DAVIDA GRAGOR - Makeup Artist

Im an Arbonne Independent Consultant!

2010-08-22T15:21:00.002-04:00

Hello Readers!

Over the summer I have been very bad at posting new content to my blog and I apologize!

There have been a lot of reasons behind this; it has been a difficult summer for my family with some big losses, I have started and then left a new job and now I am finally in a good place with good things happening around me.

The most exciting thing that has happened this summer is that I met Kimberley Maharaj and was introduced to the Swiss line Arbonne. Arbonne is a botanically based, 100% certified organic/vegan health and wellness line and their products are absolutely amazing!

After being a makeup artist for 9 years I have tried A LOT of brands and these products stood out for me. The skin care is phenomenal and the makeup is rich and pigmented.

Anywho, after meeting Kimberley and trying the products (and loving them) I decided that Arbonne is the next step in my life. I joined Arbonne and jumped in with two feet. I am an Arbonne Independent Consultant and I couldn't be happier!

This doesn't mean my blog will turn into an all Arbonne all the time site, but I will talk about their products and certain items once and a while. I do believe that with what I know now, my site will try to focus more on organic and cruelty free brands.

Arbonne is very unknown in Canada and so right now I am taking this post to introduce you all to a line that I am passionate about. It has been around for 30 years and made by some of the top formulators in Switzerland. They offer over 450 products from skin care to nutritional supplements.

If you want to know more about Arbonne, you can visit the website at www.arbonne.ca or send me an email; dgragor@gmail.com and say hi!

So as we enter the fall (yes, Fall is near), I am re-energized and ready to go! I am blogging, meeting, tweeting and working hard! Stay tuned for lots of new content and a new me!

xoxo,

Arbonne Independent Consultant
ID# 115242329

Review - E.L.F Nail polish with some dupes!

2010-07-02T15:43:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago E.L.F had a promotion on their website where shipping was only a $1.98. Since they are a US based company and their shipping is usually more than their product, I decided to go on a little nail polish spree!

I got 9 nail polishes for $1 each!
Above, from L to R and top to bottom, the colours I got were:
Chocolate
Hot Pink
Nude
Plum
Fire Coral
Champagne
Fuchsia
Mod Mauve
Smoky Brown

I tried a few of the colours and overall I really like the colours! Most were true to the colour in their bottle and almost all of them gave full coverage with just two coats. My two disappointments were Maude Mauve (which took 3-4 coats) and Nude (which really was "nude" as in no colour. At All).

L to R: Mod Mauve, Chocolate, Plum & Fuchsia

Thumb: Smoky Brown

Hey - for $1 each, I can afford a couple colours I'm not crazy about. And not only did I get some fun new colours, I found three great product dupes of other pricier nail polishes too!

As with all E.L.F products, you really have to try them for yourself. They have a great variety of affordable (aka dirt cheap!) cosmetics and as long as you are OK with a few duds now and then, they really are an awesome every day alternative to some of the pricier brands.

xoxo,

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

2010-07-01T13:21:00.000-04:00

Sneak Peak - Upcoming Posts

2010-06-23T17:13:00.000-04:00

Hi All!

The last couple of weeks have been a little hectic and I have not given my blog the love and attention it deserves. That doesnt mean I havent still been trying and testing makeup to review for you. Here is a preview of some of the products I've got coming up on the blog:

Annabelle Zebra Bronzer vs. Annabelle Mineral Bronzer - I've tried both, now which is my favourite?

Revlon Fire & Ice and Kiss Me Coral Lipstick - Two summer must haves!

Arbonne Face Primer - Have you heard of Arbonne? I have!

Maybelline New Falsies Mascara - I've tried, I've tested, now do I like it more than Colossal?

E.L.F Nail Polish Haul - Lots 'O colours to try!

So keep checking in! I havent forgotten my blog, I've just been a little busy with some exciting new work that I hope to share with you shortly.

xoxo,

Hip & Urban Girls Take Note!

2010-06-08T23:14:00.000-04:00

There is a new kind of cool on the block. Founders Lisa Ng and Wendy Kammarcy have launched a new lifestyle website entitled The Hip & Urban Girls Guide, or HUG for short. Based in Toronto, but with content worldwide, the Hip & Urban Girls site is a “lifestyle blog dedicated to urban eats, hip getaways, cool events and networking”. And they aren’t kidding about the networking part! I have now attended two of their networking events and these ladies can schmooze. Lisa is like a matchmaker of entrepreneurs! She is constantly introducing like-minded ladies to each other and setting up meetings with some of the city’s best go-getters.

