Friday Five: Like Family, Part 1

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Friday, January 31, 2014
This week's Friday Five:
  1. In what not-so-good way are you like your father? I can have a short temper sometimes.

  2. In what not-so-good way are you like your mother? I can be a little neurotic about germs and cleanliness in general. 

  3. In what not-so-good way are you like your siblings? My brother and I are almost opposites in everything, but neither of us have a lot of patience with ignorant or generally dumb people, bad drivers, or inefficiency.

  4. In what not-so-good way are you like a relative outside your immediate family? Maybe laziness? I don't know a lot of my relatives very well, but I'm sure there's someone in my extended family who's lazy...

  5. If members of your family voted, what would they elect as the thing about you they'd most like to change? To be more responsible with money.
On that note, Happy Lunar New Year! Wishing you all health and prosperity in the Year of the Horse!

Dior Trianon: Rouge Dior Lipstick in 531 Rose Crinoline and 774 Allégresse

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Thursday, January 30, 2014

This month, Dior released their Spring 2014 collection, Trianon, that was inspired by "Marie-Antoinette and her private domain, the Petit Trianon... Macaron shades and Fontanges bow, the atmosphere of Versailles and its gardens..." Trianon features a total of 30 products, of which 23 are new and limited edition, and seven are permanent. As some products are exclusive to certain retailers and/or countries, not all products within this collection will be available at all Dior counters or Sephora locations around the world. Trianon sees the release of five new and limited edition shades of Rouge Dior lipstick, of which I picked up two. Each Rouge Dior lipstick is housed in Dior's signature dark blue square tubes with silver metallic quilt-design trim. They have a soft rose scent and flavour. Each lipstick contains 3.5 grams of product, and retails for $36.

774 Allégresse and 531 Rose Crinoline

774 Allégresse and 531 Rose Crinoline

774 Allégresse is a medium vibrant cool-toned passion pink with a soft sheen. This is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is lightweight and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and colour pay-off. It darker and warmer than Dior 475 Pink Caprice, warmer than Dior 565 Vogue, lighter and more muted than NARS Schiap, cooler than MAC Chatterbox, more muted and warmer than MAC Lickable, warmer and brighter than MAC Pink Nouveau, and cooler than Urban Decay Turn On.
531 Rose Crinoline is a light-medium vibrant coral-peach with a soft sheen. This is a new and limited edition shade. The texture is lightweight and creamy, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and colour pay-off. It lighter and more pinked than Dior 539 Ambre Zemire, lighter and more orange than 468 Rose Bonheur, slightly darker and more pink than YSL 13 Peach Passion, similar though less glossy than MAC Blossom Culture Sheen Supreme Lipstick, more pink than MAC Ravishing, slightly more peach than MAC Coral Bliss, lighter than MAC Style Surge Mineralize Rich Lipstick, lighter and more orange than Urban Decay Streak.

It's becoming more clear to me that this Spring is all about "electro-pastels" — a more vibrant take on pastel shades so that they're bright but not neon, but still subdued enough to wear in the day. Pinks and peaches are nothing new for Spring, but I like Dior's interpretation of them this year: the perfect middle ground between soft and bright. There are plenty of dupes for both of these shades out there, but when buying Dior, it's all about the formula and the texture. The Rouge Dior lipstick formula is pure luxury: smooth, hydrating, buttery but somehow still lightweight. They have great pigmentation and colour pay-off with a soft sheen so as to give lips a naturally luscious look without looking shiny or glossy. They feel creamy and comfortable on the lips and have a good glide without having too much slip. Even the packaging is luxurious, with sleek tubes and a nice weighty feel. I'm actually really glad that they decided to release these shades in the Rouge Dior formula rather than the Dior Addict formula, which is much sheerer and not as creamy. It's clear that Dior's vision for this collection was for softer eyes with nice, solid pops of colour for lips. No washes or stains here. Trianon is about frivolity and decadence, after all, and these lipsticks totally reflect that.

