FOTD #3 | Spring 14 Makeup Look

I thought I would do another face of the day/ daily makeup post. This has been my go-to makeup look for the last couple weeks, and I can see it continuing well into spring and summer. I'm loving orange and coral cheeks and pink eyeshadows. I'm also loving subtle lips. I've been getting a lot of use out of my Ubran Decay Naked 3 palette (check out my review here), and in this look I'm wearing Burnout all over the lid, Limit in the crease, and Strange on the brow bone. I used my Mayelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink as a base for my eyeshadows. I find that it improves the lasting power. For my cheeks I'm wearing Make Up For Ever HD cream blush in #410 Coral*. I've been wearing it everyday since I received it and just adore it! (read my review here). For foundation I've been loving the Laura Mercier Primer in Radiance and the NARS Sheer Glow foundation together. I've also broke out my Bourjois Java Rice Powder for spring. I'm still working out the best way to use this product, but in this look I dusted it on the high points of my face for a highlighting effect. Finally I wanted to mention my Dior Addict Lip Glow. My mom bough this for me and I just love it! It reacts to your body chemistry, creating the perfect lip colour for you. 

What are your go to make up products right now?

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* PR sample sent for  consisteration

Coffee Date

The other day I met up with Melanie of Born Lippy for coffee. She recently moved to Calgary, and I am pretty excited to have another blogger friend in the city! We chatted, sipped on our coffees, then browsed some of the stores on 17th ave. Melanie also kindly snapped a couple photos of my outfit. Not the most exciting outfit ever, but I haven't posted an outfit in forever so I thought I might as well get some photos. This jacket has been featured quite a few times on the blog. Maybe that's a sign I need to rotate in some of my other jackets? 

Outfit Details

Talula Trooper Jacket via Aritzia

Wilfred scarf via Aritzia

Joe Fresh sweater

shoes and blouse ℅ Joe Fresh

Current Elliot jeans

Coach Willis bag

Photos by Melanie of Born Lippy

Make Up For Ever | HD Cream Blush in 410 Coral

I recently received the new Make Up For Ever HD cream blush in #410* to test out. So far I am absolutely loving it. It's a beautiful shade, and is said to be a universally flattering colour. I really like the formula too. It glides on so smooth and blends out beautifully. It's fairly pigmented, so you don't need to use much product and the colour is easily buildable. It also blends in seamlessly and looks so natural! Make Up For Ever says that, "The blush has been created to melt in to the skin for a natural flush…". The new cream blushes are available in 16 shades for every skin tone to sculpt, highlight or add glow to the cheeks. 

Make Up For Ever also sent along this really helpful guide to applying blush along with the press release.

Have you tried the Make Up For Ever HD cream blushes?

xo Ashley

* This post includes PR sample sent for consideration

Sunday Link Love #1

I've always notice other blogger sharing their favourite blog posts, articles, fashion, and beauty finds from the week or month so I decided why not share mine too!

Some of these I found over a week ago or have been out for well over a week, but since this is my first post like this I thought I might as well share them. So here goes my first weekly links that I've loved.

The Sarah Stevenson for Target Canada collection in stores March 23rd. She's the winner of the Toronto Fashion Incubator New Labels Competition. The collection is described as timeless, elegant and romantic. I'm loving the floral print pants.

This article on Yoga's Powerful Influence on Mood. I find that yoga has a positive effect on my mood, so it was cool to read a bit on the science behind it.

I discovered this article, My Photoshopped Reality, through Ben Barry on twitter. It was definitely an interesting read.

This post by Viviana Does Makeup on her Top 5 Nude Drugstore lipsticks. I don't have that many nude lip colours, but now I've added a few to my wish list.

This fitness post by Julie of Orchid Grey, 6 Tips For Staying on Track When it's Absolutely Miserable Outside. My favourite tip, and one that I live by is #1. The weather is warming up, but I think her tips still apply.