I recently met with Lisa and Wendy to talk to them about HUG and how it all got started:


Wendy (@BossLadyWendy on Twitter)

How did you come up with the idea for Hip and Urban Girls?

WK: We had our own individual blogs at the start of the year. I had tons of photos and stories I wanted to share with the world and Lisa decided to start blogging as a hobby (she runs her own DJ company www.helloDJ.ca and it was off-season for weddings). We're both foodies and love to travel so the topics we were blogging about were very similar - so we just decided to merge everything and team up under Lisa's original blog to create The Hip & Urban Girl's Guide!

So Lisa has her DJ'ing company, Wendy what were you doing before HUG? Did you have your own business as well?
WK: I was running in the rat race! Working in Online Marketing for a large global corporation. I LOVED what I was doing so naturally I was eating, sleeping, breathing my job which didn't really leave much time for me to enjoy other things. I burnt out and realized I needed more "balance" so I left all that behind to start my own consulting business (I specialize in online marketing and advertising -- sem, seo, social media, etc.). It's worked out great because I can now travel whenever I want, take an afternoon off to go shopping, lunch with friends or yoga class!

Lisa (@HipUrbanGirl on Twitter)

How did you two meet and what made you want to go into business together?
WK: I knew I wanted to go into business with Lisa because she was already running a successful business of her own and I knew there was a lot I could learn from her. She has skills that compliment mine - for example, Lisa is definitely more outspoken then me so she manages the PR whereas, I am more of the "Geek Girl" so I'm good with project management and optimizing our website.

LN: I was the Meetup organizer for Toronto Work at Home Women. Through that group I met some amazing female entrepreneurs and Wendy was one of them! It is so important to surround yourself with ambitious, supportive and positive people.

What is your goal for HUG?
WK & LN: We want to become the #1 portal/website for women ages 25-35 in Toronto. I know people think we are 'just a blog' - but we are so much more than that. We host a unique networking event once a month for women to connect offline and encourage each other's projects and businesses. They have become so popular that we had to open up the occasional Co-Ed Edition so hip + urban guys could join in the fun too. There is so much young ambition in this city and we want to be in the centre of it all!

What is one trait that every Hip Urban Girl must have?

WK: A positive outlook on life. It's all in the attitude baby!

LN: To make sure they are living the life they want and to the absolute fullest. There are no do-overs!

What is one "Hip Tip"?
WK: Be true to yourself. It is one of the hardest things to do but the best thing you can do for yourself.

LN: Drink lots of water, you'll feel ten times better and have more energy.

Lisa & Wendy at the HUG launch at SpiceSafar

Where do you see the HUG brand going in the next 5 years?
In the short term we'll continue hosting events, developing our Blog with valuable content and forming partnerships with corporate sponsors who would like to co-host with us. In the longer term we definitely see the HUG brand expanding across Canada and the US.

It is always inspiring to see other women take life by the horns and follow their dreams and these women are truly motivation for me to get going! The official HipUrbanGirl.com website launched last Wednesday and I had the privilege of attending their party held at SpiceSafar on King St. The event was packed with young, talented, entrepreneurs - both male and female and even featured a routine by Fever, the new cabaret style burlesque show on now at Second City.

Me with Hip & Urban Girl Kimberley of Arbonne Cosmetics

Their regular networking events are held once a month in chic downtown locales and if you havent attended an event yet, I highly recommended meeting up with the Hip & Urban Girls. All their contact information can be found on their site here if you want to join their Facebook page and stay on top of upcoming events and giveaways.

*Note: All images courtesy HipUrbanGirl.com

xoxo,

Review - Annabelle Mineral Cosmetics

2010-05-20T11:35:00.000-04:00

I recently received a package from Annabelle of their new mineral line of cosmetics. Over the last two weeks I have been wearing their foundation and bronzer and have had the chance to play with their pigment as well. As someone that is not too familiar with Annabelle, I was very impressed. To be honest, unless I’m looking for a quick liner or gloss I have tended to skip over the Annabelle section of the beauty department. Not any more!