Dior Trianon: Diorblush Trianon Edition Powder Blush in 763 Corail Bagatelle

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

This month, Dior released their Spring 2014 collection, Trianon, that was inspired by "Marie-Antoinette and her private domain, the Petit Trianon... Macaron shades and Fontanges bow, the atmosphere of Versailles and its gardens..." Trianon features a total of 30 products, of which 23 are new and limited edition, and seven are permanent. As some products are exclusive to certain retailers, not all products within this collection will be available at all Dior counters or Sephora. Trianon sees the release of two new and limited edition shades of Diorblush Vibrant Colour Powder Blush, of which I only picked up one. Each Trianon Edition blush is "decorated with a Fontanges bow and pearled ribbon," contains a mini flat blush brush, and is packaged in Dior's signature dark blue mirrored compact. It contains 7.5 grams of product, and retails for $44.

Corail Bagatelle

Corail Bagatelle

Corail Bagatelle is a medium vibrant warm pinked coral with a soft satin sheen. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a lightweight, silky, finely-milled 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 less pink than MAC Fleur Power, brighter and more pink than MAC Melba, lighter and more pink than MAC Desert Rose, darker and less shimmery than NARS Orgasm, more pink than NARS Deep Throat, more coral and less shimmery than TheBalm Frat Boy, lighter and more pink than Tarte Charisma, more muted and less reddened than Tarte Frisky, and darker and more coral than Tarte Glisten.

Is this a must-have? Probably not. I mean, there's only so many coral blushes a person can have, you know? If you're like me and are a complete hoarder of blushes (#blushfiend), then you very likely have something similar to this shade at home. But if you're like me and are also a complete sucker for packaging, then you'll be extremely tempted because that girly bow and pearl ribbon design is just too damn cute to resist. Aside from being a gorgeous (if somewhat predictable) shade for Spring that'll work across a myriad of skintones, it also has a silky smooth, finely-milled texture that glides on effortlessly and blends out like a dream. It has excellent pigmentation and colour pay-off, so you can wear it as a brightened coral blush that's more on the matte side or buff it out into a pinky-peach shade with a lovely satin sheen. The more you blend it, the more luminous it becomes, but it never looks shiny or frosty and doesn't emphasize pores or skin texture. It just makes skin look perky and healthy — perfect for faking Springtime freshness in the middle of winter!

Pick-Ups & Deliveries: January 2014

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Monday, January 27, 2014
So, as it's the last week of January, I thought I'd do my monthly haul post. As with most months, I ended up shopping more than I thought I would... But there were so many post-holiday sales going on and I just can't resist a good deal, you know? 

Illume Essential Mini Tin Candles in Pineapple Cilantro, Coconut Milk Mango, and Oceano

Orange Circle Studio Secret Garden 2014 Do It All Planner

Jonathan Adler iPhone 4 Cases

It all started with — you guessed it — candles. I know I said I was on a candle ban, but I was walking through the mall a few weeks ago and noticed that Papyrus had set up a big clearance section. Now, I don't normally buy a lot from Papyrus because I don't have a lot of cards to buy for people nor do I use stationery or wrapping paper, but I like walking in there because I find it really... peaceful. I was perusing the clearance tables and saw these cute travel-size Illume candles on sale for 50% off, and thought I'd stop and smell them to see if they were any good. It was love at first sniff, guys. I typically don't like tropical scents that much, but these are just so fresh and lovely and not too sweet or cloying, and now I kind of want the full-size jars (but I can't because I am really on a candle ban now, I swear). I was also looking for a new planner for this year to organize my schedule and finances and stuff and managed to snag the last Secret Garden 2014 Do It All Planner for $10 from $16.99. And I also snatched up two cute Jonathan Adler iPhone 4 cases for $12 each from $25 because my old case finally broke and I figured these rubberized options would protect my phone better.

