Rediscovered: Body Shop Shimmer Cubes Palette #7

I shoppped my stash this week (hooray!) and came across this palette from the Body Shop that I forgot I had! This is the Body Shop's Shimmer Cubes Palette #7  - and I'm so glad I found it again.

This palette is absolutely gorgeous -- featuring a bronze, a peachy/pink, a silver, and very dark dark purple with black undertones. These are all smooth, pigmented and very wearable colours. I love wearing the darkest colour as a crease colour and in the outer V. These can be applied sheer or you can layer to build the intensity. I do like to wear this with a base like Too Faced Shadow Insurance or Pandora Makeup Box's Eye Primer to help it stay put all day. One negative though. While I think the cubes are an interesting concept, it is a pain to have to take off the plastic caps each time you need to use a colour. Guess I should just take them off.

All in all though, I am enjoying wearing the colours in this palette. In fact, I might have to pay a visit to the Body Shop in the near future to check out the other Shimmer Cubes.

What about you? Have you tried the Body Shop Shimmer Cubes? Love? Hate? Suggestions?


Swatches below

Worth the Hype: NARS Albatross and my Lipstick of the Day: MAC Fast Play

Take a look at the picture below. What do you see? Basic white powder. Boring right? Think again. Looks boring maybe but magic once it's on the skin.This is the infamous NARS Albatross, one of my new loves. I think everyone needs this. I love it that much.

Albatross is one of the most gorgeous highlighters you'll ever come across -- seriously -- it really does give a beautiful glow without being overly shimmery. Appropriate for any age -- even women who are *ahem* in their mid to late 30s -- this looks amazing with any blush. My recent favorite cheek combo has been NARS Laguna bronzer, NARS Desire blush (hot pink), and Albatross to highlight. It is such a natural glowy look almost like you have just stepped in from a brisk walk.

If you haven't swatched this baby yet, I would recommend checking it out.What is your favorite highlighter?

Ok, we're on Day 30 of the 50 Day lipstick challenge. I cheated today as I wore the same lipstick as yesterday. My rediscovered favorite -- MAC's Fast Play, which I wrote about earlier this week. I paired it with Rags to Riches Dazzleglass from MAC again which gave it such a gorgeous sheen. But why do Dazzleglasses have to be so sticky? Hate that. But I do love the shimmer.

I hope you are all having a great weekend. It is very cold in Toronto with temperatures dipping way below zero degrees Celsius. Bring on Spring!!

Go Canada! Vasanti Celebrates the Olympics with Special Palette

The Winter Olympics in Vancouver is only weeks away. To celebrate the Olympics, Vasanti Cosmetics has released a celebratory palette featuring eyeshadows in Gold, Silver and Bronze. The palette also includes a shimmery white highlight colour and a sheer red lip tint to represent the Canadian flag.

I recently tested out the palette and I must say I continue to be impressed by the quality of the Vasanti products. The shadows are very pigmented and are true to the colour in the pan. The most wearable colours for me were the bronze and the gold, which were very smooth to apply and blended very easily. I wasn't too keen on the silver which I thought had a bit of a grittier texture. The highlight colour is white with gold undertones I would say but for me, a bit too shimmery for day. The lip tint is lovely -- it is not sticky at all and feels very moisturizing. It does give you a pretty sheer red pout.

Go Canada! Swatches
Bronze, Silver, Gold and White Highlighter
Go Canada! retails for $40 and available at select Shopper's Drug Marts, Rexall and online on Vasanti's Web site. 

Are you excited about the Olympics?

Disclaimer: Products were sent to Lipstick Rules for consideration by Vasanti. I was not paid to do this review and this represents my honest view on the product

Be My Guest! Guest blog review on Kiss Me Mascara!

Ladies, here is a guest post from friend and very first follower: Linda!
Mascara is one of those things that I don’t leave the house without! Like lipstick is for Michelle – mascara makes me feel great and helps me look alive! But NOTHING is worse than looking in the mirror two hours later and your mascara has smudged all under your eyes. It makes your already existent bags look like you haven’t slept in four days! (This is a reoccurring problem for me because I’m always rubbing my eyes trying to wake up until about noon).