I really like the concept of mineral powders and makeup because it is gentler on sensitive skin (which I have!), free of unnecessary additives and doesnt contain talc. These minerals went on very light and smooth. The texture was silky and the foundation provided a nice light coverage. I used a denser brush with the foundation to give more concentrated coverage on areas that needed it (blemishes, under the eyes) and the Annabelle powder brush over the rest of my face.

I dont usually wear mineral foundations personally because I dont like the mess. Loose powders can go everywhere and arent very portable. What I liked about the Annabelle minerals was that they didnt come through the top of the dispenser in large amounts; I could shake the container once and get enough on the lide to cover my face and not end up with a poof of powder everywhere whenever I opened the container. I think I still prefer a pressed powder for convenience, but these worked well for what they were.

Photo credit: Annabelle Cosmetics

I also really liked the bronzer. If you are looking for a natural glow this works great! It is not sparkly or pearlized in any way so you can dust over your entire face and not end up a glittery mess. I used over my face and neck and then went back over my cheeks for some added colour.

Photo Credit: Annabelle Cosmetics

The pigment I tried was their purple (on FOTD below) in Violet Vibe. The intensity of the colour was alright. Not the most concentrated pigment I’ve used (like MAC back in the old days), but it blended well and held up throughout the day. I found the container (there is only one small hole at the top of the jar) a little wonky to use, but not enough to deter me from purchasing the product in future.

Photo Credit: Annabelle Cosmetics

Again, as someone that doesnt normally use a lot of Annabelle products, I was happily surprised and impressed. I look forward to trying and reviewing their lip plumping gloss!

Below is a look I did using the mineral products as well as their newest bronzer - the Zebra Bronzing Pressed Powder (love it!) which was also sent to me by Annabelle. Enjoy!

Products Used:
Annabelle Barely Beige Minerals Foundation
Annabelle Minerals Powder Bronzer in Terra over entire face
Annabelle Zebra Bronzing Pressed Powder on cheeks
Annabelle Minerals Pigment Dust in Violet Vibe as eye liner
Annabelle Smudgeliner in Ohmygoth! on lower inner rim only
Marcelle Volume Precision Mascara

Full Face


Violet Vibe pigment around eyes & black Smudgeliner on lower rim

Marcelle Mascara and Annabelle Zebra Bronzer

xoxo,

Note: All the products in this review were provided to me by Marcelle Group. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and not effected in any way.

FOTD - Maybelline Eyestudio

2010-05-04T11:34:00.001-04:00

I recently received the Maybelline Eye Studio Kit from Matchstick to try out. Instead of try it alone, I had a bunch of other bloggers over to my house last Friday to play with the product! A girls night of makeup and bbq-ing = awesomeness. In attendance were Farah (FacesByFarah), Marie (Karmacake), Sumaya (Sumaya Papaya) from Matchstick, and Nat (Anastasia Tubanos). I provided the location, but these ladies definitely provided the fun (and the food!).

So apparently we had too much fun with bbq, dessert and makeup because I didnt take any pictures! BUT I did try out the makeup a couple days later on myself and came up with the look below. I used the the Colour Plush Silk Shadow in "Give Me Gold" with the Colour Pearls Marbleized Eyeshadow in "Khaki Craze". I lined my eyes with the brown in the Silk Shadow on top and the Khaki Craze green on the bottom and finished with the XXL Pro Curl Washable Eyeshadow.

Hope you like it!

"Give Me Gold" and "Khaki Craze"

(I didnt end up using the liner)

FIRST STEP

MIDDLE WITH DARKER COLOUR

FINAL EYE W LINER BEFORE MASCARA

FINAL LOOK

xoxo,

Wishpot Wednesday - Sephora Color Play 5 in 1

2010-04-21T14:59:00.002-04:00

This week's Wishpot item was an easy choice!

Wishpot Wednesday: Sephora Color Play 5 in 1 Makeup Set $29.50 USD

This is pretty much one of the coolest things I've seen in a while as far as makeup packaging is concerned.

For $29.50 you get 5 palettes that each contain 10 eyeshadows, 2 lip glosses and one blush! But the neat part about this set is that they are REMOVABLE. The last palette in the package is a removable case that you can put individual sets in and take with you, making each of the 5 groups completely portable. So cool!