Babaton Roy Infinity Scarf

Babaton Robinson Jacket and Talula Piccadilly Blouse

Nine West Vintage America Collection Sabady Suede Booties

Aritzia was, of course, having a huge post-holiday sale that started during Boxing Week and seems to be neverending as it's still going on right now. Being able to shop through their website has made it way too easy to spend too much money, but I found some deals that were too good to pass up. I ended up getting a black cashmere and wool Babaton Roy Scarf for $42.50 from $85, a black Japanese satin-back crepe Babaton Robinson Jacket for $75 from $175, and a black twill Talula Piccadilly Sleeveless Blouse for $27 from $45. For some reason, I never find deals this good in any of their stores no matter how hard I look. Maybe it's because it's so easy just to filter their sale stuff on their website, but I swear, half of these deals don't appear in their stores. And, finally, I got a pair of these ultra-cute Nine West Sabady black suede booties at The Bay that were originally $180, but were reduced to $115 during Boxing Week, and then had an extra 40% off because they were put on clearance. I swear, I don't even go looking for deals. They just come find me. 

Dior Spring 2014 Diorblush Trianon Edition Vibrant Colour Powder Blush in 763 Corail Bagatelle

Dior Spring 2014 Rouge Dior Lipstick in 531 Rose Crinoline and 773 Allégresse; Dior Vernis Trianon Edition Nail Lacquer in 187 Perlé and 204 Porcelaine

Dior Minis: 5 Couleurs Couture Colour Eyeshadow Palette in 454 Royal Kaki, Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara, and Rouge Dior in 644 Rouge Blossom

Even though I was doing pretty well at not buying any make-up last month (except for the Naked3 Palette, which I had to have), I caved in when I saw the new Dior Spring 2014 collection, Trianon. I went to visit my friend who works at a Dior counter to see the collection in person because the photos popping up all over the Internet were getting too hard to ignore. None of the eye products interested me in the slightest (I usually like Dior's Spring palettes, but this year's was truly disappointing), but I ended up getting five items that I fell in love with, including the gorgeous blush (!), two lipsticks, and two of the nail polishes. Did I need any of them? Oh, god, absolutely not. Especially that powder blue nail polish; I probably have six dupes of it at home, but I'm just a sucker for blues. These were just so damn pretty in person, it was like a spell was cast over me and all logic went out the window. Luckily, there was a promotion going on in the cosmetics department for $10 off a $75 purchase, so my friend split my products into two transactions and I got $20 off. And she threw in some adorable mini gifts for me, too. Still, the next month is going to be a very dangerous time with Spring collections rolling out.

Ciaté Paint Pots in Jewel, Helter-Skelter, and Love Letter

Caudalie Vinosource Set (with Moisturizing Sorbet, S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum, and Grape Water) and Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid SPF 15

There haven't been a lot of nail polishes that have intrigued me lately (except for Rainbow Honey, for which I will be putting in a huge order very, very soon), but I was passing by the Ciaté display at The Bay after snagging all my Dior goodies and decided to take a look. Ciaté isn't a brand that I often go to because I'm not a fan of their manicure sets which is what they're known for. But they do sometimes have some gorgeous, unique shades in their Paint Pots range (that's another thing — they totally stole that name from MAC, which doesn't even make sense because their nail polishes don't come in pots, and is mighty hypocritical after the whole "Caviar Manicure" trademarking fiasco) and I managed to find three that I ended up loving. I swear, that's all the nail polish I bought this month, though. I met up with Liz a few days after that, during which we went into Sephora (naturally), where I was set on grabbing a new bottle of my favourite Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum because I had run out of it the week before. Liz pointed out that there was a value set for the serum that included a mini tube of Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet as well as a travel-size version of their Grape Water for the same price as the serum alone, so I picked that up. And Liz surprised me with a bag of goodies that included a tube of their Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid SPF 15, too! Seriously, I'm set for skincare for the next year.