Recently, I had the opportunity to try Kiss Me Mascara. At first I was confused by its slogan “Stop painting your lashes . . . Tube them”. After trying this mascara, I was shocked that “tubing” your lashes hasn’t become the norm. First, the mascara leaves your lashes without clumps and looking super long. It’s very easy to apply and just feels better from the beginning – lighter and cleaner. And then, two hours later when looking in the mirror – NO black smudges. Sometime there’s a little bit of black “tubes” on your cheek but it’s simple to wipe off! NO black smudges; it’s a dream!

Also, you don’t need any harsh eye makeup remover – simply use water and the tubes come right off without black paint running down your face. I adore this product! If you’re a reader in Toronto, you can get it Delineation (2409 Yonge St.), Blossom (Hazelton Lanes Shopping Centre) or Gee Beauty (2 Roxborough Street West) or you can order it online at www.cimel.ca.

What’s your favourite mascara??

Side note: Thanks Michelle for letting me post a review on Lipstickrules.com! From being your first follower to watching your blog grow tremendously, it’s been an absolute privilege. :)

When it comes to blogging, I get a bit obsessive about....

When it comes to blogging, I've become a bit obsessive about:

- photos of the day. It's amazing to me how many shots it takes before I'm happy with the result. I always feel a bit ridiculous primping and posing and taking photos of myself.  If my neighbours were to see me through the window, they would probably think I was on something. And I still feel a bit uneasy even posting photos of me on the site. But everyone is so supportive that I feel okay after a while.

-my blog layout. The husband, who does web design and development, still owes me a new site redesign but our lives are so busy it's hard to find the time. So I'm always looking at new layouts and throwing them his way for 'inspiration' or as a reminder -- I'm a good wife after all!

-thinking of unique headlines and topics. The ideas for posts are always running through my head at weirdest times of the day. I should write them down right away as I tend to forget!

-finding new items to review, whether brand new products or products I already own. Whether I'm grocery shopping or wandering the department store aisles, I'm thinking about and looking for potential new products to review. It's become so hard not to pick up items randomly as it's easy to say it is 'for the blog!'

- checking to see if my favorite bloggers have posted. The list of blogs I follow continues to grow and grow and now include home design and fashion blogs...but there are a few blogs I check daily such as Vex in the City, Liparazzi, Belle du Jour, London Makeup Girl, the Gloss Goss, and more!

- checking what everyone is tweeting about and who has tweeted about a new post. Even though I'm not usually tweeting till the end of day Toronto time, I sneak a peek when I wake up and before I go to bed.

Ok that's it. What about you? What do you obsess about when it comes to blogging?

50 Days of Lipstick - Day 25 -- Thoughts on MAC Nude Rose and Fast Play

I'm halfway through my 50 Days of Lipstick and so far so good on using up lipsticks in my collection. My challenge has been photographing each lipstick every day. It's been very tricky and not always feasible. Today I'll share two rediscovered favorites -- both from MAC. I wore these last week. The colours are Nude Rose which was from the Dsquared collection last year, and Fast Play, a permanent colour. 

I love both colours for their versatility. Nude Rose is a pretty nude (how descriptive!) colour that looks great paired with smokey eyes. It has enough pink in it so I don't look like the living dead. It's creamy and looks great paired with a pink or peachy pink gloss on top. I do have to swipe it a couple of times to get the desired colour level but all in all I'm glad to have picked up this colour.

Nude rose pictured left (sorry for the extreme close-up! Nude rose is very 'nude' on me and I like it!)

Fast Play (Below) is I think a hidden gem of a lipstick. It is a neutral pink that looks like my lips but better. I have neglected this colour somehow and now want to wear it every day. It would look great on many skintones I think and is a nice, somewhat brighter alternative to a straight-out nude colour. This is an amplified cream and has good pigmentation. It is so pretty - love love love it! Have you rediscovered any new favorites recently?

50 Days of Lipstick: Giveway WINNER!!!

And the winner of the Beaute Weightless Lip Creme in "Masochist" is.....

DaintyDollymix!!!!!

Winner chosen through Random.org. Please contact me within the next 48 hours to claim your prize!! A big big thank you to all of you who entered! Stay tuned for another contest as I continue my 50 Days of Lipstick Challenge. I've been on track with changing lip colours every day but have not been good at taking photos! Such is life. I will post 'summary' looks in the next few days of what's worked and what hasn't.

Thanks again for your enthusiasm when it comes to rockin the red!

Lipstick Rules Readers - Rocking the Red Lipsticks!

Lillian

Lelo

Beatriz

Niki

Thil

Thanks to all of you who sent photos! You are all gorgeous and really rocking the red. I loved seeing all the different looks you created. Red is really an amazing colour on every skin tone! Love it!!

