MAC released a new collection in-stores called Magnetic Nude, which was inspired by "your inner magnetism, as glimmering metallics and natural nudes redefine winter opulence." This collection consists of 26 products, of which 16 are new and limited edition, nine are re-promotes, and one is permanent. Magnetic Nude sees the release of three shades of Extra Dimension Blush, featuring two new and limited edition shades, and one re-promoted shade. All the Extra Dimension products feature a "liquid-powder hybrid formula with prismatic reflections" that create a "luminous, visually arresting, well-defined finish." Each Extra Dimension Skinfinish features a wave design embossed on the surface with the MAC logo imprinted around it, and comes in regular black packaging, contains 6.5 grams of product, and retails for $29.50.

Clockwise from top: At Dusk, Autoerotique, and Pleasure Model

At Dusk, Autoerotique, and Pleasure Model

At Dusk is a light-medium neutral rose pink with a soft satin sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from this April's In Extra Dimension collection, and is limited edition. It has a lightweight, 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 darker and warmer than Well Dressed Powder Blush, and lighter and cooler than Dainty Mineralize Blush.
Autoerotique is a medium vibrant coral rose with a soft satin sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a lightweight, 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 warmer than Fleur Power Powder Blush, and lighter and more coral than Desert Rose Powder Blush.
Pleasure Model is a medium-dark vibrant terracotta peach with brown undertones and a soft satin sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a lightweight, 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 darker and more pearlized than Coppertone Powder Blush, and brighter and more orange-toned than Peachtwist Powder Blush.

The blushes are a newer addition to the Extra Dimension family (they were first introduced this past Spring), and I am pleased to find that they have the same super-silky, finely-milled, and ultra-smooth texture that we've come to expect from the Extra Dimension formula, but without the intense metallic finish that is associated with it. Because At Dusk is a lighter shade, it will show up best on fair to light-medium skintones; they will need to be layered to show up on medium to medium-dark skintones, but will start to look ashy on dark skintones. Autoerotique and Pleasure Model can go on quite bright, but they buff out very easily, so they can suit all skintones, though those with very fair to light skintones will want to work in light layers to achieve the look they want (these are very pigmented, so a little goes a long way). All three shades have a beautiful satin finish with a subtle sheen that leaves a nice illuminated glow on the skin without being shiny or shimmery; this is probably the most flattering blush formula that MAC has come out with, and thusly, I feel like these are must-haves (especially for blush fiends, though they are also perfect for the general blush wearer).

MAC Magnetic Nude: Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Fairly Precious, Magnetic Appeal, and Superb

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Yesterday, MAC released a new collection in-stores called Magnetic Nude, which was inspired by "your inner magnetism, as glimmering metallics and natural nudes redefine winter opulence." This collection consists of 26 products, of which 16 are new and limited edition, nine are re-promotes, and one is permanent. Magnetic Nude sees the release of three shades of Extra Dimension Skinfinish, featuring two new and limited edition shades, and one re-promoted shade. All the Extra Dimension products feature a "liquid-powder hybrid formula with prismatic reflections" that create a "luminous, visually arresting, well-defined finish." Each Extra Dimension Skinfinish features a wave design embossed on the surface with the MAC logo imprinted around it, and comes in regular black packaging, contains 9 grams of product, and retails for $35.

Clockwise from left: Fairly Precious, Magnetic Appeal, and Superb

Fairly Precious, Magnetic Appeal, and Superb

Fairly Precious is a light warm golden peach with a pearly sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a lightweight, 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. There's nothing really similar to this in MAC's permanent range; it is much warmer and peachier than Soft and Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish, and lighter and peachier than Trace Gold Powder Blush.
Magnetic Appeal is a medium golden bronze with a golden sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a lightweight, 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 lighter and less orange-toned than Sunbasque Powder Blush, and darker and more bronze than Golden Bronzing Powder.
Superb is a light rosy champagne beige with a pearly sheen in an Extra Dimension finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2012's In Extra Dimension collection, and is limited edition. It has a lightweight, 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 similar though more pearlized and less metallic than Soft and Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish.

Oh, yes, Extra Dimension Skinfinishes are back! For those who are familiar with Estée Lauder's Pure Color Illuminating Powder Gelée, this is basically the same product. The finish, the texture, the look on skin... It makes sense, as Estée Lauder owns MAC, that they would recycle some of the same formulas. The good news is that if you missed out on Estée Lauder's versions or MAC's previous releases, you can now get your hands on them again! For those who don't like the way Mineralize Skinfinishes emphasize skin texture and pores, the Extra Dimension Skinfinishes will be much, much more appealing, as they give that amazing glow without nearly as much emphasis on skin texture. These are also much smoother than Mineralize Skinfinishes in both application and finish, and wear a lot longer as well (an average of eight to ten hours!) — seriously, these are a dream to work with. I really wish MAC would just make these permanent already, but alas, no such luck. If you missed out before, definitely check them out now before they sell out.

