Thursday, March 28, 2013

I Love Melissa Shoes!

Have you heard of this brand? I'm probably one of the last people to know about Melissa shoes, being in Canada where you can't really get them in stores (at least not in my part of the country). I've ordered a couple of pairs online, but have noticed them all over the place while travelling in Italy and more recently, in Asia. Clearly, Canada is missing out big-time because these shoes are so fun! Not to mention, they are quite comfy, water-proof, and they smell great! Yes, these shoes are scented.

Here are the ones that I have recently picked up, and can't wait to wear this spring.


l to r: Vivienne Westwood & Melissa Ultragirl in Smoke, J Maskrey for Melissa in Champagne, Vivienne Westwood & Melissa Wanting in Nude

Have you ever tried Melissa shoes?

Thanks for reading!

Monday, March 25, 2013

Glossybox - February 2013


This post is sooo late! I got a bit behind in the posts that I wanted to complete, so anyways, we are almost done March and I'm showing my February Glossybox. But by now, at least I should have had a chance to try these products and let you know how I feel about them. So here we go.

  • Biore Acne Clearing Scrub - I'm pretty sure I've already received this in a box. Not sure if Glossybox is repeating items, or if it came in a Topbox or LuxeBox to which I also subscribe. If it is the same product, I did enjoy using it, and actually still have it sitting in my shower. I use it on days that I'm not using my Clarisonic. I'm saving this new one until the first tube is empty. This is a full size product.
  • Macadamia Natural Oil Healing Oil Treatment for Hair - Ok, so I haven't opened this one yet. But I am excited to try it once I'm done using my John Frieda Frizz Ease Serum (which I also received in a past box and really like). This treatment is supposed to add moisture, nutrients, shine and provide UV protection. Sounds good!
  • Givenchy Gloss Interdit No. 3 Coral Frenzy - I love when they include makeup in these boxes! This colour is so pretty and feels light and non-sticky on the lips. The full size version is $30, so I'll just enjoy this sample while it lasts!
  • Anatomicals You Need A Blooming Shower Rose and Jasmine Body Cleanser - Another full sized product! I haven't tried this yet since I have a bunch of half full body cleansers currently in my shower. It smells nice though.
  • Essence Quattro Eyeshadow - More makeup! This isn't a quad that would stand out to me at the drugstore, so I would be unlikely to purchase it, but I think it will be a fun thing to experiment with this summer. 
  • Eucerin Hual-urea Anti-Wrinkle Day / Night Cream - I really hate this little packet samples, but I may give this a go, eventually. I think that Eucerin would get more bang for it's advertising buck if they just splurged on some mini bottles for their samples, but oh well.
  • Crabtree & Evelyn Tarocco Orange Eucalyptus & Sage Hand Cream - You cannot really see this in the picture, but it is another packet. 
  • Glossybox Cupcake Kit - This box was celebrating Glossybox's first anniversary so they threw in some cupcake wrappers. Kind of cute.
So there you go! It was a really good box this month! I love the gloss, excited to try the hair treatment oil and the eyeshadow, and you can never have too many facial scrubs and body cleansers!

Thanks for reading!




Thursday, March 21, 2013

Goodies I Picked Up in Asia - Part 1 - Shu Uemura

Last month, my husband and I took an amazing trip to Asia. We stopped in several locations but because we were flying around a lot (and due to the restrictions on carrying liquids on board), I waited until our final stop in Hong Kong to pick up some beauty products. These days I hardly pay attention to purchasing souvenirs, it's just cosmetics and skin care for me when travelling!

I always like to check out local drug and department stores when I travel, but I was especially excited to do this in Asia. I feel like Asian women are really into the latest and greatest skincare. Also, since my skin is quite fair, I can always fit into their foundations, even when they only have one or two shades (which is quite common). My top skincare concerns are oil control and evening the overall tone of my face and these appear to be the top concerns of Asian women as I found these products everywhere. Even the large brands in America seemed to have special Asia-only lines that focus on whitening and brightening. So it is pretty exciting to take a look around at all of these products you cannot get at home. There are a couple of products I picked up that I will definitely be looking for online once I run out. 

Shu Uemura is a brand that I have never tried before. I know that there is a Shu Uemura counter at the Holt Renfrew near me, but I think it may just be a lash bar. I'm not sure that you can get the full line in Canada, or even in the USA right now. I knew there would be a Shu Uemura store in the mall close to the hotel I stayed in while visiting Hong Kong, so this was my chance to try a couple things. 


I only picked up two items, although there were plenty of others tempting me. The two things that stood out to me were the POREraser and the double ended concealer. 

The POREraser is basically a primer with a mousse consistency. The sign at the store advertised that it is Asia's top-selling makeup base and reduces the touch-ups required during the day. It is available in either beige or pink. I chose the beige as I do not like putting too much pink into my skin. It foams up in your hand like a hair mousse so it is a bit strange at first, but then it smooths onto your face and feels almost creamy. 

The consistency is foamy, like a hair mousse
After applying POREraser, my face looks smooth, and it does minimize the appearance of my pores. If my skin had fewer discolorations, I may consider just applying a light layer of powder and skipping foundation altogether, but this is not the case, so I apply my foundation as usual. I really do notice that fewer touch-ups are required when I use this primer! I normally need to use an oil-blotting tissue mid-morning, or by lunchtime at the latest, but with this, my makeup looks fresher and I look less oily for much longer. I have even gone a whole day without my oil-blotting tissues. 

