Category Archives: reviews

products: lactose tolerant hydration by korres

I don’t know if it’s because I’m a Greek girl or not,  but I’ve had a soft spot for Korres products for quite some time. The brand’s popularity has blossomed since I discovered them in a pharmacy years ago in the southern Peloponnese, yet the quality and integrity of the ingredients they use has always remained authentically…well, Greek. I can almost hear my yiayia (Greek for grandmother) telling me to use yogurt on my face to soothe it.

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Korres was kind enough to send me a winter care package of some of their featured products to try out. In light of the winter weather ahead, and many moments of dry and irritated skin due to the outdoor cold or indoor heating, here are some winter-approved products that will make your skin say OPA!

 

korres1

 

Yogurt Instant Soothing Gel

$49.50 CAD

This moisture booster is amazing for when you need to up the ante underneath your regular moisturizer  or need a quick fix of comfort when your skin is irritatingly dry. It instantly nourishes, hydrates and relieves dry skin while providing a light cooling effect.  Works amazing underneath your favourite tinted moisturizer or BB Cream.

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Yogurt Body Butter

$33 CAD

I’ve used other Korres Body Butters before and they are amazing! This time of year my skin is so ridiculously dry that I scratch to the point where sometimes it hurts. Thank you to YOGURT for being a  luxurious, moisture-rich cream, not only cooling and soothing my skin, but hydrating the hell out of it.  Shea butter softens, smooths and nourishes and helps to also improves the skins elasticity. The scent is fresh and pure, much softer than other body butters from Korres. It’s quite nice.

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Milk Proteins Foaming Cream Cleanser

$26 CAD

Foam and cream come together to make a gloriously nourishing soap-free cleanser that leaves skin soft and supple. Normally, dry or sensitive skin would steer clear of anything ‘foaming’ due to it being synonymous with further drying out or irritating the skin. However,  MILK is the shining star in this cleanser which is an age old beauty secret of Cleopatra’s, who bathed in the stuff to preserve her skin’s suppleness. The ‘foam’ in this cleanser is more reminiscent of a creamy lather and feels incredible!

You can find these and other Korres goodies at select Shoppers Drug Marts and Sephora.

http://www.korres.ca/

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Filed under Korres, product launch, reviews, skincare, winter

review: optic adventures with angel contacts

AC11_Logo

I’ve always liked the idea of coloured contacts. Being a brown eyed girl, I sometimes envied those blessed with stunning green or blue eyes, especially when rocking out something dramatic as far as makeup went. I was always curious to see what I could do to change or enhance my natural eye colour using a coloured lens but was apprehensive to try them out. The thought of touching my eyeball and putting something in there made my stomach turn. So when I was approached by Angel Contacts to try out a few sets of their coloured contact lenses, I was hesitant at first. I didn’t want to commit to the lovely folks at Angel to try them and then wimp out, abandoning an opportunity to share something fun and different to my readers. However, in sticking to my mantra of trying out new things, I accepted the opportunity to give the lenses a try, taking one for the team for the sake of blogging.

angel contacts

The lenses I decided on were the GEO Angel Violet in honour of the late Liz Taylor and the GEO Magic Black because honestly I thought it would be bad ass to have black eyes.

Putting them in for the first time was beyond comical (not at the time, obviously) and took me about twenty minutes to get both of the contacts in. I later thought to myself that it might have been funny to film it for YouTube. However there would have been a lot of bad language due to being utterly creeped out touching my eye, almost dropping the lenses down the sink a bunch of times and a multitude of emotion (mostly frustration). Okay, so the video would’ve been entertaining but even I don’t have THAT much humility to have let the world see that.

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Before and After using Geo Magic Black

So once those suckers were in and I took a moment to get used to having something on my eye, I was surprised at how comfortable they were. The lenses are designed to give the appearance of a larger iris so I imagine in comparison to plain, daily wear contacts, it’s a tad different. For someone who’s still a lens newbie, I can wear them for a good four or five hours before I want to take them out. I’m sure those who are contact aficionados will have no problem wearing them longer.

blacks

Geo Magic Black

I was pretty impressed at how the different styles looked with my brown eyes, not to mention it made them look big and doll-like without it being overdone.