Lush Prince Charming Shower Gel, Neon Love Soap, and Love Locket Bath Bomb

Lush Eau Roma Water Toner, I Love Juicy Shampoo, and Big Blue and Sex Bomb Bath Bombs

Finally, Lush. It seems that I can't go a single month without getting stuff from Lush, but I'm in a phase right now (I'll go months obsessing over their stuff and then get sick of them for a couple months and then hop back on the train...). I asked my Lush friend if he could grab some stuff for me the next time he was making a staff purchase, and he got all the stuff I asked for and them some! I got really excited for the Valentine's stuff that was released last week, and asked him to get me the three things I really wanted: the Prince Charming Shower Gel (smells like grapefruit and pomegranate!), Neon Love Soap (smells of citrusy bergamot and rosewood and features white hearts in every slice), and Love Locket Bath Bomb (explodes with paper and seaweed hearts in the water!). I also asked him to pick me up a bottle of I Love Juicy Shampoo, which I haven't used since last summer but I remember really enjoying (it's for oily hair, which I don't have, but I like using it a couple times a week to deep-clean without feeling dry or stripped). When he gave me my goodies, I noticed he had also included a small bottle of Eau Roma Water that I had mentioned wanting to try, plus Butterball and Sex Bomb bath bombs, too! I am truly spoiled from my Lush friends. Actually, this might explain my Lush addiction/obsession. That, and cold weather makes me want to take all the baths.

What were some of your splurges this month? Did you find any good post-holiday deals? 

Crown Jewel Fine Dining

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Sunday, January 26, 2014
I don't normally post about my big family dinners here (I'll usually put some photos up on Instagram instead), but we had our last family dinner of the Year of the Snake this evening, which is a very important tradition for us, so I actually brought my camera with me this time. We went to my grandma's favourite restaurant for family banquet dinners, Crown Jewel. Some snapshots of our feast:

Roast suckling pig with hoisin sauce

Deep-fried shrimp and crab ball with Chinese mustard

Shark fin soup with bean sprouts

Braised dehydrated oysters and scallops with black moss and romaine

Jumbo prawns with asparagus

Steamed chicken with Chinese cabbage

Fried rice with fish roe, egg whites, and ginger

Deep-fried dumpling in broth

Lychee and goji berry gelatin and flaky lotus seed paste pastry

Chinese dessert soup with longan, papaya, red dates, and snow fungus

This isn't really a review or anything, just a food snapshot post. Now we have to spend the rest of the week cleaning the house to prepare for the new year. So excuse me while I go scrub my toilet and bleach my tub. 

What are some of your annual traditions? Do you do anything to prepare for the new year (lunar or otherwise)?


Crown Jewel Fine Dining
325 Bamburgh Circle
Scarborough, ON M1W 3Y1
(416) 502-2888

Sunday Video Love: I Kill Giants

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I was contemplating getting tickets to see The Naked and Famous in March, but they're opening for Imagine Dragons, who I don't like (I liked "Radioactive" when it first came out but then I got sick of it because it got so overplayed, and I don't like any of their other songs which pisses me off because I actually bought their album), and I just didn't think it was worth paying $50+ to see The Naked and Famous play for a mere 30 minutes at Air Canada Centre (which I hate). So I figure this is the next best thing. And it's one of my favourite songs off of In Rolling Waves. I will just have to wait until the next time they come back (as a headlining band), because I suspect they are quite epic live. If only they'd team up with Lorde for a tour. It'd be the most amazing Kiwi music party, ever.

Shiso Tree Café

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Friday, January 24, 2014
So, Liz and I finally found some time to meet up yesterday, and after spending the afternoon looking way too many beauty products (what else is new?) at Fairview Mall, we headed over to Shiso Tree Café for dinner:

Bolognese Fries

We decided to share the Bolognese Fries to start which, as the name implies, consists of fries and Bolognese sauce with parmesan cheese. The fries, which are fresh cut, were dependably good with soft innards and a nice crisp golden exterior that Shiso Tree has become known for, but it's the Bolognese that needs some work here. It has a generous amount of meat in it and a good, thick consistency that's slightly thinner than chili, but it seemed like it was completely unsalted. Perhaps they rely on the cheese to add more flavour, but the problem here is that they only top it with cheese rather than layer it so you only get a hint of the parmesan. I would definitely be more inclined to get their more "Japanese-style" offerings next time, like the Tartar Mayo, Nori, or Okonomiyaki Fries.