Lately Vol. 10

Davids Tea | distressed denim

Grabbing Starbucks and watching Frozen with my sister | morning coffee

hanging out with my sister, taking selfies in the car

Holts spring trends | baked french toast

Revlon Valentine's Day date night makeup

Just a few Instagram and iPhone photos from back in January and February. JP and I love tea, so we've been having fun testing out all the different teas in the above sample pack from Davids Tea. I've been getting a lot of wear out of my distressed denim for the last couple months. I'll definitely be wearing them a lot this spring and summer. It was my little sister's birthday in January, so my mom, sister and I went to see Frozen. It was such a great movie! As I mentioned in a couple previous posts, I've been trying to cook more. I tried making baked blueberry french toast from a recipe I found on Pinterest, and I will not be making that recipe again.They were pretty terrible. I'm not sure if I baked them too long, or if the mixture just wasn't right, but I don't want to risk trying again! And finally, I have been having fun testing out some new lip and cheek products from Revlon.

Anastasia | The Brow Wiz

In the past I have not been very consistent with doing my brows. I tend to keep up with maintaining their shape by tweezing and randomly getting them waxed, but I don't often fill them in, and they have not always been part of my everyday makeup routine. I was using a Benefit brow pencil for the longest time, but it ran out in December so I decided to pick up the Anastasia Brow Wiz. I had a difficult time deciding between the Brow Wiz and the Brow Powder Duo, but ended up deciding on a pencil product. I like that the product is double ended with a spooley brush on one end and a fine tipped pencil product on the other. The pencil end is retractable so there is no need for sharpening which is nice. I bought the colour Ash Blonde, which I think is a great match for my blonde hair colour. I find this product really easy to use and I also find myself filling in my brows more often. The pencil tip makes it easy to create small brush strokes to fill in any sparse areas and define the brows, and the spooley blends the pencil lines out nicely for a natural look.

Although I'm really happy with the Brow Wiz, I think that I still want the Anastasia brow powder. I think that the two products used together would create the perfect brows. I also think it would be nice to have to option to use just a powder for those days when I feel like going for a softer brow look.

What brow products do you use?

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Palette Wish List

There are some really beautiful makeup palettes out there, some new and some not so new, and I have been obsessing! I definitely don't need any new eyeshadow palettes right now, but that doesn't mean I can't dream. A couple of the palettes on this wish list are limited edition, so I will probably never own them but it is still nice to look.

1. Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
2. LORAC Pro Palette
3. Smashbox Full Exposure Palette 
4. Bobbi Brown Nectar and Nude Eye Palette
5. NARS The NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette
6. Laura Mercier Spring 14 Artist Eyeshadow Palette
7. Marc Jacobs Plush Shadow Palette in Lolita

What palettes are on your wish list?

Revlon | Lip Butters

Strawberry Shortcake | Sweet Tart | Wild Watermelon | Candy Apple | Juicy Papaya | Sugar Plum

 Some of my absolute favourite lip products are the Revlon Lip Butters. I just love how easy they are to wear. It feels like you are wearing a lip balm but with great colour pay off. The first colour I bought was Strawberry Shortcake. I liked the colour, but at the time I was intending on pickup up a brighter pink, so I went back and picked up Sweet Tart. My most recent purchase was Sugar Plum in the Fall, which is actually a lot more sheer then I expected. Some of the lip butters are quite pigmented and opaque, and others apply more sheer. There are also some with glitter but I've avoided buying those. I prefer the smooth, creamier textured versions. One of my favourite things about these is the packaging. I love that they are colour coordinated to the shade of the lipstick so you never have to search for a certain colour. Out of all the shades, I think I have worn Juicy Papaya the most just because it is the easiest to wear and there is no need to use a mirror for application, so it's a good choice if it's a day when you are on the go. The shade that I was most excited to own was Wild Watermelon, but I think my favourite is Sweet Tart.