violets

Geo Angel Violet

I would like to formally thank Angel Contacts for popping my coloured lens wearing cherry. The experience proved to be exciting, trying (at times), fun and really cool. I am now officially obsessed with trying different colours out. I’m gonna need more solution. ;)

http://www.angelcontacts.com/

P.S. They’re Canadian! *highfives*

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Filed under Angel Contacts, fashion, makeup accessories, product launch, reviews, style, trends

skincare: getting wild with korres

…wild ROSES, that is…

The colder weather makes our dull and dry skin cry for help. While this condition is more evident in those over 30 and beyond, it certainly doesn’t exclude the younger crowd from this ailment. What we need is something that will deliver not only moisture, but also a solution to brighten our lacklustre skin. Korres has hit the nail on the head with their Wild Rose brightening and moisturizing system.

The line is composed of ingredients like imperata cylindrica, a desert plant extract, to provide continuous moisturization and Wild Rose oil, a natural source of Vitamin C, to smooth and brighten dull and tired skin.

Check out some of these skin care treats to get your skin back to its hydrated and glowing state.

Wild Rose Daily Brightening & Refining Buff Cleanser

Uncover luminous skin with this daily dual-action, creamy, exfoliating cleanser. Natural exfoliants rice grain, cherry stone, and sugar-citrus extracts blend with wild rose oil, a natural source of vitamin C that is clinically proven to improve skin’s overall radiance and texture with daily use, to leave skin cleansed and fresh while instantly brightening your complexion. It is gentle enough for daily use, even for dry skin.

Wild Rose Eye Treatment

This soothing eye cream helps to add radiance to the delicate eye area while minimizing the appearance of dark circles and fine lines. Wild rose oil evens tone while adding brightness to skin and a blend of yeast, ruscus, and horse chestnut extracts minimize the appearance of dark circles and undereye wrinkles. Rose-gold toned optical brighteners add instant luminosity, revitalizing the eye area so eyes appear brighter and more incandescent after just one application. The overall results are instant luminosity, brighter eyes, and a minimized appearance of dark circles and fine lines.

Fun Fact: This was so effective, I didn’t have to use concealer on a daily basis.

Wild Rose + Vitamin C Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial

More than a mask, more than a night cream. This overnight facial-in-a-jar with Vitamin C from Wild Rose Oil works while you sleep to renew dull, tired skin by morning.

You can find these and the rest of the Korres Wild Rose line at various retailers such as Shoppers Drug Mart and Sephora or at korresusa.com

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Filed under Korres, my favourites, product launch, reviews, skincare

get flirty with katy perry by eylure

Eylure is the UK’s leader in lash specialists, and their latest collaboration with Katy Perry is proving to be a collection of retro, sexy and uber-fab lashes!

I recently received all four sets in the mail and am excited to try them all. As seen in my previous post, I rocked the Oh Honey lashes which I immediately fell in love with. From the moment I removed them from the package, I noticed the quality. Well constructed and pliable, the ease of use with these are unbelievable! All of the lashes in the Katy Perry collection include lash adhesive, thorough and easy-to-follow instructions on application, as well as an adorable sticker that corresponds with the style of lashes. Not to mention they are all natural hair! Most glues are that are included with falsies are usually awful and I end up reaching for my Duo adhesive. You’ll be happy to know that I indeed used the included adhesive and the lashes stayed put all day without a hitch. That’s a big bonus in my books!

Sweetie Pie

A dainty, natural hair lash that will discreetly add length and volume to your own lashes.

Oh Honey!

A flatteringly full lash, textured for a natural finish but with enough volume to take your lashes from fine to fab!

Oh My!

It is big and beautiful with a layered effect. All the texture you could want in a lash yet so wearable and really flattering. Be daring, go double effect!

Cool Kitty

Because they will make your eyes look amazing. Gorgeous framing with manicured tips, these lashes can be worn in the day to be daring or at night as the perfect finishing touch.

Keep your eyes peeled for future posts where I’ll be showcasing some of the other styles in the Katy Perry collection from Eylure.

In the meantime, you can get your hands on them at Shoppers Drug Mart, Jean Coutu, London Drug and Ebeauty.ca at $8.00 a set.

http://katyperry.eylure.com/

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Filed under Eylure, makeup accessories, product launch, reviews, style

review: schick hydro silk razor

Like most women, maintaining a hair free body doesn’t come without its woes. Sure there are many methods to remove unwanted hair, whether it be waxing, threading, sugar, lasers, depilatory creams or (yikes!) epilators. They all carry with them great debates among our gender as to why they love it, hate it and even the odd horror story of times they’ve gone awry. The one that continues to top the list of ease and popularity is the good old shaving method.