Cream of Potato Soup with Bacon

You can add a set deal to any pasta dish for $8 here, which includes salad, soup of the day, and dessert, which is what I did. After my bout of stomach flu last weekend, I was literally starved and wanted to splurge on my first real meal out. The soup of the day was a cream of potato soup, which is more like a creamy broth than a true cream soup. I actually prefer this because really creamy soups tend to make me too full to enjoy much else afterwards. Finely diced potatoes and carrots throughout and topped with bacon and croutons. Served piping hot in a mug, velvety, flavourful, and so comforting in the subzero weather. 


Uni Taglialini

For my pasta, I decided on one of the board specials of the day: Uni taglialini. Fresh homemade pasta with cream sauce using fresh Vancouver sea urchin roe, topped with a flurry of nori and a single, delicate piece of uni. I've been craving uni since I went to Izakaya Ju last week, so when I saw it on the menu, I had to order it. The uni was wonderful, of course, fresh and soft and sweet. The pasta itself was tasty and full of uni flavour, but because there's not much else in it, it gets monotonous pretty fast. The sauce was almost too rich, and I felt extremely full and bloated after finishing only half of it. I think this type of pasta works better as a "tasting" rather than a full-fledged portion. I'm glad I tried it, but I'm not sure I would order it again. Moot point because it's not a regular menu item, anyhow. 

Mango Mousse Cake

For dessert, Shiso Tree offers a selection of cakes from the Japanese bakery next door, and as I was already quite full, I picked the mango mousse since I wanted something sweet but not too heavy. Light, airy, and full of fresh mango flavour with a hint of raspberry from the sponge cake. Actually a very satisfying dessert to end such a heavy meal. Either way, it was the company that interested me more than the food last night, and I'm glad I finally got to catch up with Liz after so long (almost a year, I think?!). Thanks for traveling across the city to meet up with me!


Shiso Tree Café
3160 Steeles Avenue East, Unit 1
Markham, ON L3R 4G9
(905) 479-9319

MAC Viva Glam Rihanna: Lipstick and Lipglass

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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

For those who don't already know about MAC's Viva Glam program, every cent of the entire selling price of every Viva Glam product sold goes to the MAC AIDS Fund. Every year, MAC appoints a celebrity to be their Viva Glam ambassador to help raise HIV/AIDS awareness. Every Viva Glam lip product that has been launched after Fergie's Viva Glam VI Special Edition in 2009 has been named after the celebrity ambassador of the year, with Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper in 2010, Lady Gaga again in 2011, Nicki Minaj and Ricky Martin in 2012, Nicki Minaj again in 2013, and now Rihanna for 2014. To date, MAC's Viva Glam campaign has raised $315 million globally to help men, women, and children infected and affected by AIDS and HIV.

Viva Glam Rihanna comes in both lipstick and lip gloss form, and both will be released in stores tomorrow (it is currently available online). Both are limited edition and will be available for six months (subject to change). As with all MAC lip products, they are vanilla-scented but taste-free. Viva Glam Rihanna Lipstick comes in crimson rubberized packaging and a black metal tube featuring MAC's logo and Rihanna's signature printed across it in red. Viva Glam Rihanna Lipglass comes in a clear tube with a crimson rubberized lid, and Rihanna's signature is again printed across the tube in red. Each lipstick contains 3 grams of product, and retails for $18. Each Lipglass comes with a doe-foot applicator, contains 4.8 grams of product, and retails for $18. As they are for charity, none of the Viva Glam products are applicable for the Back to MAC recycling program.

Viva Glam Rihanna Lipstick

Viva Glam Rihanna Lipstick

Viva Glam Rihanna Lipstick

Viva Glam Rihanna Lipstick is a medium brightened blue-toned red with a soft gold shimmer-sheen in a Frost finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a creamy texture, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation with opaque colour pay-off. It is warmer and more red than its lip gloss counterpart. It is lighter and less cool than Ruby Woo, lighter and cooler than Russian Red, less pink than MAC Red, and slightly less cool than New Temptation Sheen Supreme Lipstick.