MAC Punk Couture: Lipsticks

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Thursday, December 26, 2013

Today, MAC released a new collection in-stores called Punk Couture, which was inspired by "punk's rebel spirit and revolutionary impact on high fashion." This collection consists of 17 products, of which eight are new and limited edition, and nine are permanent. Punk Couture sees the release of four shades of lipstick, three of which are new and limited edition and one of which is a re-promote. Each lipstick comes in regular black packaging, contains 3 grams of product, and retails for $18. These are applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program at all locations.

Studded Kiss, Instigator, Hautecore, and Punk Couture

Studded Kiss, Instigator, Hautecore, and Punk Couture

Studded Kiss is a medium-dark brightened burgundy red in a Retro Matte 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 cooler than Viva Glam I, and warmer than Diva.
Instigator is a blackened cool-toned berry plum with purple undertones in a Retro Matte 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 more purple than Media, and similar to Smoked Purple (PRO).
Hautecore is a deep dark true black in a Retro Matte finish. This is a re-promoted shade from this year's online Hautecore Friday launch. The texture is on the drier, stiffer side, so there will be some tugging or pulling upon application, and it can go on patchy. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. There is nothing similar to this in MAC's permanent lipstick range; it is similar though more matte than Black Lipmix.
Punk Couture is a blackened blue-toned purple in a Retro Matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is on the drier, stiffer side, so there will be some tugging or pulling upon application, and it can go on patchy. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. There is nothing similar to this in MAC's permanent lipstick; it is much more blue-toned than Smoked Purple (PRO) and Cyber.

Fan of the super vampy lip? This collection's for you! While I do think Studded Kiss and Instigator are relatively dupeable, the other two shades are actually pretty unique. MAC has released shades like these before, but there's nothing quite like them in their permanent range. If you missed out on Hautecore this past Black Friday, here's your chance to grab it in-store now (it was launched on its own as an online exclusive shade for Black Friday), though there are several brands that carry true black lipsticks permamently that are similar to this one. Punk Couture is actually a really interesting shade that I haven't seen many brands offer before (the closest I can think of is Illamasqua's Kontrol, but this one is less blue), so if you've been looking for a dark purple lipstick, this one is worth checking out.

Fair warning, though: Dark lipsticks are extremely high-maintenance, and these are no exception. A lip liner is definitely recommended to keep lines clean and polished, and your lips must be smooth and exfoliated because these lipsticks are Retro Mattes (e.g. long-wearing but fairly dry) and they do show lip texture. Also, make sure your lips are completely dry (e.g. don't lick your lips or apply lip balm right before applying) before putting them on because they'll go on unevenly. Actually, I've found that the best way to apply these to make sure the colour goes on even and smooth is to line and fill your lips with a lip liner first. Within MAC's permanent range, Burgundy Lip Pencil would work well with Studded Kiss, and Nightmoth Lip Pencil matches Instigator perfectly. MAC doesn't technically make matching lip liners to Hautecore and Punk Couture, but their Powerpoint Eye Pencils (which are waterproof, smudge-proof, transfer-proof, and long-wearing) in Engraved and Permaplum, respectively, are excellent for this purpose.

MAC Punk Couture: Punk Couture Eyeshadow Palette

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Today, MAC released a new collection in-stores called Punk Couture, which was inspired by "punk's rebel spirit and revolutionary impact on high fashion." This collection consists of 17 products, of which eight are new and limited edition, and nine are permanent. Punk Couture sees the release of one new and limited edition eyeshadow palette, featuring two re-promoted shades and two permanent shades. Each palette comes in regular black packaging, contains 5.6 grams of product, and retails for $47.50.

Top row: All Races and Idol Eyes; Bottom row: Magic Moor and Carbon

All Races, Idol Eyes, Magic Moor, and Carbon

All Races is a light cool mauve-toned taupe-grey in a Matte finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2010's All Ages, All Races, All Sexes collection, and is limited edition. 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. There's nothing really similar to this in MAC's permanent eyeshadow range; it is much cooler and more grey than Malt.
Idol Eyes is a light silvered lavender with a gold sparkle in a Lustre finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more grey than Beautiful Iris, warmer and more purple than Filament.
Magic Moor is a dark purple-toned burgundy with a pearly sheen in a Veluxe Pearl finish. This is a re-promoted shade from 2010's Tartan Tale collection, and is also permanent in the Pink Freeze Eyeshadow Quad. 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 burgundy than Shadowy Lady, and cooler and more purple than Sketch.
Carbon is a soft black in a Matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a drier, stiffer texture, and can go on patchy and unevenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered easily, but can be difficult to blend out well. It is warmer than Nehru, and less pigmented than Typographic.