The Sephora site has the kit valued at $150 for the product contained and I've to agree that it's a great value for the price - $30 for 50 eyeshadows? Yes please!

Must pick one of these up before they are gone!

xoxo,

ELF Special!

2010-04-20T12:22:00.001-04:00

I have written about how I'm a fan E.L.F in the past and now I am sharing one of there awesome sales with you!

Right now, when you spend $20 or more on their site, you get 10 of their mineral eyeshadows for FREE (offer expires May 15, 2010)!

Their minerals are amazing, and definitely one of my favourite products, so to get 10 for FREE is an awesome incentive to go out and get some new goodies.

Hmmmmm....what to buy?

xoxo,

Weekend Inspiration

2010-04-16T11:27:00.000-04:00

Words to live by and inspire you this weekend...

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler."
- Henry David Thoreau

Take Cover - Cover FX Flash Mob Comes to Toronto!

2010-04-15T14:22:00.004-04:00

Do you see this face? This is the face of a very tired, Davida with no makeup on! Look at those circles! Luckily, the Cover FX flash mob is coming to Toronto and they've got me covered!

You can get your own retail sized Cover FX concealer FREE on April 22 at Yonge and Dundas. Details below.

Cover FX Flash Mob April 22
(click on image to view larger)

Wishpot Wednesdays - DuWop Revolution

2010-04-14T15:15:00.001-04:00

Summer is upon us (almost!) and let's not lie, us Canadian gals need some help in the tan department after a sunless, dry winter.

Wishpot Wednesday: DuWop Revolution Tinted Moisturizer in Deep ($28USD)

I have had this moisturizer in the past and it was amazing! They now have a deeper tone, which is better for me (the lighter tone only works on me for about the first week of summer), so Im excited to try it.

It contains Vitamin E, Aloe Vera and Allantoin for conditioning; as well as Lavender and White Tea Extract, Arnica, and Calendula so not only do you get a beautiful glow, you'll smell good and be conditioned too. Bonus!

I prefer to wear tinted moisturizers over self tanners as there is less commitment and less chance of turning out like an oompa loompa. Plus there is no DHA which equals no unpleasant tanner smell.

Cant wait to try this one out. My gams could use some work before I start wearing my summer shorts and skirts.

Dont forget: before applying any self tanner or tinted moisturizer to exfoliate your skin so that you get an even and natural coverage.

xoxo,

Wishpot Wednesdays

2010-04-07T15:52:00.007-04:00

I was inspired by all the tempting things on beauty babe Anjali Handa's blog (Rock That Look) to create my own Wishpot Wednesdays. I'll be posting beauty items I want to try to here and on Wishpot every Wednesday.

Today: Benefit Powderflage Concealer ($28USD) and Erase Paste Concealer ($26USD)

Aside from both of these looking awesome and having cool names, like everything in the Benefit line, they've been highly recommended to me more than once by other makeup artists.

I have circles under my eyes so am interested in these products from a personal standpoint, but also from a professional standpoint; there are lots of sleep deprived stressed out brides that need some help on their wedding day! :)

Have you tried these before? Did you like them? What's your favourite trick for under-eye circles?

QTips - The Best Un-brush Ever!

2010-04-13T12:47:00.000-04:00

Every time I do makeup I use QTips. It doesnt matter how many pretty brushes I have or what type of hair they are, nothing beats the good 'ole QTip. They are quite possibly the most versatile un-brush in my kit. For this reason, I have chosen to begin to write a series about QTips.

Use number #101
The subtle blender and makeup remover

Most people know the trick to removing mascara mistakes with a QTip, but if not, here it is: If you get some mascara on your face when you’re applying, wait for it to dry and then twirl the end of a QTip over the mishap. The QTip will pick up the mascara without smudging or wrecking the wrest of your makeup.

Additionally, if you have a messy corner of the eye, say from a smokey look or lots of liner, instead of wiping it off with remover (which can take off more than you want) or a wet tissue, try putting a drop of moisturizer on the end of QTip to clean up the line of the eye or the corner. You can use the end with product to remove, and the dry end to clean up and blend. Amazing!

Photo credit: http://www.korresusa.com/list/color/look/dramatic

And if you want to add makeup instead of remove it, a QTip is small enough and precise enough to be used to apply highlight colour under the brow bone to finish a makeup look. You can softly apply a light highlight colour with one end and blend it in with the other!