Apologies to anyone who sent a photo and didn't get posted. My email overfloweth!  I will add photos as I sort through entries and photos. Do not worry if you sent a photo but didn't see it posted. I have counted your entry.

Stay tuned for the winner of the giveaway. I will be announcing in the next hour!

Does the product live up to the hype? NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

How many of us get serious product lemmings recommended by Lollipop26 and Nikki and Sam of Pixiwoo fame? I raise two hands. I love their taste in makeup and the looks they create. After these influential ladies do their initial reviews and/or tutorials, notice how the products they have talked about/used in the tutorial then make the rounds in the blogsphere and other Youtube video reviews? Sometimes I get skeptical and think, does that product really live up to all that hype?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Well, I'm going to add my two cents to a product I think DOES live up to the hype and that is NARS  Sheer Glow Foundation. I was on the hunt for a new foundation, saw Lollipop26's video and read many many reviews on blogs and on makeupalley. I finally caved in and I must say ladies, the product works wonders for me. The colour I was matched to was Fiji but I could have also gone for Sante Fe. Fiji is a warm beige with yellow undertones. Sante Fe is about half a shade darker with more pink/peach undertones. The MA who matched me said it would 'warm' up my face so I might pick that up later closer to summer when I'm slightly darker.

The foundation itself is so smooth to apply, doesn't feel heavy at all and gives a great finish. You can build coverage so you can be as 'sheer' or as heavy as you want. I apply with my fingers and you really only need a bit (a pea-sized drop) to get great coverage.  I do wish it had a pump dispenser like they do at the counter, and I wish the price point wasn't so steep ($55 Canadian). All in all though, a beautiful foundation that gives a flawless, glowy finish. I give this an A.

What products have lived up to the hype for you?

Renewed love for MAC MSFs!

MSFs. For more than a year, I often ignored them. I rarely used them and often wondered why I ever bought them. But now, I'm feeling the love for MAC MSFs again -- and I blame the blogger community for this! All the raves and the beautiful FOTDs featuring MSFs 'made' me revisit my MSF collection again. And I am very thankful. I have a bunch of them including the new ones and am now using them daily as part of my makeup routine. My favorites are By Candelight, Blonde and Redhead, which I use mainly as blushes or highlighters. I also love Sunny by Nature,Cheeky Bronze and Comfort as bronzers. I tend to veer away from the ones that are overly shimmery as they accentuate areas of my face I don't necessarily want to draw attention to.

At my recent MAC makeover, the makeup artist Lucy applied the MSF after bronzer and before blush. I always did it at the end of my routine, after I did everything else on my face. But I am finding that Lucy's technique of layering gives my skin a very luminous glow and I love it.

So I ask those of you who are MSF addicts, how do you use the product? Do you apply before or after your blush? Or do you wear it as blush? Why do you love them?

So what's on your mind?

What I love about our beauty community is that everyone is so helpful with suggestions and information about anything and everything. So this week, I thought of starting a new series on Lipstick Rules called So What's On Your Mind. It's my way of answering some readers' questions and also hopefully a way to get a discussion going on various topics.

This week, I have three questions from readers.

1) How do I get lipstick to stay on longer? Do I need a lip primer?
My answer? I reapply lipstick throughout the day so I never think about lipstick longevity...but there are a couple of options. You could line your lips with liner and then apply lipstick. Or apply lipstick, blot and then add more. I've never used a lip primer myself so I can't comment on if that works or not. Other suggestions?

2) My eyelashes are always clumpy after I apply my mascara. Any mascara suggestions or is it my technique?
My answer? It could be the mascara brand or formulation. But I'm not sure! Anyone?

3) I'm tired of paying $35 for a concealer and am looking for an effective concealer that is more affordable.  Any suggestions?
My answer? MAC concealers are a bit less expensive than $35. I've had good luck with Studio Select concealer. As for products available at the drugstore,  I've only tried the Marcelle concealer palette which works well. This is only available in Canada at the moment. Anyone else have suggestions?

If you have a suggestion for any or all of these questions, comment below please. Look forward to hearing what you have to say!

Lipstick Rules Beaute Giveaway -- Extended to Friday! - CLOSED

First of all, thanks to all of you for the birthday wishes! Warms my heart to receive such kind notes from everyone -- from around the world at that! How cool.