Over the years, I have teeter-tottered between waxing and shaving. Sure, waxing offers a longer duration of being hair-free but can be uncomfortable and for some, the cost of regular waxing just isn’t in the budget. Shaving offers us a quick fix, but finding the right razor can be a daunting task and with the wrong one, can leave your skin irritated and full of unsightly nicks.

About a month or so ago, I received a little care package from the people at Schick asking me to check out their newest razor, the Hydro Silk. I’m familiar with the brand and in fact, have been quite pleased with their Intuition razor for some time. I decided to give it a whirl for a month and really test it out before sharing my thoughts.

First, a bit about the razor:

Name:

Schick Hydro Silk

Number of Blades:

Five Curve-Sensing blades with skin guards to help protect skin from irritation

Special Skills:

Water-Activated Moisturizing Serum

The ease of this razor is evident the minute you start using it. It glides easily over the curves of the body without any worry of causing any nicks. I’m normally so nervous around the ankles and behind the knee, but felt safe and secure going over these areas without a doubt.

When I first used the razor, I wasn’t sure how I would like the built in serum strips. In the past, other razors who have claimed something similar to this, have ended up being a gooey mess. The Hydro Silk proved me wrong. As soon as I ran the razor under the water stream and started shaving my legs, I could immediately feel the difference. Because I normally use the Intuition (which has a built in soap), I don’t have any shaving cream and so I’m not sure if this is a necessary need with the Hydro Silk. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think you need to. My skin is extremely dry during the cooler season and just using the razor alone nourished my skin all day with the moisturizing serum strips. I even went without my usual body cream on my legs to see how long it would last. Sure enough, my skin was still soft and (most importantly) smooth at the end of the day.

One cartridge was good (including the serum) for 3 weeks. Depending on how often you shave, you can get a good 2-4 weeks out of them.

All in all, this razor is replacing my old one. I’m extremely happy with the results and impressed with the technology Schick has used to create such a solid product. So if you’re a shaver and in the market for a new razor, definitely give this a try. I stand here with both thumbs way up!

***Please note that I only write reviews for things sent to me if I really like them. The company has not paid me in any way to write a positive review.

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Filed under product launch, reviews, skincare, summer

haul: getting juiced with bite beauty

Much like I am with gorgeous men, I can’t resist a pretty lip gloss.

Perhaps it was the doing of the mimosa I had at brunch, but after one glance at that Bite Beauty Lip Shine, it was all over my kisser and it was spectacular!

The Canadian brand, Bite Beauty, is a collection of lip products that are infused with the super-antioxidant resveratrol (which is found in the skin of red grapes), food-grade colours and organic shea butter. In the Lip Shine specifically, there is as much resveratrol as you will find in five glasses of red wine (without the hangover, naturally). It truly is beauty that’s better for you!

I picked up the Lip Shine in Pink Grapefruit ($20) which is a soft pink shade with a lot more colour than I anticipated. It feels nice and light on the lips and doesn’t have that tacky/sticky feeling which I personally dislike. My dry lips were nourished and hydrated thanks to time-released jojoba beads and the lack of petroleum in the ingredient list.

Check out how gorgeous it is!

This is the beginning of a beautiful glossy love affair!

You can find this and other products by Bite Beauty at Sephora retailers and at sephora.com

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Filed under Bite Beauty, hauls, lips, pink looks, reviews, spring, swatches

launch: marcelle bb cream

Inspired by the trends in Asia, I’m pleased to share with you that Marcelle is releasing an amazing new beauty and skin care product that is sure to make its way into your makeup cases. I had the chance to see and feel this at the Annabelle/Marcelle Beauty Premiere event in November and ever since, I’ve wanted a tube of my very own. An 8-in-1 multi-benefit beauty balm, BB Cream is a moisturizing skin care, tinted corrector and makeup base that enhances your natural beauty.