There are many more ingenious uses for the QTip and I hope to add to this list as I think of them, so keep checking back!

What are your alternative uses for the QTip? Do you have a favourite makeup tip? Let me know in the comment section below!

xoxo,

Review - Bioderma Sensibio H20 Eye Makeup Remover

2010-04-05T10:23:00.001-04:00

I received a bottle of the Bioderma Sensibio (available at Shoppers and other beauty sources) eye makeup remover about a year ago at a beauty event and it has since become my staple eye makeup remover both professionally and at home.

Bioderma in general is a brand known for being hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and ultra-sensitive, which is perfect for me because I have the MOST sensitive eyes and skin of anyone I know.

As a contact lens wearer, a gentle makeup remover is doubly important.

I find this makeup remover is like putting on nothing at all. It is like refreshing water removing my makeup without any irritation or stinging.

It is oil free and scent free and does an amazing job on a little or a lot of makeup.

I highly recommend this product for anyone with sensitive or irritated eyes.

xoxox

-dg

Review - Essie Matte About You Nail Polish

2010-04-04T17:01:00.001-04:00

I FINALLY found the Essie Matte About You nail polish at a store in Toronto! I had been looking for this polish online and it was between $9-$11 per bottle depending on the website, which was fine, but then shipping on every site was an additional $10. I just couldnt do it for one bottle of polish. Which is why I ecstatic when I found it at Trade Secrets in Toronto for about the same price without the shipping! Yay me!

The Essie polish claims to take any regular nail polish and make it matte. It definitely delivers. As the polish dries, you can see the shiny finish change to a very cool matte effect. Below is one of my favourite polishes from Sephora - Domestic Goddess. I love this polish as a fun purple for the spring and am completely satisfied with it, but having the versatility of wearing it two different ways appealed to me.

TIP - It is important to cover the ENTIRE original polish with the Essie polish or you will get little spots of shiny poking through around the cuticle and sides that take away from the effect. I usually do one coat and let it set and then go back over lightly any of the parts that I may have missed.

My only qualm with the Essie polish is that the finish doesnt last. After a day or so, my nails seemed to slowly go back to being shiny. Not the full shine of before, but an awkward medium between matte and the shine it was supposed to be. Putting another coat on fixed this, but I dont really want to have to reapply a top coat on a polish every other day.

If you're looking for a different look to polish that will have high impact on a special night out, this is a pretty neat product, but the lengevity just isnt there for it to be a regular in my rotation.

Overall, Im undecided. I like that one product has doubled my nail polish collection because I can now get too different styles out of every colour, but I feel like I'll go through the bottle quickly trying to maintain my nails, so I still dont quite have a final verdict. Sorry!

If you have the Essie polish and have an opinion on how it works, I'd love to hear from you. What are you favourits styles with nail polish? Are you a nude nail or statement gal?

xoxo,

-dg

Review - ZPalette

2010-03-24T09:52:00.005-04:00

UPDATE - I just found out from the lovely miss Jilly of kireimakeup.com that you can get the Z Palette at the Complections store in Toronto! And if you're a makeup artist you get 20% off. Score! Thanks for the tip Jilly!

About a month or two back I did a post about de-potting your shadows and blushes that are in cases. My intention was to buy another MAC pro palette and use that, but then I found the ZPalette and decided to try it.

The ZPalette was created by makeup artist Zena Shteysel (get it, "Z" Palette...) and is a an open palette with no dividers and a magnet bottom so you can put all your shadows, blushes, etc from any brand together without schlepping around a bunch of individual packs. One large ZPalette can hold 27 MAC shadows (that's almost two MAC pro palettes) and is $20 USD (the small is $14 USD). I ordered it online since it is not available in Toronto yet, but it IS available in Vancouver and I've heard they are at IMATS if you can wait. There is shipping on top of the order, but I found the price and the shipping well worth it because Im impatient and really wanted to test it out!

The verdict: LOVE it! It is a sturdy cardboard that doesnt feel like it will break or crease. The thing I really love about it is I can see into it. I hated having 5 black palettes and never knowing which one was which. Plus, looking at all my pretty colours together just makes me smile... :) The magnet on the bottom of the palette and on the lid to keep it closed are both strong, and the shadows dont seem to slip or move around (a fear of mine). And if you've de-potted your makeup and dont have magnets, they sell those too (though you could probably fine a better deal locally).