In any case, today was supposed to be the deadline for my Red lippie giveway. But due to overwhelming demand and the number of photos I'd still like to post of Lipstick Rules Readers "rockin the red," I'm going to extend the content till this Friday. Contest will close at midnight EST on Jan 22. Winner will be announced on Sunday January 24 after which you will have 48 hours to claim your prize. Be sure to include your blog link and/or email address below so I can reach you.

Stay tuned and keep those photos coming for additional entries!

I confess...I Hauled...MAC, YSL and Shu Uemura

I confess dear readers...I hauled. My excuse? It is my birthday this week (Tuesday) and I was feeling the need for some retail therapy. The damage? I was a true makeup junkie as I picked up products from YSL, MAC and Shu Uemura.

The FOTD here (left) was taken in the evening after my MAC makeover -- products used were from All Races collection and Lillyland.

On to the haulage.

First up, Holt's. I meant to only do a walk-by to see if the YSL spring line-up was in. There I met Martin, a specialist for L'Oreal. It turns out L'Oreal owns Shu, YSL and Givenchy. Martin is there to help the sales team with product knowledge etc. and to meet with customers like me! He was fun to hang out with for those few minutes and his product knowledge and suggestions were great. In any case, 10 minutes after meeting with Martin and I ended up buying the YSL lippie in Rouge Paris (UPDATED - see Martin's comment -- 1 of 4 Limited Edition Rouge Voluptes!), which is a super bright pinky coral lipstick and a Shu Uemura eyeshadow in Olive.

The YSL Rouge Volupte is one of the brightest lipsticks I own...I think. No matter what the trends forecast say about bright lips being in this year, this is bright even for me! But I was drawn to this colour and knew I could make it work. The swatch below doesn't show how bright it really is.
.

I toned it down with a nude liner underneath (Chanel Nude) and look at how fab it is! Picture is a little blurry but you can see that it can morph to a wearable pink colour. Love it.

The Shu Uemura eyeshadow in Olive didn't look too exciting in the pan when I saw it, just a boring silver to me.  But Martin tried it on me and it was instant love. It is an amazing colour for brown eyes. It is a shimmery not glittery olive tone that makes my brown eyes pop and almost look like a different shade of brown. I'll do a more thorough review after I've had a chance to test it out more. I am thrilled to have met Martin as I think he'll be a great resource for Lipstick Rules -- and he's even left a comment in the 50 Day Challenge and 'followed.'! Another bonus - I also got a goodie bag from YSL as a result of my five minute makeover with Martin. Cool stuff in it including YSL Touche Eclat sample, mascara sample and more Rouge Volupte samples. Love it.

Later, I also went to a MAC event where I got my makeup done by one of the artists. I haven't had my makeup done at MAC in ages so I thought why not. Lucy, the makeup artist, used a lot of products from the new collections.While I thought the makeup was heavier than I normally wear, I thought she did a nice job.  I was most pleasantly surprised at the Cremeblend blushes from the Lillyland collection. On me, Lucy used the bright orange blush on my cheeks on top of By Candlelight MSF and Refined Golden bronzer and as you can see from the pic above, it isn't super bright but rather a nice warm flush. Here is a look at my eyes which I thought looked nice.

Here's a pic of the overall haulage.  Let me know if you'd like a review on a specific item or items.

Joie-du-Vivre cremeblend blush
Empowered lipstick (shown on my lips in FOTD)
YSL Rouge Volupte Rouge Paris (new Spring collection)
Olive eye shadow from Shu Uemura (love!)
Optomistic Orange cremeblend blush (shown on my cheeks in FOTD)
Resort Life lip gelee (love!)
MAC shadow - Modellete (UPDATED: Shifa I thought it was Mulled Cider!)

I also got a GWP from the Bay as a result of my MAC purchases. Some fun goodies here:

It is indeed becoming a happy birthday with all these new goodies to play with.Now if only I could turn back the clock.

Lipstick Rules Readers Rockin' the Red - Part II

Happy Monday! Here are some more great photos from Lipstick Rules' readers who are rocking the red lipstick as part of the Beaute lip creme giveaway, which ends on Wednesday. I'm thoroughly impressed at all the great looks I'm seeing and also the interest in red lippies! Love it. Thanks for sending the photos everyone.

Grace London (Londonmakeupgirl.com)

Marley (adeeplysuperficialperson.blogspot.com)

Tiffany (materialgirls23.blogspot.com)

Helen (everythingcherrychan108.blogpsot.com)

Coco (Prettymom.org)

When is it appropriate or not appropriate?