The Eight Multi-Benefits are:

  1. minimizes the appearance of imperfections and pores
  2. evens out skin tone
  3. replaces primers by providing an excellent makeup base
  4. mattifies skin and controls shine
  5. offers immediate and long-term hydrating benefits
  6. soothes and calms the skin
  7. protects from premature aging and environmental stresses
  8. promotes skin regeneration

Ideal for any age and skin type, BB Cream comes in two shades (light-to-medium & medium-to-dark) which works on a variety of skin tones due to its self-adjusting pigments. The fact that it’s hypo-allergenic as well as oil, paraben and fragrance free make this perfect for even sensitive and oily skin types.

The minute I had the BB Cream in my possession, I had to put it to the test. Although I’ve been blessed with decent skin, without a little foundation, I do have some slight redness and uneven tone. There are three ways to use Marcelle BB Cream. The first is on cleansed skin as a corrective tinted moisturizer. The second is to use it alone or over your moisturizer to unify your complexion. Finally, use it as a makeup base under foundation for total coverage and improved staying power. I opted for the first.

The before and after photos were taken in natural light and are untouched.

I instantly noticed a difference in how supple my skin felt and how even my complexion looked. Please know that this is ALL the BB Cream’s doing! I have no concealer or foundation on. Heck, I didn’t even apply any moisturizer! It’s like I’ve been Photoshopped! I have a feeling this is the beginning of a beauty-ful love affair.

You can get your hands on your very own tube of BB Cream as of February 6, 2012 when it’s launched at pharmacies and mass retail stores across Canada.

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Marcelle BB Cream
$22.95 CAD – 45mL
www.marcelle.com

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Filed under foundation, Marcelle, product launch, reviews, skincare, spring, swatches

skin: going greek with korres

I’m not unfamiliar to the awesomeness that is KORRES. Almost ten years ago on a trip to Greece visiting family, I walked into a local pharmacy, saw this cutely packaged Greek brand and just couldn’t help myself. I’ve been a fan ever since. Ten years since my open relationship (only because I’m a creature of variety) with KORRES began, here I am finally reviewing some goodies properly.

Just before the holidays, the lovely folks at KORRES sent me a little care package. Inside was a selection of some of their popular products to help the skin fight the winter blues (and dryness). I hadn’t used much of the line in the past few years other than their White Tea Cleanser (amazing product, by the way). After a few weeks using these goodies, I thought I’d share with you my two cents of what I thought of them. It’s quite fitting that a Greek girl review some Greek products.

{WILD ROSE FACE + EYE SERUM}

WHAT IT IS: An ultra concentrated serum that refines and brightens the look of fine lines around the face and eyes. It is suitable for all skin types.

HOW IT DOES IT: Wild Rose Oil is quite rich in vitamin C which aides in reducing the look of fine lines and breaking down unsightly hyper-pigmentation. It’s also rich in linoleic and linoleic acid which provides an intense moisturization and protection of the skin. Baobab-tree polysaccharide is another ingredient in the serum that provides a line smoothing effect while reducing the appearance of wrinkles.

WHEN YOU USE IT: After you’ve cleansed your face, apply to the face and eye area. You can use this alone or before a moisturizer. 

COST: $49 CAD

WHAT I THOUGHT: After two weeks I noticed my skin was a lot more even and brighter. I have a small sun spot on my cheek that has diminished since using it. I would recommend this to anyone dealing with pigmentation issues or sun damages skin. I adored this under my eye cream as well. It works amazing under concealer and foundation.

{QUERCETIN & OAK ANTIWRINKLE/ANTIAGING EYE CREAM}

WHAT IT IS: An amazing power-eye cream that smooths, hydrates and minimizes the appearance of under eye darkness and puffiness. Suitable for all skin types.

HOW IT DOES IT: Using a NOBEL-awarded discovery on cell aging as inspiration, KORRES used the most powerful anti-aging duo of ingredients, Quercetin & Oak as a natural alternative to Retinol. Mixed with this is Myrtle Extract (improves skin elasticity), Mourera Fluviatilis Extract (helps maintain skin’s water levels), Baobab Polysaccharides (skin is left looking and feeling firmer) and Rhodiola Rosea Extract (helps prevent the appearance of dark circles and eye puffiness).

WHEN YOU USE IT: After you’ve cleansed your face, apply to the eye area around the orbital bone. 