The palette is the same width as a traditional shadow palette so MAC minerals and other thicker blushes or deep shadows dont fit, but that is my only negative so far.

I have really just started using the palette, so we'll see how durable it is, but as of right now, I am definitely impressed.

On Sunday I will be volunteering my makeup services for a fundraiser called Makeover Chile to raise money for Chile following the earthquake. This will be the first time my palette will be put to the test in a busy environment. I look forward to it! And if you want to get pampered on Sunday and support a good cause, drop by Salon Moda to see me and some of the other Toronto Beauty Bloggers!

xoxo

-dg

Balmshell Cosmetics Lipgloss

2010-03-12T19:50:00.005-05:00

Balmshell Cosmetics is a Canadian, Toronto-based cosmetics line that was founded by twin sisters Jennifer and Fiona Lees. Starting out with no experience in the beauty industry, other than their own passion for makeup (and who DOESN'T have a passion for makeup?!) they created and launched the Bamlshell Lipgloss line that now includes a gel cheek and lip stain as well.

I was introduced to Balmshell at a Toronto Beauty Blogger Meetup event last month. In the swag bag I took home there was a full sized sample of their Shopaholic lipgloss and mini samples of three other colours.

The glosses each come with unique detachable keychains that have a floating moving Balmshells. The Shopaholic Balmshell goes into a store and comes out the other side full of shopping bags - so cute!
As for the product, I really liked the darker colour of the mini samples. Shopaholic went on very sheer (it is an almost nude light pink) so it was a good topper for my other lip colour, but I dont think I’d wear it on its own.

Four Balmshell Lipglosses - Shopaholic is on the far left

I also found that the applicator on the mini samples were much better than the full sized. It may have just been the one I got, but I found it really hard to get gloss onto the tip of the full sized gloss and had to dip into the tube multiple times to get enough to cover my lips, but the minis came out with a loaded brush every time.

The scent is light and a fairly standard lipgloss scent, so no complaints there. It has a non sticky texture and doesnt feel goopy at all.

Overall I love the packaging and the feel and look of these glosses. I’d like to try another full sized sample to see if the applicator problem was just with that one.

You can find out where to get your own Balmshell gloss here.

xoxo,

CARGO Cosmetics - Colour Eyeshadow Palette in London

2010-03-04T14:41:00.004-05:00

One of the goodies in my TBBM bag from a couple weeks ago was a quad eyeshadow palette from CARGO Cosmetics. I received their Colour Eyeshadow Palette in London, which features a matte dark brown, a matte dark eggplant purple, a shimmery mushroom or beige and a shimmery olive colour (see swatches below). Each quad comes in a durable (but stylish) case with a large mirror in the lid. and retails for $28 CDN.

I have some foundations from CARGO as well as some bronzers and blushes, but to be honest, I havent used CARGO eyeshadows very much, despite their strong reputation in the industry as a quality makeup brand. There are so many brands on the market that I feel like I dont have enough time (or money!) to try all the great products that are out there today for makeup artists. That aside, I was happy to have the chance to try these shadows.

The first thing that I noticed with this palette was the packaging. It is very sturdy and I really like that. I dont know how many refill quad shadow palettes I have chipped or cracked from other brands, but this case seems very strong. Not that I plan on throwing it on the ground any time soon, but being a makeup artist means that you're business is portable and your tools need to be portable and durable too. The other thing I really liked about the packaging was the mirror. It was big and bright and perfect for shadow application.

For the colours, I was very impressed with the dark eggplant. I am a big fan of matte shadows and this one has a nice rich tone. I wore it this week with an emollient base underneath and it lasted all day without creasing. The colour stayed true and I didnt need to layer it on to get the colour from the palette on my lid. The brown is very nice, but similar to others that I already have. The beige however, has become a great staple base for my basic makeup routine. I can wear it on it's own with liner and its subtle shimmer will brighten my lids, or I can wear it as the base with other shadows and it blends well and works under the brow as a hi-lighter.