I was talking to my friend at work the other day about red lipstick. Not that unusual really. She bought the Beaute lip cremes in 'Masochist' and 'Wanted' (my suggestions of course) and wore the red one for the first time to work. My friend, who is probably one of the most stylish people I know said the reviews were mixed when she sported the red lip look. Some thought she looked amazing 'rockin the red' but at the same time there were a few jokes. That got us to talking about work appropriate makeup and whether there was such a thing.

My take?I don't necessarily think it's a matter of appropriate or inappropriate. I think it depends on so many factors including the environment/style of where you work.  I think a lot of the time it also boils down to how people see you on a regular basis. So if you tend to wear nudes every day and suddenly you wear orange lipstick of course people will take notice -- good and bad.

All in all though that's what makes makeup fun for me. The ability to change a look with just a subtle change in lip colour. Amazing.

How's this for Friday night ramblings? What's up for you this weekend?

Lipstick Rules Readers - Rocking the Red Lipsticks!

Only a few more days to enter my red lipstick giveaway! A big thank you to all of you who have entered and/or commented.

My 50 Day Challenge is going well. I will do a post this weekend summarizing the good, the bad and the ugly of my lipstick collection so far. In the meantime, check out the Lipstick Rules readers below who are rockin' the red lips! Gorgeous ladies, absolutely gorgeous. 

 

  Jennifer (http://l1lmamaj.blogspot.com)

 Nina (ninahearttoby.blogspot.com)

Saadeh (Shadowlady.blogspot.com)

Mz. More (theglamorousgleam.blogspot.com)

Phoebe (xphoebelinax.blogspot.com)

Nikki (bollywoodwonder9.blogspot.com)

Keep them coming ladies!

This is Me: 7 Random Facts

I was tagged by two gorgeous ladies, Anjali and Lady Gray, to share 7 random/quirky facts about myself. Apologies for not doing this post sooner but better late than never! Here we go!

1. If there are mixed veggies on my plate, I tend to eat all the green veggies first and leave the red and orange ones last. Not sure why I do this but I do.

2. I cried the first time I stepped into deep snow when I moved to Canada. I was five and I think it scared me.Now I have a love/hate relationship with snow.
3. I won an award when I graduated elementary school -- the French award. I must have done well in French class but I can't speak or read it at all now. Maybe someday it will come back or maybe I should take lessons again!
4. I am a sponge when it comes to remembering useful information. For example, I can remember names of models John Taylor (Duran Duran) dated in the 1980s. At the age of 12 I was convinced I would marry him and so I kept track of my competition. LOL. I can also recall and rhyme off facts about actors and who they have dated or who's married to who. Sad but true.
5. I still like watching "Survivor" on TV. Season after season I get caught up in this reality show and love it!
6. I love the Star Wars Trilogy. I could watch those movies over and over again -- and still love them.
7. I bought my first MAC lipstick when I was 19 and it was Chili, which is a matte orangey-red that I think is still available.

I nominate all my new readers and anyone who hasn't done this! I love learning more about you so please include a link below if you do end up posting.

How Sweet it Is: Benefit's Sugarbomb

I've come to really like the Benefit blushes -- from Dandelion to Coralista (especially, Coralista). The latest to join my collection thanks to a bit of Christmas money is Sugarbomb. It is a sweet product to have in the blush arsenal. Sugarbomb comes with four pretty and wearable colours (peach, pink,rose and mauve). Colours can be worn individually, but I prefer to swirl it all together to get an incredible yet subtle glow. What I like about the Benefit blushes is the smoothness of the powder, which is very finely milled. And the light scent is very fresh and not at all overpowering.

My poor attempt at a swatch below (the last on the right is the colours all swirled together).

Be forewarned though -- if you liked a pigmented blush, this isn't the blush for you. It's never going to be a blush that will give you that pop of colour.I do have to layer the colour to get good pigmentation on my skintone, so ladies who are more tanned than me (I'm NC 35 to NC 37) should swatch to see if it would work for you. I tend to add two layers to my cheeks for a nice light flush.  I expect paler girls might get more colour from this though so I would recommend checking it out in person to see for yourself. For me, it's simply a nice alternative from the more pigmented blushes in my collection, including my beloved Coralista.

The negatives? It's on the high end at $36 Canadian (I was torn between getting this or another NARS blush). I'm also not a huge fan of the box packaging, which I think is very awkward if I want to include in my little makeup bag that I carry to work.