Have any of you tried the Revlon Lip Butters? What are your favourite shades?

xo Ashley

Batiste Dry Shampoo

I discovered dry shampoo around six years ago and fell in love with the idea. It was especially a life saver on those mornings when I had an early class at university and decided to hit my snooze alarm a few too many times. I've tried quite a few different brands of dry shampoo over the years but my favourite has to be Batiste. I found Batiste at Shoppers Drug Mart a couple years ago and have been buying it ever since. So far I've tried the original, tropical, blush and XXL volume. I really loved the original, tropical, and blush versions, but I actually really do not like XXL volume. I find the others leave my hair feeling clean and refreshed, while the XXL volume makes my hair feel like it has loads of product in it, and I cannot for the life of me run my fingers through my hair. I will definitely be sticking to the traditional formula from now on.

My hair isn't the type that can go for very long without washing, and I find the Batiste dry shampoo is a really great way to hold my hair over between washes. It's also perfect for days when you are going out after work and need to give your hair a boost. I also find that dry shampoo is great for adding a bit of volume.

What do you think of dry shampoo? Do you use it?

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Revlon | The Cheek Boutique, Spring 14'

Revlon recently release a bunch of new cheek products in Canada as part of their "Cheek Boutique"  Spring launch, including reformulated powder blushes, 3 highlighting powders, and 4 cream blushes. Back in February, Revlon sent me a couple of their new cheek products as part of the Valentine's Day date night makeup quiz that I did. I ended up receiving the powder blush in Wine Not, and the Rose Glow highlighting palette. I had been waiting for the cream blushes to come to Canada for a while, so I had already bought two as soon as I saw them in stores (the cream blushes were on a wish list I made from last spring!). Below are some photos and swatches of the new Revlon blushes I own. 

Revlon Highlighting Palette in Rose Glow*

Revlon blush in Wine Not* 

I'm loving the highlighting palette. I have seen a lot of people compare it to the Bobby Brown Shimmer Bricks, only less shimmery. I can't comment on this because I haven't used the shimmer bricks before, but I do own the Dior Shimmer Face Powder in Amber Diamond, which I think the highlighting palettes can also be compared to. I use Dior Amber Diamond exclusively as a highlighter and only apply it to the tops of my cheekbones and the bridge of my nose. I tried using the Revlon highlighting palette in a similar way but I think I like wearing it more like a blush. I found that the colour is too pink for me to just apply to the tops of my cheekbones. Instead I wear it the same as I would any other blush and I think it looks very pretty. One thing that I'm not that fond of is that there does tend to be a bit of fine glitter in the product, but it is only noticeable up close. 

I actually did not own a blush colour like Wine Not because I tend to gravitate towards pinks and corals, so I was pretty excited to try it out. It's a burgundy/wine shade and I think it's a great fall and winter colour. I've been getting a lot of use out of it lately because we are still getting snow and -30 degree Celsius weather here in Alberta. It looks like it would be too dark for my pale skin, but I find that it applies fairly sheer. 

Revlon Cream Blushes in Coral Reef and Charmed

 I can only comment on the cream blush in Charmed at this time because it is the only colour I have used so far, but I love the look of the Coral Reef colour. I have been saving Coral Reef for when the weather warms up. Charmed is such a pretty rose colour, and I think it actually goes nicely with Wine Not. Applying a powder blush over top a cream blush is a great way to extend a blushes wear time. I really like the texture of the new revlon cream blushes. The blush is smooth and creamy and not at all tacky or sticky, and it seems to have one of those dryer cream to powder finishes. I find that it applies fairly sheer, but it is also buildable. I think it give a nice natural wash of colour. One downside is that it doesn't wear as long as some of my other cream blushes, but you can extend the wear time by wearing primers, using translucent setting powder, or applying a powder blush overtop. I typically will use one of these methods when I know I'm going to have a long day. 

Have you tried any of the new Revlon Cheek Boutique products for spring 2014?