Despite the return of Carbon in a limited edition eyeshadow quad (yet again), I actually really like the combination of these shades. While I do think MAC needs to come out with a smoother, more pigmented, true carbon black, Carbon is easy enough to work with in execution (it looks far patchier and drier in a swatch than on the eye), as long as you're using it to darken other shades. What irks me is Carbon's inclusion in so many damn palettes that MAC comes out with. I think Nehru or even Shadowy Lady would've been a great substitution shade for Carbon here, but I digress. On another note, I never thought much of Idol Eyes before, but upon playing with this palette, I've actually really come to appreciate the almost-duochrome effect of the gold sparkle playing off the lavender, and it really does look stunning on the eyes. I also love that All Races and Magic Moor have been re-promoted in this palette (they were actually re-promoted together in MAC's Stroke of Midnight Cool Face Palette that was out for holiday a couple months ago), because they're really gorgeous shades in wonderfully smooth, pigmented formulas that just veers into the purple territory without being full-blown purple shades. Whether you're punk or not (or even like punk style), this is a great palette for those who love their purple-tinted smoky eyes.

Christmas Dinner at Essence of Unionville

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013
My brother flew in from New York yesterday to spend Christmas with us this year, and as per tradition, my mom made a reservation at a restaurant for Christmas dinner because she says it's too much hassle to cook Christmas dinner at home. (And I am absolutely useless in the kitchen.) Now, we typically go to Maxim's for their Christmas menu, but my mom heard good things about the Christmas buffet at the Essence of Unionville, which is one of the restaurants inside the Hilton Suites, so we decided to go there instead.

Prime rib with gravy and horseradish and Yorkshire pudding

Roast turkey with stuffing and gravy, lamb tenderloin, roasted potatoes, and turnips, green beans, and carrots

Chocolate dipped strawberry, raspberry white chocolate mousse, raspberry tart, and strawberry tart

And that was all I could stuff into myself, which was a damn shame because I didn't even touch the salad bar (though, to be honest, why the hell would I waste my stomach space on salad for Christmas dinner?) or the cheese and charcuterie plates, or the crab legs, or the soups, or the pastas (too much starch at a buffet = rookie mistake). I would say that the Christmas buffet special at the Hilton is worth checking out because it's actually really good for a buffet, with a decent selection of "Christmas dinner" food to suit everyone. But for $45 a head, I do think going back to Maxim's for their Christmas menu is more worth it. Though there isn't as much choice as a buffet, their menu is well-curated, the quality of their food is always excellent, and the service is way more attentive and efficient. I mean, it took our server tonight ten minutes to get us some coffees, and another ten just to get us the check. Anyway, that's all I really did today. Which is just as well, because what else is there to do today but eat with family and be lazy? 

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Day!

Rainbow Honey Nail Lacquer in Tiny Ruby

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Monday, December 23, 2013

I've been curious about indie brand Rainbow Honey for a while now, so when Nail Polish Canada announced that they started carrying the brand, I immediately logged in to their site to put in an order. I didn't want to go too overboard because they're $11.50 a pop, so I ended up picking up the five shades that intrigued me the most (as witnessed in my most recent haul post). There are a lot more shades that I was tempted by, but I had to practice some sort of self-control given all the other expenses that December entails. But you can be sure that I will pick up some more of their polishes in the (very) near future because there's just too many gorgeous, unique shades to ignore. Of course, given the time of year, I felt the need to wear something more festive, so I busted out the most "holiday" looking one, Tiny Ruby. Ironically, this shade was actually released with Rainbow Honey's Summer collection (which was inspired by the 1995 SNES hit, Earthbound), but that just proves that this can be worn all year round.