All in all though, I like this blush and and expect to be wearing this regularly from now until the summer.

What do you think of Benefit's blushes?

Warm & Cozy in January; featuring MAC Liquer and Gosh Mocha lippies for 50-Day Challenge

MAC's Warm & Cozy has some products that have caught my eye -- particularly the MSFs. This weekend, I took inspiration from what I've seen in the collection and used some of my existing products. I really liked the effect -- warm tones for a VERY cold January day in Toronto. The kids and the Husband were tobaganning on the tiny bump (definitely wouldn't call it a hill but it's enough of a slope for the kids) in our backyard while I took photos of myself indoors. Fun times indeed!

Here's the quick look I did before taking my daughter to swimming class:

FACE: Diorskin Nude foundation; MAC MSF in Cheeky Bronze (love this!); Vasanti blush in Andes; MSF Natural Medium Plus

EYES: Teddy liner by MAC; Casual Friday neutral palette by Pandora's Makeup Box, Dior Iconic mascara in black

LIPS: Mocha by Gosh; Liquer lipglass by MAC (see below) -- love this combo. I forgot I had Liquer in my collection. It gives such a nice sheen to the lips. The Gosh lippie is very much like the MAC Slimshines -- very moisturizing and sheer but not very long lasting. Mocha is very neutral nude beige colour.

I really like Cheeky Bronze MSF. It gives a pretty warm glow-from-within look I think.
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Unsung Hero: MAC's Jest eyeshadow

I love eyeshadows that can be worn on their own as a wash of colour. Don't get me wrong - I love using crease and highlight colours. But for busy or lazy days, I love working with one eyeshadow, some gel liner and mascara. One colour that works amazingly well for me is a MAC shadow called Jest. It is a peachy pink colour with a hint of shimmer. The finish is Frost but it's not over the top and not inappropriate for a woman in her 30s like me. For my younger readers, you need not fear this one either.

Jest is a beauty on its own but can also be paired with just about anything, from greys to browns. I've worn it with Satin Taupe or Woodwinked and the effect is very pretty. Most of the time though, I usually wear it on its own with winged black liner and mascara -- that's it. An easy sophisticated look.

Here are pics -- it is a lighter in person with a lot of depth to the colour. If you haven't seen it, check it out next time you visit a MAC counter.

Is there a colour that you love to wear on its own? 

QOTD: When was the last time you finished a tube of lipstick?

Lipstick has been top of mind for me from a beauty perspective since starting my 50-Day Challenge. It has made me think that it's been years since I've finished a tube of lipstick. Taking a look at my collection, the one lipstick that is even close to the bottom is Viva Glam VI from MAC. The rest are almost new looking - and barely used. So a quick question for you, when was the last time you finished a tube of lipstick and what colour was it?

50 Days of Lipstick: Giveaway -- Win A Beaute Weightless Lip Creme!

You all know how much I love Beaute Cosmetic's Weightless Lip Cremes. As a way to celebrate Day 10 of my 50 Days of Lipstick -- and to thank you for continuing to support my blog, I'm going to hold a mini-contest. The prize -- Beaute's Weightless Lip Creme in Masochist!

Pixiwoo featured this amazing red colour in a Marlene Dietrich makeup look -- and I and other beauty bloggers like London Makeup Girl and MizzWorthy have raved about this colour. It's a gorgeous, creamy red colour that will suit many skin tones. I adore it. I picked up an extra tube of this colour before Christmas on sale and want to share it with my with readers.

Here are the details of the contest:

a) you must be a follower of this blog and tell me if you like/want to rock the red lippie look  - 1 entry

b) Post about this contest on your blog and get 2 entries

c) do A) and B) and send me a picture of you 'rockin a red' lippie - 3 entries. Email pics to lipstickrules (at) gmail dotcom  (UPDATE: I will post your photos over the course of the contest and will link to your site)

Contest ends on Day 20 of 50 Days of Lipstick. Contest open internationally. Winner will be selected using random.org. I will notify (so please include your blog link or email below) and announce the winner on Day 21 and the winner will have 48 hours to claim the prize. Look forward to seeing your red lippie looks and hearing why you want to rock the red!

Bye Bye Dehydrated/Dry Skin! Hello Elizabeth Grant!