One thing to note about the two shimmery colours is that although they look like there is a lot of sheen to them on the swatches, they dont show up like this on the lid. Again, this is a plus for me because I like matte colours, but if you're looking for shimmer like with a mineral powder, this isnt the quad for you.

Overall I was really impressed with the product and would definitely try other colours in their palette collection. The size of the shadows were generous and for $28, you're paying about $7 a shadow for high quality colour that will last. For their full line of Colour Eyeshadow Palettes, you can visit the CARGO website.

A positive experience all around.

xoxo,

True Love - The New MAC 130 Brush

2010-02-24T14:35:00.003-05:00

On Sunday I had the immense privilege of attending the fabulous Toronto Beauty Blogger Meetup hosted by my miss Fabulous Farah (http://facesbyfarah.com).

There were about 18 beauty bloggers and and about 6 beauty companies that showed up and the whole experience was amazing. I feel so lucky to have taken party and met all these lovely, friendly people.

It's also nice to know for sure that Im not the only one with a massive makeup addiction!

The Amazing Farah and Anjali!

L-R: Michelle, Jenn, Anjali, Me!, and Delia
Photos of the event are from Rock That Look (http://anjalihanda.blogspot.com/)

Anywho, after being pampered with a massive(!) amount of samples (photos and reviews to follow), what does a group of makeup junkies do? They go to MAC around the corner of course!

I was pretty well behaved this trip. Possibly because I was still in overload from the brunch, the product, and the people, so I only bought two things; a new lipstick (Fast Play) and the new foundation brush from MAC; the #130.

Let me just say: I am in love!

Lately I've noticed that "buffing" on foundation has become a major trend in the industry, but I havent really jumped on board, until now. What buffing means is that instead of stroking on your foundation with a regular foundation brush, you are now applying it in light circular motions across the skin to "buff" the foundation into the skin and over imperfections. The result is that you end up what a flawless airbrushed look to your foundation. But you NEED the right brush.

I bought the #187 brush from MAC a couple years ago and its been a great cream blush brush or for applying all over body shimmer etc., but I always found it way to big to work as a foundation brush and the brush head was too long to be stiff so you didnt get that precise handle on your makeup.

The #130 is like the baby sister of the #187. It is just as soft, but is much shorter and the bristles are much more concentrated. It's my new favourite tool and my soon to be secret weapon on clients.

The other thing with buffing your makeup on is you use a lot less product.

Did I need to go to MAC on Sunday? No.
Do I have a whole desk covered in new product I still have to review? Yes.
Am I super excited I did go to MAC and try the #130 brush? YES!!!!

So I guess the moral of this story is that I am clearly an incurable makeup addict, but at least I've found some friends! :)

xoxox,
DG

Toronto Beauty Blogger Meetup - Product Sneak Peek!

2010-02-25T21:41:00.001-05:00

THE HAUL!

THE FACE ATELIER PACK I WON!

QWIK Post - NOTD

2010-02-26T11:52:00.002-05:00

Sephora by O P I in Metro Chic

I love this colour, but it takes a few coats to get proper coverage and I found the nail polish got thick pretty fast after purchase. I added a few drops of nail polish remover and we are back to being smooth.

TGIF ladies!

xoxo
dg

Mini makeup rant and ELF/MAC review

2010-02-06T19:45:00.000-05:00

So it just so happens that the E.L.F makeup I ordered and the E.L.F makeup they sent me to review arrived 4 days apart. Thus, two E.L.F reviews one after the other. Enjoy! :)

Mac Studio Fix Mascara - Pretty Good

2010-02-04T10:09:00.003-05:00

MAC Studio Fix Lash Review

$15.50

Available online or in stores

http://www.maccosmetics.ca/

I was planning on taking before and after photos of my lashes with this mascara, but the boyfriend forgot our camera at his friends house. Ugh. Boys.

Anywho, I will take photos once I get access to the camera again. New ELF review to follow too.

Now for the review part of this post... In general, I DO NOT like MAC mascaras. In fact I've almost boycotted them over the last few years becaue I hated them so much. I found their thicker formulas goopy and clumpy and their regular formulas useless. If Im going to spend more than drugstore prices on a mascara, then I want it to be super-fabulous AND do my dishes. :)

So, you can imagine my hesitation in buying the new Studio Fix Mascara from MAC. I heard a lot of buz about this mascara and other makeup artists really liked it so I figured "what the hey".