Tiny Ruby is a medium-dark ruby red jelly base with red, fuchsia, and gold holographic hexagonal glitter, micro-glitter, shimmer, and micro-shimmer. It has a slightly thicker consistency that is common with glitter polishes, but it doesn't hinder the application. It goes on smoothly and evenly, without any pulling, bubbling, or streaking. It has medium pigmentation and will go opaque in three medium coats. I can't think of any dupes for this. I'm not usually into red polishes, but this one is surprisingly elegant to me, especially for a glitter. The red, fuchsia, and gold work well together to create a lovely dimension and depth without being too tacky or crazy, and adds just the right amount of whimsy. I also like that it doesn't lean too warm or too cool, so it should look amazing on all skintones. It's a great shade for someone who likes red nails but wants to glam it up for a special occasion. For some reason, this really reminds me of those red rupees from The Legend of Zelda. And also Chinese New Year dragons.

Sunday Video Love: Set Fire to the Rain

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Sunday, December 22, 2013

Where were you yesterday, Adele?

Friday Five: Pages

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Friday, December 20, 2013
This week's Friday Five:
  1. What book's pages seemed to fly by as you read them? More recently, I'd say Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska by John Green, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, and the entire Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. While I was reading those books, I would hibernate and literally lose sleep because I had to know what happens before going to bed.
  2. What's a book you were pretty sure you would dislike but turned out to be great? Honestly, I'd have to say the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. Say what you will about her writing style or whatever, but I thought the series in its entirety was a really great story with really memorable characters and I couldn't put them down when I was reading them.
  3. What book's main character would you fall in love with if you knew him or her in real life, and why? The character Jace from the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. He's reckless, aggressive, sarcastic, and arrogant, but he's also graceful and fragile at the same time. I mean, he's a bad boy with a soft heart — every girl's kryptonite. Plus, he just sounds goddamn sexy.
  4. Who's the author you've read the most books by? I would say J. K. Rowling, with seven novels.
  5. What's a really long book you enjoyed? I'd say Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling, which has 766 pages (well, the UK/Canadian version of the book).

Pick-Ups & Deliveries: December 2013 — Pre-Christmas Haul

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Thursday, December 19, 2013
So... I know I said November was going to be an expensive month, but it looks like it's turning out to be an expensive season in general. I'm going to split December's haul into two posts, one for pre-Christmas and one for post-Christmas (because you know Boxing Week shopping is going to be crazy). As we all know, Black Friday happened. And then Cyber Monday. Which turned into Cyber Monday Week. And every single retailer both in-store and online are having pre-Christmas sales right now. I don't know what's going on, but I had to succumb to at least some temptations, you know? It all started with Indigo's Black Friday sales, which featured 40% off nearly all of their Voluspa candles. I actually love Voluspa because I think their scents are more sophisticated and way less overpowering than Bath & Body Works' candles. But the reason I don't buy them as often is because they're typically quite expensive and they only go on sale a few times a year (compared to Bath & Body Works, which puts their candles on sale like, every damn month). I've been tempted to get a lot of candles form Voluspa's Japonica collection, so I decided to snatch up two of the travel trios and an extra French Cade Lavender travel candle because it's one of my favourite scents and it was only $5.

Voluspa Japonica Collection Mini Travel Candle Trio with Baltic Amber, Santiago Huckleberry, and Goji Tarocco Orange

Voluspa Mini Travel Candle in French Cade Lavender and Japonica Collection Mini Travel Candle Trio with French Cade Lavender, Eden & Pear, and Crème de Peche

On that same Black Friday weekend, Hautelook was having a Miss Sixty outerwear event, and since I bought a couple of Miss Sixty winter coats two years ago from Hautelook that I love to death and wear all the time, I decided to take a look to see what styles they had on sale this time around. I saw this lovely double-breasted wool peacoat with pleating and belt detailing that is feminine without being girly and is nicely tailored and polished. It was on sale for 60% off, for $109 from $270, so I decided to get one in black (surprise, surprise) with gold hardware (it also came in silver, but I thought the gold look more sophisticated). My shipment arrived a couple weeks later, and I got not one but two of the same coat due to a shipping error. My mom really loved the style of the coat, so I gave the other one to her as her Christmas present. Thusly, my coat was only $54.50. Can't beat 80% off, am I right? And then Aritzia was also having their Black Friday sale, so I finally picked up the online-exclusive black Wilfred drapey Japanese crepe blazer that I'd had my eye on for two months because it was on sale for $150 from $225. Love, love, love.