COST: $55 CAD

WHAT I THOUGHT: Using this layered over top of the Wild Rose serum was a powerhouse eye regimen! I may be in love with this combination, I must say. My delicate eye area is subject to my constant abuse and has a tendency of showing it. With this, it’s like the perfect remedy. On a side note: LESS is more with this eye cream. A little goes a heck of a long way so be frugal.

{QUERCETIN & OAK ANTIWRINKLE/ANTIAGING NIGHT CREAM}

WHAT IT IS: A face cream that provides intense nourishment and repair throughout the night. Suitable for all skin types.

HOW IT DOES IT: Using the anti-aging ingredient duo of  Quercetin & Oak as a natural alternative to Retinol. This combination has been clinically proven to provide faster results than leading luxury department store brands. It also contains a blend of Myrtle Extract (anti-aging booster to help skin’s elasticity), Mourera Fluviatilis Extract (moisture binding activity to maintain water levels), as well as Jojoba, Grape and Pomegranate Oils (provides nourishment and reparative properties).

WHEN YOU USE IT: After you’ve cleansed your face, apply to the face and neck.

COST: $59 CAD

WHAT I THOUGHT: Aside from the woody smell (which thankfully dissipated quickly), I was impressed with how this treated my skin throughout the night. From prior experience, night moisturizers have been synonymous with thick, heavy old lady creams. This is not the case with this little jar. My dry, winter-abused skin was quenched thoroughly and left supple and smooth. It was almost a shame washing my face in the morning.

All of these as well as other products from KORRES can be found at Sephora and Shoppers Drug Mart retailers.

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Filed under Korres, my favourites, reviews, skincare, trends

haul: urban decay 15-year anniversary palette

Like-minded beauty junkies will understand how I simply couldn’t resist purchasing the newest palette in the Urban Decay family. The packaging alone sucked me in. A gunmetal mirrored box, a purple faux-jewelled logo on the lid and a laser-cut filigree design on the sides?

… sold.

In all seriousness, the colour palette is very wearable for most people.  The pigmentation and colour payoff is always a win in my books for UD and I like that there is only one slightly glittery eyeshadow in the group. (I really hate their glitter e/s) Mixing delicious neutral tones and rockin’ brights in both light and dark tones makes for a pretty amazing makeup purchase. All fifteen shades are brand new in honour of the brands 15th anniversary (is it sad that I remember when UD first came out?) and are only available in this palette.

TOP TO BOTTOM

1st row: Midnight Rodeo, Tainted, Deeper

2nd row: Midnight 15, Junkshow, M.I.A.

3rd row: Vanilla, Omen, Ace

4th row: Flow, Evidence, Blackout

5th row: Chase, Deep End, Half Truth

Bottom to top: Midnight Rodeo, Tainted, Deeper

Bottom to top: Midnight Rodeo, Tainted, Deeper

Bottom to top: Deeper, Midnight 15, Junkshow, M.I.A.

Bottom to top:  Tainted, Deeper, Midnight 15, Junkshow, M.I.A.

Bottom to top: Vanilla, Omen, Ace

Bottom to top: Vanilla, Omen, Ace

Bottom to top: Flow, Evidence, Blackout

Left to Right: Flow, Evidence, Blackout

Bottom to top: Chase, Deep End, Half Truth

Bottom to top: Chase, Deep End, Half Truth

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Filed under hauls, palettes, product launch, reviews, swatches, Urban Decay

the best of black with annabelle cosmetics + vlog

Black is always a familiar go-to for any woman. The impact of a little black dress or a touch of black liner on the eyes can instantly glam us up with ease. A smokey eye is the epitome of  sexy in the world of makeup.  For the fall season, Annabelle Cosmetics has launched a collection dedicated to some gorgeous blackened makeup goodies that are sure to win anyone over. To boot, all of it is extremely affordable and easy to use.

The ‘Black Box’ collection is:

Glitterama in Blast Off – a gel-liquid eyeliner infused with black and silver glitter.

Liquid Liner in Black Spark – a classic black liquid liner with a modern metallic twist.

Smoothliner in Metal Daze – an intense black pencil topped off with shimmering specks.

Smoothie Eyeshadow Pencil in Licoriche – a rich creamy jumbo eyeliner that wears for up to 9 hours.

…and then THIS happened…

 

 

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Filed under Annabelle, black looks, product launch, reviews, swatches, youtube