Canadian winters wreak havoc on my skin. The dry conditions at home and the office combined with the harsh winter weather leaves my skin dry and dehydrated. I've tried a number of products and nothing really worked..until now.

First a run-down on my skincare regime. My skin gets ultra-sensitive in the winter and the only thing I use that seems to work for cleansing is Cetaphil. So I've stuck to that. Cetaphil moisturizer works well for me as well but not in the winter. It simply is not providing enough moisture.

Enter products from Elizabeth Grant, a Canadian line that specializes in anti-aging skin care products.

Now I'm not overly concerned about wrinkles and such, but I am all about taking care of skin. I was a bit skeptical when I had an opportunity to test out the products but I have been amazed at the results I've experienced in the past month since using the products.

For this post, I'll focus on the serums: Biocolassis Complex Advanced Cellular Age Defense Day Serum,  Night Serum and Eye Serum. All three products come with Elizabeth Grant’s exclusive Torricelumn,™ which the company claims to "help increase the hydration levels by both stimulating the synthesis of water transfer proteins localized in epidermal skin cell membranes and by boosting the natural levels of Hyaluronic acid found in the epidermis. This dual action plumps up the appearance. The skin becomes more resilient, deep lines and wrinkles appear minimized."

Each product has a pump applicator and all you need is one to two drops of the product and apply. You can add moisturizer after. I am using an Elizabeth Grant moisturizer as well for night. These serums are simply amazing. They absorb quickly, have no scent and your skin feels moisturized and supple to the touch. It does not affect makeup application -- makeup goes on smoothly and there are no dry flakes to be found. My skin has never felt better. It is not red, flaky or rough to the touch. I am truly amazed.

In early December, the skin under my eyes was so dehydrated that it got red and blotchy. It looked awful and I was scared that it would look like this all winter. This serum helped to hydrate the area and resolved the problem within a week. No joke.

The only con I can say at this point, is that it is on the higher end in terms of price, with the serums costing around $50 or more each Canadian. But if it works, it works so I see myself ordering more in the future. The Elizabeth Grant line is available internationally, on its Web site and the company is often featured on shopping channels. In my opinion, it's a line worth trying.I have a couple of other products from the line that I'm using so stay tuned for the reviews.

Check out Glamourouxx's review on the product too -- she includes interesting tidbits about the company too.

Any other dry skin sufferers out there? What works for you?


NOTE: Product samples provided by Elizabeth Grant for consideration. The views presented are based on my experience using the products for a period of four-weeks; my views were not influenced by any third-party.

50 Days of Lipstick - Day 5 and 6: No Lipstick Love for Lancome Sugared Maple and Bobbi Brown Heather Mauve

My 50 Days of Lipstick Challenge is going well -- it's been fun going through my collection and finding lipsticks that I haven't touched in a long long time. And today I, a true lipstick lover, am going to tell you about two lipsticks I don't love! These are: Lancome's Sugared Maple (a free lipstick I got as part of a GWP) and Bobbi Brown Heather Mauve, a purchase from last year at some point.

First, the Lancome lipstick. I have never bought a Lancome lipstick before. I don't know why really. I'm a big fan of the BiFacil eye makeup remover and I've tried some eyeshadows and skincare which were all nice as well. As for lipstick, not sure why I've never gravitated towards these from this brand. In any case, I found this lipstick in the bottom of my drawer. It looks nice enough in the tube; it's a reddish colour with brown undertones and a sheen to it. It applies smoothly, and was long lasting. But....I do not love it. My issue isn't with formulation but rather with the colour itself. Not very inspiring. What did Iexpect from a gift with purchase? That said, I'm not going to dismiss all Lancome lipsticks because of this. I will make a point of visiting the counter and seeing if there is a colour that calls out to me -- but not until after Day 50 of this challenge.

Next is Bobbi Brown's Heather Mauve, a mauvey brown colour. It is creamy, has a slight scent. But...this is the exact colour of my lips. I don't love it at all. When I bought it, I thought it would be a nice nude colour but it does nothing for me. I find I have to swipe it on my lips over and over to get some pigmentation but then I think, what's the point since it looks like my normal lip colour? I think wearing a clear gloss would have had the same effect on my look today.

So, these two lippies are on my 'out' pile now waiting to be traded or given away to a good home.

My apologies for the not-so-flattering lip pics. I reapplied them and took photos after the kids had gone to bed and after a very long busy day at work.

Have any of you tried Lancome lipsticks? Thoughts? What about Bobbi Brown?