Miss Sixty Pleated Wool Peacoat (front and back)

Wilfred Snowdon Jacket

And then I went on a nail polish rampage. It was inevitable. I went to Wal-Mart one unassuming evening just to pick up some essentials (e.g. hair conditioner, anti-bacterial wipes, gum, magazines, etc.), and was casually perusing their nail polishes when I saw that a couple brands were on sale at their Roll Back prices. I don't typically get tempted my drugstore nail polishes, but Essie was going for $7.47 each from $8.97, and Sally Hansen was going for $6.97 from $8.47, so I picked up some fun shades that I'd had my eye on. Then, I was at Loblaws buying some K-Cups for the new Keurig MINI Plus brewer that Ronsee got for me as a late birthday/early Christmas present and spotted some lovely new Joe Fresh nail polish shades that are out for the holidays. They weren't technically on sale, but as they're always at a bargain price of 3 for $10, I snatched up the six that caught my eye. Finally, I got an e-mail from Nail Polish Canada announcing that they were finally stocking Rainbow Honey, an indie brand that I've been wanting to check out for ages, so I picked up five shades from them, too. They weren't on sale or anything... I just wanted them. 

Essie Encrusted Treasures Nail Lacquer in Lots of Lux and Peak of Chic, and Luxe Effects Top Coat in Jazzy Jubilant

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Holiday 2013 Nail Polish in Fa-la-la-lavender and 3, 2, 1derland and Sequin Overcoat in Over the Rainblue

Joe Fresh Nail Polish in Topaz, Copper, Quartz, Peacock, Mulberry, and Ruby

Rainbow Honey Nail Lacquer in Tiny Ruby, Koi Pond, The Kraken, Sapphire Weapon, and Emerald Weapon

A week later, Beyond the Rack was having a Michael Todd True Organics sale event featuring nearly all of their skincare products, wherein everything was 40 - 60% off. I've been intrigued by the brand for a while now since seeing it pop up all over in magazines and YouTube videos, so I decided to take the opportunity to try out some of their products. I ended up getting their Honey and Oat Gentle Deep Pore Cleanser and Charcoal Detox Deep Pore Gel Cleanser for $14 each from $23, the Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub and Blue Green Algae Antibacterial Toner for $12 each from $18.50, and the Hydration Boost Facial Serum for $18 from $37. All of these products have gotten amazing, glowing, raving reviews, so I'm pretty interested to see what the hype's all about. I've never been one to be drawn to organic products, but if these work well, I might just be a convert.

Michael Todd True Organics Honey and Oat Cleanser, Charcoal Detox Cleanser, Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub, Blue Green Algae Antibacterial Toner, and Hydration Boost Facial Serum

One of my good friends who works at Lush offered to grab some things for me with his discount, so I went into the store last week to pick out the goodies I wanted plus some Secret Santa gifts I had to get. On the top of the list was my favourite Big Sea Salt Shampoo (I finished my last jar a few weeks ago), and their new limited edition Celebrate Body Lotion, which smells like sweet limes and champagne. I don't typically like Lush's body lotions, but this one reminded me so much of my favourite (and limited edition) Calacas Shower Jelly that I knew I had to get my hands on it. I also wanted to get some gentle bar soaps because my hands have gotten so badly cracked and chapped with eczema flare-ups that I've decided I need to stop using liquid anti-bacterial soaps for a while (Bath & Body Works, I'm looking at you), as I think they're the main culprit. After looking (and sniffing) through their huge selection, I ended up deciding on Miranda, Sultana of Soap, and Snow Globe. And, finally, I chose two Bubbleroon Bubble Bars in Green and Yuzu & Cocoa because I'm obsessed with taking bubble baths right now, and they were too cute to resist.

Lush Celebrate Body Lotion and Big Sea Salt Shampoo

Lush Soap in Miranda, Sultana of Soap, and Snow Globe

Lush Bubbleroon Bubble Bars in Green and Yuzu & Cocoa

A few weeks ago, Sephora sent all their VIB members an e-mail containing a coupon to get $20 off any $50 purchase to further tempt us make-up hoarders/fiends into debt. As if we didn't do enough damage during their VIB sale last month. I knew I wasn't going to go on some crazy spending spree again at Sephora, but I knew exactly what I was going to get with that coupon: Urban Decay's highly-anticipated, highly-coveted Naked3 palette. I already knew that I'm going to love it more than both the other Naked palettes because rose-toned, bronze-y golds are my favourite shades of all time (e.g. MAC's All That Glitters and Honey Lust, Urban Decay's Chopper and Toasted), so the launch of this particular Naked palette was especially exciting for me. Sephora announced via Twitter that they were going to release the palette on their website at midnight on December 6th, so being the obsessive palette fiend that I am, I went straight to the website to order it. If there was one thing on my Christmas wishlist this year, it was the Naked3 Palette. 

Urban Decay Naked3 Palette

Urban Decay Naked3 Palette (inside)

So, did you guys get anything in these crazy December sales? And what's on your Christmas wishlist this year?