Viva Glam Rihanna Lipglass

Viva Glam Rihanna Lipglass

Viva Glam Rihanna Lipglass

Viva Glam Rihanna Lipglass is a medium brightened blue-toned strawberry red with red and gold multi-dimensional shimmer. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a creamy texture, and it goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation with opaque colour pay-off. It is slightly more pinked than its lipstick counterpart. It is cooler and much more shimmery than Russian Red, more pigmented and less pink than Venetian Lustreglass, and lighter and more pinked than Driven by Love Pro Longwear Lipglass.

I don't think it came as a surprise to anyone that Rihanna was going to be this year's Viva Glam ambassador, especially given the success of her previous collaborations with MAC. I'm sure many people have opinions about this, but in the end, if Rihanna can use her fame and popularity to sell a product that goes directly to charity rather than for profit, I'm all for it. A lot of people thought her Viva Glam shade was going to be her famous RiRi Woo, but think again. It is a red, which comes as no surprise, but the Frost finish of the lipstick was totally unexpected. Now, a lot of people don't like Frost lipsticks because the metallic sheen that often accompanies Frosts are rather... outdated, shall we say. But the shimmer-sheen is quite subtle here so it actually looks more like an Amplified (or cream) finish to me than a true Frost. And even though the red is actually blue-toned, there's a soft gold shimmer to it that gives it warmth, so this is ultimately a universally flattering red shade. Now, I'm usually a lipstick girl, but the Lipglass here is such a serious stunner that I was actually more impressed with it than the lipstick. The photo really doesn't do it justice. On it's own, it reminds me of strawberries and champagne, just totally luxe and ultra-glamourous. On top of Viva Glam Rihanna Lipstick, it adds the most gorgeous dimension and richness. And I've personally found that it's not as sticky as many of the other Lipglass shades so it's more comfortable to wear, and I get a good four hours of wear-time with it alone.

The MAC AIDS Fund is one of the most effective charities I have ever seen a cosmetics company identify with. It still blows my mind that MAC helps this charity on a daily, on-going basis with their Viva Glam program. Not only that, but they don't just donate a portion or the proceeds to this cause — it's 100% of the selling price of any Viva Glam product. This is a really worthy cause, so if you're not personally a fan of red lips, it's worth checking out any of the other Viva Glam shades that may be more wearable or flattering on you.

Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Sophie

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Tuesday, January 21, 2014

I've always been a huge fan of Illamasqua, so when I finally got a chance to peruse their new boutique at The Bay Yorkdale in November, I jumped at the chance to pick up some new goodies (especially since I had some gift cards that I got for my birthday). I have several of Illamasqua's blushes now, and all of them are matte shades because that's all they used to make, but they've since added a few shimmery options, so I picked up two of them. Each Illamasqua Powder Blusher comes in black plastic stylized square compacts with clear lids, contains 4.5 grams of product, and retails for $26. This particular shade is exclusive to Illamasqua boutiques.

Sophie

Sophie is a medium warm-toned grapefruit pink with gold shimmer-sheen in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled, almost buttery 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 pink and much more shimmery than Illamasqua Excite, more coral and much more shimmery than Illamasqua Hussy, similar to Tarte Glisten, similar though more shimmery than NARS Deep Throat, darker and more coral than NARS Orgasm and MAC Springsheen, and more coral than MAC Peachykeen.

Like all of Illamasqua's powder blushes, the formula on this is fantastic — smooth, buttery, ultra-pigmented. Sophie is the quintessential shimmery coral blush which looks more pink in certain lighting and more peach in others and always gives that perfect healthy flush, like you're actually super happy and well-rested and relaxed from vacation, even though you're stressed as hell and it's the middle of winter. Ultimately, though, this is an extremely dupeable shade and every single make-up brand out there has something similar (I call this the "Orgasm effect"), so it's really not a must-have by any means (and you very likely have this kind of shade already). But it is apart of the S.O.P.H.I.E. (Stamp Out Prejudice, Hatred, and Intolerance Everywhere) collection, and a portion of the proceeds from this product goes straight to the Sophie Lancaster Foundation. So you can do a good deed and look gorgeous at the same time.

Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Morale

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Monday, January 20, 2014

I've always been a huge fan of Illamasqua, so when I finally got a chance to peruse their new boutique at The Bay Yorkdale in November, I jumped at the chance to pick up some new goodies (especially since I had some gift cards that I got for my birthday). I have several of Illamasqua's blushes now, and all of them are matte shades because that's all they used to make, but they've since added a few shimmery options, so I picked up two of them. Each Illamasqua Powder Blusher comes in black plastic stylized square compacts with clear lids, contains 4.5 grams of product, and retails for $26 at Illamasqua boutiques and $32 at Sephora locations.

Morale

Morale is a medium cool-toned cotton candy pink with magenta undertones and gold iridescent shimmer-sheen in a frosted finish. This shade was originally launched with 2011's Theatre of the Nameless collection, and is permanent. It has a soft, finely-milled, almost buttery 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 brighter and cooler than MAC Gentle Mineralize Blush, cooler and more frosted than NARS Angelika and Tarte Adored, and darker and cooler than NARS Gaiety.

As a blush fiend/hoarder, I like to think that I have pretty much all the different kinds of blush shades out there, but this one is surprisingly unique to me. It's that kind of pink that is definitely cotton candy but has an undercurrent of magenta that gives it more depth. Moreover, it has a gorgeous shimmer-sheen to it that leaves skin looking beautifully illuminated, which isn't that common in pinks like these. In certain lighting, it looks more cotton candy and in others, it looks more rosy or magenta. The best thing about this blush is the texture, which is just so smooth and buttery. It's really pigmented but also blends out like a champ so you can really get a really nice bright pop of colour or a gorgeous diffused "perfect flush" glow. Because of this, it works all on skintones from fair to dark. The gold shimmer gives it a warmth that keeps it flattering for warmer undertones, too (and I find that those with warmer undertones tend to also make cooler shades warmer on the skin). A great shade for the transition into Spring.

Sunday Video Love: Daydreaming

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Sunday, January 19, 2014

Getting over the stomach flu right now so I've been kind of MIA from the Internet for the past couple days, but I just wanted to share Paramore's latest music video (there's even a MAC eyeshadow named after this song!) because I managed to get two floor tickets to the Monumentour at Molson Canadian Amphitheatre in June and I am so, so, so stoked!

Friday Five: Food Again

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Friday, January 17, 2014
This week's Friday Five:
  1. What was the most recent pork dish you consumed, and how was it? The stewed streaky pork meal set at Go For Tea last night. It tasted okay, but I got such a bad stomach flu from it today (complete with 101° fever) that I have either spent it in the bathroom, popping Tylenol, or passed out in bed. Needless to say, I will never order it again.

  2. What was the most recent fish dish you consumed, and how was it? Sashimi at Izakaya Ju on Tuesday. It was fantastic.

  3. What was the most recent beef dish you consumed, and how was it? The Kobe-style beef meatballs with fresh tagliatelle and truffle cream at JOEY Markville on Wednesday. The pasta was really good, but I didn't love the sauce that the meatballs were in (some tomato-based stuff). But it was also incredibly heavy, so I don't think I'd order it again.

  4. What was the most recent all-veggie dish you consumed, and how was it? I make a cucumber and cream cheese bagel for lunch almost everyday. Does that count?

  5. What was the most recent chicken dish you consumed, and how was it? I had some rotisserie chicken from Loblaws last weekend. The dark meat was good, the white meat was dry as a desert. 

Urban Decay Naked3 Palette

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Thursday, January 16, 2014

You know, I wasn't always like this, being so obsessed with Urban Decay's eyeshadow palettes. In fact, I was one of those few people who wasn't so enamoured by the Naked palettes when they first came out. It wasn't until a full year after it was released that I finally bit the bullet and bought the first Naked palette. Of course, it all went downhill from there. I got hooked, addicted. Urban Decay's deliciously buttery, pigmented eyeshadows became my kryptonite. I had to have them all. My favourite eyeshadows tend to be in the neutral but rose/gold/bronze family, so when they announced that they were going to release a third Naked palette late last year, one in which the shades are "rose-hued neutrals," I knew that this was going to be my favourite one.