The ingredients and directions on the packaging are all in, what appears to be, Japanese, so I couldn't read this while I was at the store, but I did find out later that this product contains alcohol. I'm not sure exactly what type of alcohol is in this, but it does not irritate my skin at all. I suppose it is just something to be aware of. 

My conclusion on Shu Uemura's POREraser? It's a keeper! I really like it after a couple of weeks of use. A quick google search told me that I am going to have a hard time repurchasing though. I could not find it. Darn. 

** Edit - I found this in-store at my Holt Renfrew! So happy! **

The second item I picked up is the Cover Crayon. This item is double ended so there is a lighter shade and a darker shade. There are also two versions of the product, and I got the lighter of the two. The reason I picked this up is because I had seen someone on You Tube (sorry, I cannot remember who), use this on their waterline to brighten up the eyes. I had never seen anyone use a concealer in this way, and I'm not actually sure if this is a good thing for my eyes, but wow does it work good. My waterline stays bright all day with this. Normally anything I apply to my waterline sort of smudges and disappears after an hour or so, so I was quite amazed by the staying power of this concealer. I have also used this on redness around my nose and on my cheeks, and of course, this is also a good use. So overall, I'm happy with this product, although concealers in this pencil form usually last me forever, so I won't have to worry about repurchasing anytime soon.

I was eyeing the Shu Uemura eyelash curler, but ultimately decided against it. I took a pretty close look and honestly could not figure out how it could possibly be any different than the Tweezerman version that I have at home. 

Overall, I'm really happy with my Shu Uemura purchases! Makes me think I should have picked up a few more things from them! 

Do you have any favorites from the line? I'd love to hear.

Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Bags, bags, bags! (A non-makeup post)

So in addition to makeup, I also love handbags. This isn't anything unusual. Tons of us are obsessed with gorgeous bags but here are a few that I'm drooling over for spring this year. 


top row (l to r): Rebecca Minkoff Woven Box Bag in Petal Pink, J Crew Biennial Tricolore Medium Satchel in Spearmint Bouquet, Marc by Marc Jacobs Classic Q Lil Ukita in Apricot Rose
bottom row (l to r): Anya Hindmarch Maxi Zip Satchel in Bluebell, Rebecca Minkoff Tri Zip Jealous in Sand, Anya Hindmarch Bathurst Bow in Cream

I just love the pastel shades that are everywhere this spring. You could pair any of these bags with neutrals or get a bit bolder and mix and match with colored denim or floral prints. It would be so refreshing to switch out my black handbag for one of these!

I may give in and buy one, but only one! Stay tuned for a possible unboxing post!

Thanks for reading!

Friday, March 8, 2013

Nail I'm Loving

This polish is from OPI's James Bond Skyfall collection. It is called Casino Royale. This a gorgeous deep berry creme polish. This is after two coats, with Seche Vite Dry Fast top coat. I have such a hard time with the application of creme polishes, but the payoff is great - this colour looks so pretty. I love it!





Thursday, March 7, 2013

Current Wishlist - March 2013

What's on my beauty radar these days? Read on to find out. It wasn't hard to put this list together - this is what is currently in my shopping cart on www.sephora.com, just waiting until I can justify purchasing some new products :)


  • Make Up For Ever Pro Finish Multi-Use Powder Foundation - I almost purchased this the other day, but was able to redeem my Shoppers Optimum points for the Lancome Dual Finish powder, so I'll pass on this one for a little while. I do want to try this one eventually.

  • Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush - this blush is so gorgeous! I think it looks like a perfect colour for pale skin like mine.


  • Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder - I'm currently using up my Make Up For Ever Matte Bronzer, but once it is finished, I will pick this one up.

  • Too Faced La Creme lipsticks in Naughty Nude and Spice Spice Baby - I can't decide on  one colour, I may have to pick up two!















  • Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light - I'm just in love with complexion enhancing powders like these. I actually like every colour that Hourglass has put out, but I think I would try this one first. Looks beautiful.

  • Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette - I'm kind of surprised I do not have this yet, but I have so many items in my collection that can be considered similar (NYX Butt Naked palette, for one). So I have waited on this. I may pick it up one of these days though.

  • Prada Candy - I tested this fragrance the other day and while I did not like it on the card, I did like it once I wore it on my wrist for awhile. It is light and sweet, and perfect for any occasion.


  • Victor & Rolf Flowerbomb - rarely have I had two fragrances on my wishlist at the same time, but Flowerbomb is amazing. And it is really popular right now, so I'm not the only one who thinks so!


Yikes, this is quite a list. If I purchase any of these items, I'll be sure to post a review for anyone who is interested!

Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Lip I'm Loving

A combination that I have been loving lately is Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Airy Fairy, layered with NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Gold Mauve.



I find that this is such a wearable lip combo. Most nude shades wash me out, so this Rimmel shade is perfect as it can be considered a nude, but has a bit more pink in it. The NYX gloss just gives it a bit more glossiness and shine.

What lip are you currently loving?

Thanks for reading!