My verdict: I like it!

It has a plastic tooth brush as opposed to bristles, which usually turns me off because I cant get the same volume I can with a traditonal brush, but this mascara didnt do that. It gave good coverage, good volume, and good seperation because of the brush type. Not bad. The brush isnt tapered like my fave Maybeline Last Stiletto, but it is a thin enough brush that you can still get the bottom lashes and the inner corners without making a mess.

Although I dont think I will ever become a full MAC mascara convert, I am extremely happy I gave this one a chance. I will try more MAC mascaras in the future, but I'll never leave my tried and true staples; Maybeline and L'Oreal!

xoxo
dg

E.L.F cosmetics - my first encounter!

2009-12-14T12:53:00.001-05:00

This weekend I got my very first order of E.L.F. cosmetics. They are an American beauty brand that offers affordable (almost criminal!) prices on a wide range of makeup and skin care products.

Always a bit skeptical (and a bit of brand snob), I decided to order a couple eyeshadows from each of their lines to see if their 1$ (yes, as in uno, singular, one) eyeshadow could compete with my brand name Naked or M.A.C shadows. I was pleasantly surprised.

Since I also had a nasty cold this weekend (thank you lovely Canadian winter), I only got to try out a couple products, but here are my thoughts on the ones I did get to play with.

Mineral Eyeshadow in ROYAL and ELEGANT
$3 each
eyeslipface.com

These are small pots of loose mineral powder. They say they are eyeshadows, but I find that mineral powders are great as a multipurpose product - you can use them as a highlighter on the cheekbone or even as lipstick if mixed with a clear lip balm. Naked cosmetics offers some great mixing mediums to get the most out of a mineral powder.

I tried the Royal (a deep purple) and Elegant (a creamy vanilla) and compared them to the Naked and MAC pigments that I had at home (below is a gallery of the ELF colours and comparable Naked/MAC colours).

The consistency of these are very similar to the Naked pots. I find the MAC pigments to be a bit silkier, but all in all they went on very smooth. The colours were intense and stayed on.
The only thing I would say about the Royal is that it did get a bit muted and muddy when mixed with another colour.

When compared to my MAC pigment, the MAC was richer and more concentrated, but for the $3 versus MAC's $25, it is worth the purchase, especially if you're not a serious makeup artist.

The ELF pots are the smallest of the three products at 0.03 oz. The MAC pots are much larger at 0.15 oz, and I couldnt find a size for the Naked powders, but they are also larger than ELF.

If you are going to use these a lot for professional use, these may be a bit small. But otherwise there is more than enough product to last for a very long time. Especially with pots and mineral products where the makeup is so concentrated, a little reeeeally does go a long way. I only had to dip the tip of my brush in the excess on the lid to get enough makeup to apply.

I really like these pots and they are a new bang for my buck that I think I'll definitlely be getting more of. They dont have any of the flashy colours that MAC carries, or any of the intense reds, greens, etc. that Naked carries, but they have about 10 colours or so of rich neuatrals and warm earthtones (think browns and beiges).

The shimmer in them adds a nice touch for the holidays too.

Final verdict - I wouldnt switch altogether from my pro brands, but I will certainly be getting more for myself.

Eyeshadow Duo in MOCHA SWIRL
$1 each
eyeslipface.com

The second item I tried was the E.L.F eyeshadow duo in mocha swirl. These duos remind me a lot of the L'Oreal HIP shadows, though I think I prefer the L'Oreal ones. The intensity of the colours are ok, but definitely not as pigmented as the loose mineral shadows.

The colours are pretty standard (no neon pink here!), but they will give you a well rounded set of shades that will work for any occasion. The packaging is super cute too. I know this is a factor for some of you (it is for me)!

One thing I did notice with the duos is that there is a bit of fallout from the powders when you apply them so be prepared to have to do some cleaning up around the eyes.

My favourite of the colours combos is the Olive, which is a brown and green duo. The green carries a decent amount of pigment and with my complexion; they are a really nice winter set.

There are twelve duos to choose from and for $1 each, I'd say buy 'em all! They are a great addition to any makeup lovers closet.

Sooooo, overall a pretty positive first outing with the E.L.F products. I'll review the eye brightening quads and the brushes next!

Stay positive; stay beautiful.

xoxo
Dg