The Naked3 Palette includes 12 brand new and exclusive shades of eyeshadow varying from light to dark neutrals in the rose-gold family, and comes in several different textures including matte, satin, metallic, and frost. Every shade contains Urban Decay's Pigment Infusion System, which is "the proprietary blend of ingredients that gives every shade its velvety texture, rich colour, serious staying power, and blendability." The Naked3 Palette comes in a rose-gold metallic "art school-inspired" tin with "Naked3" embossed on the lid. Each palette comes with a large mirror encompassing the entire inside of the lid, and a double-ended Good Karma Shadow and Crease Brush. It includes a total of 15.6 grams of product (1.3 grams per eyeshadow), and retails for $62 CAD.

Strange, Dust, Burnout, and Limit

Strange is a pale pinked beige with a subtle sheen in a satin finish. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled 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 pink than MAC Orb, more peach than MAC Yogurt, more pink and more matte than Urban Decay Virgin, and lighter and more beige than Urban Decay Heartless.
Dust is a light shell pink with silver micro-glitter in a metallic finish. It has slightly drier, stiffer texture, and tends to go on powdery and somewhat faded with some fall-out. 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 pink than MAC Honey Lust, darker and more glittery than MAC Naked Lunch, and more pink than Urban Decay Snatch.
Burnout is a light-medium peachy pink with champagne shimmer-sheen in a pearl finish. It has a soft, silky, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has intense pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is less gold than MAC Expensive Pink, and more peach than Urban Decay Scratch.
Limit is a medium dusty mauve-rose in a matte finish. It has a soft, silky, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has intense pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler and more mauve than MAC Girlie, and darker and more pink than Urban Decay Laced.

Buzz, Trick, Nooner, and Liar

Buzz is a medium warm rose pink in a metallic finish. It has a soft, silky, almost buttery 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 than MAC Da Bling, and warmer and less mauve than Urban Decay Bordello.
Trick is a medium pinked copper with gold sparkles in a metallic finish. It has a soft, silky, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has intense pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more copper than MAC Mythology, darker and more copper than Urban Decay Chopper.
Nooner is a medium-dark dirty rose-plum in a matte finish. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled 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 pink than MAC Haux, darker and less grey than MAC Quarry.
Liar is a medium-dark mauve-brown in a frosted finish. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled 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 to MAC Sable, and more pink than Urban Decay Toasted.

Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, and Blackheart

Factory is a medium-dark warm brown with plum undertones and golden shimmer-sheen in a pearl finish. It has a soft, silky, buttery 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 brown than MAC Sable, similar to MAC Twinks, and lighter and less reddened than Urban Decay Roach.
Mugshot is a medium-dark warm taupe in a frosted finish. It has a soft, silky, almost buttery 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 to MAC Satin Taupe, lighter than Urban Decay Lost, and more metallic than Urban Decay Stray Dog.
Darkside is a dark cool-toned mauve-taupe in a frosted finish. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled 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 purple than MAC Satin Taupe, and more purple than Urban Decay Gunmetal.
Blackheart is a blackened burgundy with red undertones and red micro-shimmer in a satin finish. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled 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 MAC Beauty Marked and Urban Decay Oil Slick.

I don't think that I need to tell you what a great deal this palette is because all of Urban Decay's Naked palettes are always an amazing value (each shade is full-size, so the eyeshadows in here are worth $264 on their own, without the brush). Aside from Dust, which has quite a bit of fall-out due to the grittier texture from the micro-glitter, all the shades here are smooth, buttery, and pigmented. What makes this particular Naked palette different from the other two is that these are all rose-hued, so it's not actually quite as neutral. This will either really appeal to you or totally turn you off from this palette. I personally love, love, love this palette (and these types of shades in general), but for those who don't like pink or copper tones in their eyeshadows, you'll probably hate it. If you do favour these types of shades, then this palette is definitely worth it. Personally, this is my favourite of the three Naked palettes.