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*PR  samples sent for consideration

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine #14

Here is another post I planned on doing ages ago! I took these photos last summer when I was totally obsessed with this YSL lipstick, the YLS Rouge Volupte Shine in #14, Corail in Touch. It's the perfect spring/summer colour, and is described as a "creamy orange coral". The Rouge Volupte Shine line contains vitamins and fruit extract and has a wonderful fruity/mango scent. It claims to be hydrating and to protect the lips from free radicals. I do find it to be hydrating and I love how it glides on so smooth. I was lucky enough to receive this beautiful lipstick as a gift from my aunt but I recommend it if you are looking to splurge on a lipstick. 

Have you tried any YLS lipsticks? What formulas or colours are your favourite?

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Real Techniques Makeup Brushes

blush brush, stippling brush, expert face brush

Core Collection | Starter Set

I have been meaning to get around to this post for ages. I took these photos so long ago. I had been hearing a ton about Real Technique Makeup Brushes on youtube and on beauty blogs, and I was dying to try them out. Last spring my parents took a trip to Atlanta to visit my aunt and uncle so I gave them a list of a few makeup items that I wanted that weren't available in Canada. I had also asked my aunt to keep an eye out for the Real Techniques brushes, so between my parents and my aunt I ended up with quite a few. These brushes are now available in Canada. I have heard that you can find some at Wal-Mart, and I have seen them at London Drugs. 

The brushes are coloured differently  based on what they are used for. The orange colour are base brushes, purple are for the eyes, and pink are finishing brushes. Although all the brushes are meant for specific uses, I have found they are also fairly versatile. Some brushes are sold individually, while others are only available in a set. The brushes are cruelty free, are made of extra soft synthetic bristles, and most of the brushes have self-standing bases. They are really easy to clean and dry very fast. I am extremely happy with my brushes, and I think they are really reasonably priced for the quality. Here is a break-down of the ones that I own.

Real Techniques Blush Brush

I think this brush can be pretty versatile and could be used for any power product, but I have only used it for blush. I love the shape and really like how it applies blush. It is so soft and gentle. 

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

This was the brush I was most excited for, and I am really happy with it. I have heard other people using it for foundation, but I use this brush pretty much exclusively for cream blush. I usually apply the blush to my cheeks with my fingers and then blend it out with the brush. 

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

I love this brush, and I think it is my favourite brush out of all of them. I use it to apply my foundation and I find that it is perfect. I think it blends foundation beautifully. 

Real Techniques Core Collection

The core collection comes with the contour brush, a pointed foundation brush, a detailer brush, and the buffing brush. Out of all the brushes, the only one I rarely use is the pointed foundation brush. I was the most excited for the buffing brush but find that I actually haven't used it that often. It was one of the brushes that I was hearing the most raving about. I heard a lot of great things about it being perfect for applying foundation, but I tend to use the buffing brush for blushes that are less pigmented, blending out blush/bronzer, and sometimes for setting powder. I do really like this brush, I just find myself reaching for other brushes instead. I actually use the contour brush a lot. I have used it to contour my cheeks with bronzer, but most often I use it for highlighting. I have also tried using this to blend under eye concealer. The accent brush is nice for lipstick or concealer. 

Real Techniques Starter Set

The starter kit is a set of eye brushes and includes the deluxe crease brush, the base shadow brush, the accent brush, the fine liner brush, and an eye brow brush. My favourites are the crease brush, the accent brush, and the base shadow brush. When I first got the set I used the crease brush as a crease brush, but I have a couple other brushes that I tend to use for the crease more often so I started using the crease brush for concealer. I really like it for this purpose and am really happy using it for concealer. I usually pat on my concealer with my fingers and then blend it out with the crease brush. I also love the accent brush and use this to add shadow along the lower lash line, to smoke out my eyeliner, or to add a darker shadow along my upper lash line instead of using eyeliner. 

I actually also own the powder brush and just adore it. I found it a few months ago at London Drugs. I am now on the look out for the kabuki brush, the duo fiber collection and the miracle complexion sponge. 

Have you tried Real Techniques Makeup Brushs? Are there any brushes you can't live without? 

xo Ashley